Knee Pain

“I’m wary of using the stairs because of this pain in my knees!!”

Pain in and around the knee joint, including the patella. Our knee joint is of particular importance in weight-bearing activities. It is a very strong and stable joint surrounded by resilient ligaments inside and outside of the joint capsule. It can hold tremendous loading force yet the knee is prone to a large variety of aches and pains. The knee is a complex joint that relies heavily on ligaments and muscles for stability. When pain is perceived as coming from the knee, all the anatomical components need to be examined.

Symptoms of knee pain:

  • Pain and Tenderness in the knee
  • Redness and warmth to the touch
  • Swelling of the knee
  • Stiffness in movement
  • Loss of full range of motion
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Locking of the knee, inability to bend or straighten fully
  • Laxity and instability, the feeling of the knee giving way
  • Pain with weight bearing
  • Grinding of the knee with motion or weight-bearing
  • Deformity of the joint

When experiencing knee, ankle or foot pain, the following habits and aids can help to relieve pain:
Rest
Ice pack against
Compression, knee braces or sport tapes
Elevate the affected leg

Walking aid, temporarily using a cane or umbrella to take the weight off the problematic knee
Knee Brace
Balancing the muscles around the knee joint with proper stretching and strengthening exercises

Common causes of knee pain:

Referred pain

  • Dull ache, tension, and tightness surrounding the knee region can result from faulty biomechanics of surrounding structures.
  • Dysfunction of the joints of the lower back, pelvis, hip and ankles can alter your gait (the way you walk and run) and impair the normal mechanics of the knee.
  • Referred pain can result from;
  • Lower back facet joints, nerve compression in the low back
  • Sacroiliac joints on the pelvis
  • Myofascial trigger point
  • Hip Joints
  • Soft tissue surrounding the knee
  • Biomechanical dysfunction of joints in the feet, hips and pelvis

Signs and Symptoms include:

  • Pain that increases with activities, gets better with rest
  • Swelling and warmth in the joint
  • Stiffness and tightening of the joint, especially in the morning or after prolonged sitting
  • Locking of the joints
  • Grinding sensation with knee motion
  • Crepitus or popping sounds when the knee moves
  • Decrease mobility of the knees. The difficulty with using the stairs, getting in and out of soft seats or cars.

Arthritis

Arthritis most often causes problems with the knee joint but can affect other structures like muscles, tendons and ligaments. A deformity often leads to arthritis in the knee, but more often, obesity or excess weight, or repetitive stress injuries from sports are the culprits.

  • Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder which causes the joint to become inflamed and causes the destruction of the adjacent soft tissues. Body immune system mistakenly attacking the joints causing chronic inflammation. It is commonly the most debilitating form of arthritis.
  • Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis in the knee, is caused by the gradual degeneration of the cartilage in the joint.
  • Septic arthritis, an infection in the joint usually accompanied by a fever and no injury.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

The ITB is a thick layer of connective tissue that runs parallel to your thigh bone and attaches from the outside of your pelvis to the outside of your tibia, passing over the hip and knee joint. Inflammation of the connective tissue and its subsequent rubbing over the outer knee bone is most often caused by stresses of long-term overuse, such as running. Leg swing when running causes the band the move back and forth over the outside of the femur bone, combined with flexions and extensions of the knee aggravates the inflame the ITB.

  • Pain outside of thigh when bending and straightening the knee
  • Aches or burning sensations at the outside of the knee
  • Pain can radiate to the hip and knee.
  • Chronic tension and tightness along the iliotibial band cause pain and discomfort, eventually leading to dysfunction and instability of the pelvis, hip, and knee joint.
  • Rest and ice the ITB right after the pain started.
  • Working with proper functional mechanics of the pelvis and legs should lessen the symptoms.
  • Soft tissue rehabilitation exercises

Meniscus Injuries

The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that cushions and stabilizes your knee joint. Quick twist or rotational movements can sometimes cause damage to the meniscus, tearing of the meniscus is most commonly caused by traumatic injuries, repetitive stress, or degenerative joint diseases.
Symptoms:

  • Pain in the knee, especially while weight bearing
  • Swelling, stiffness and tightness of the knee joint
  • Popping sensation
  • Locking of the knee, knee not straightening all the way
  • The feeling of knee instability