Of all the joints in the human body, knee pain is the most common complaint of people. The knee joint is complex, it bears a great load during different types of physical activity, therefore, there can be many reasons for pain in it. Knee pain, even if it occurs occasionally and goes away on its own, should not go unnoticed.
Knee Pain Causes
- Gonarthrosis, or arthrosis of the knee joint. This disease is caused by excessive stress, trauma, excess weight, metabolic disorders. The pain usually bothers during and after physical activity, including walking up stairs, running, squatting, and gradually subsides with rest. Painful sensations are combined with a painful crunch in the joints, subsequently there is swelling, deformation of the contours of the knee, restriction and pain during movement. Often, and in young people, there is a so-called patellofemoral (femoral-patellar) arthrosis, when it is the joint between the patella and the articular surface of the femur that wears out.
- Damage to the menisci. The knee joint has two cartilaginous formations - the inner and outer menisci, which provide better shock absorption. The internal meniscus suffers more often. It is important to know what traumatic meniscus injuries and degenerative ones are distinguished. The first occurs with a sharp turn of the body, when the foot is fixed, jumping, falling. The pain is acute, swelling of the joint develops rapidly, blood accumulates in its cavity, due to which a swelling appears above the patella. The knee may not be fully extended or the victim experiences a sensation of wedging, "jumping out" of a foreign body in the joint. Degenerative meniscus ruptures occur mainly in older people with gonarthrosis. They can occur simply when walking, when trying to sit on a low seat, or carrying a weight. The pain increases gradually, accompanied by swelling, synovitis (inflammatory fluid in the articular cavity). Meniscus injuries also give pain during the rotation of the lower leg (clinical tests carried out by the doctor are based on this), going down the stairs.
- Damage to the ligamentous apparatus. Trauma more frequent than or associated with meniscus tears. The knee joint has the outer and inner lateral ligaments, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, and the patella's own ligament. Lateral ligaments are more often affected when there is a violent deflection of the lower leg outward or inward from the axis of the limb. The cruciate ligaments are damaged by twisting the lower leg, hitting it. The patella's own ligament breaks during its traumatic dislocation. Ligamentous apparatus injuries are characterized by pain, aggravated by walking, support on the leg. In addition, with significant damage, instability of the knee joint occurs in one plane or another.
- Arthritis. Inflammation of the knee joint of an infectious or non-infectious nature. The person experiences constant pain that increases with exertion. The joint is swollen, enlarged, hot to the touch, the skin is reddened. The general body temperature may also rise.
- Rheumatoid arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease that affects many joints, often the knee. The pain in this case is of an inflammatory nature, i. e. the patient complains of it at rest, especially after the night. Movement improves blood flow and pain is relieved. The pain is accompanied by prolonged (more than half an hour) stiffness. There are also other signs of joint inflammation: swelling, redness, increased skin temperature above it.
- Tumors of the knee joint. Pain is not a permanent symptom of tumors. With small formations, it may not be there, as well as other signs. But, if the tumor grows, affecting all new structures of the joint, the patient begins to complain of pain. They are not associated with physical activity, more often disturbed in the second half of the night and in the morning.
- Osteochondropathy. These are lesions of the articular surfaces. In the knee joint, Koenig's disease can develop - osteochondropathy of the inner condyle of the thigh, while the cartilage is destroyed, and its fragments can be freely located in the joint cavity, leading to an inflammatory process and blocking of the joint. The pain is felt during exertion, and with the development of the disease and at rest.
Treatment
Pain is only a symptom of a disease. Its nature, localization, dependence on stress, time of day help, along with other symptoms, to make a preliminary diagnosis.
Treatment should be aimed primarily at eliminating a specific disease or, if this is not possible, achieving long-term remission (a period without exacerbations), preventing progression.
Treatment methods can be conservative or surgical.
Symptomatic pain therapy is, first of all, such a group of drugs as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are used in the form of intravenous, intramuscular injections, tablets, capsules, rectal suppositories and topically (ointments, gels, creams, aerosols).
For many diseases, the doctor can prescribe physical methods of treatment: physiotherapy procedures, dry heat or baths, semi-alcohol compresses, therapeutic exercises in a gentle mode, wearing a bandage or orthosis.
Such therapy, along with medications, helps to improve blood flow, relieve inflammation and reduce pain. If pain is associated with mechanical reasons (a part of a torn meniscus blocking a joint, a free cartilaginous body) or conservative therapy does not give an effect, surgical techniques are used: joint debridement by arthroscopy, osteotomy, replacement of the knee joint with an artificial one, joint closure (arthrodesis).
If you experience knee pain, you should consult an orthopedist or traumatologist (if an injury has occurred).