What's Causing Your Knee Pain?

The knee is a complex joint, in the United States, knee pain is responsible for about 1/3 of all doctor’s visits for muscle and bone pain. Some of the most common reasons for knee pain are swollen or torn ligaments, meniscus (cartilage) tears, and runner’s knee. If an old knee injury was not properly treated, it may keep causing occasional or constant knee pain.

The symptoms vary depending on your specific knee injury. 

Things to look out for are:

• Pain, often when bending or straightening the knee.
• Swelling

If you have either of these symptoms, see your doctor. Together, you can figure out the cause. To diagnose what’s causing your knee pain, your doctor will need to do a thorough exam. You may need X-rays, MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), or MR arthrogram, a special type of MRI in which a dye is injected into the knee to see more detail of the joint.

Treatment for knee pain depends on your specific injury. Mild to moderate injuries that cause knee pain will often heal on their own, given time. To speed the healing, you can:

• Rest your knee. Give your knee rest for a few days and avoid intense activity.
• Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days or until the pain is gone.
• Compress your knee. Use an elastic bandage, straps’ or sleeves to keep down swelling or add support.
• Elevate your knee on a pillow when you’re sitting or lying down to reduce swelling.
• Practice stretching and strengthening exercises if your doctor recommends them.
• Physical Therapists can help patients avoid the need for surgery by helping them regain freedom of motion and freedom from pain.

Recovery time from knee pain depends on your specific injury. Further, people heal at different rates. While you get better, ask your doctor if you should take up a new activity that won’t aggravate your knee pain. Whatever you do, don’t rush things. Do not try to return to your old level of physical activity until:

• You feel no pain in your knee when you bend or straighten it.
• You feel no pain in your knee when you walk, jog, sprint, or jump.
• Your knee feels as strong as your uninjured knee.

If you start using your knee before it’s healed, you could cause permanent damage. Knee pain can be hard to prevent since it’s often caused by an accident. But there are still some precautions you can take to reduce the risk of a knee injury:

• Stop exercising if you feel pain in your knee.
• Always increase the intensity of your workout gradually.
• Stretch your legs before and after physical activity.
• Use knee-pads to prevent bursitis.
• Wear shoes that fit well and offer enough support.
• Keep your thigh muscles strong with regular stretching and strengthening.

Knee Exercises

• Knee rocks. Get down on one knee as if you’re proposing marriage (with a soft mat underneath to cushion your knees). Rock gently forward, keeping your shoulders straight. This stretches the front of the knee while protecting the lumbar spine. Make sure your knee does not extend past your toes as this can strain the knee.
• Straight leg raises. Sit in a chair, straighten one leg, and raise it straight out in front of you. Alternate legs.
• Leg curls. If you are nimble enough, lie on the floor on your stomach, and gently bend your heel back toward your buttocks, making sure to keep your hips on the ground.
  
  

For information regarding knee strengthening, contact your local physical therapist at Reddy Care Physical Therapy for guidance and exercise prescription. Our highly trained physical therapists can help develop a program for you.

For more information: 
https://www.reddycare.net/services/knee-pain

Author

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy is an outstanding specialty service providing exceptional care and state-of-the-art treatments for the residents of Farmingdale and Great Neck, New York. The combination of innovative exercise programs, manual therapy, and technology together with the expertise of every member of the team enables Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy to provide services that ensure superior clinical outcomes and consistently high patient satisfaction.