Knee Pain Causes

There are a number of knee pain causes that lead to a condition of intense and severe pain in an individual, and it is important to get to the bottom of these causes. Some knee injuries are caused by external traumatic events, whereas some are hereditary problems with one's bones and genes. Either way, a knee injury is a crippling injury to live with, as it severely limits the movement of the afflicted person.

The knee is a complex human joint, and it carries out a variety of functions with its scope of movement. People with a knee injury will be well aware about how painful this condition can really be, and how severely debilitating it really is. When a doctor tries to diagnose the problem, he must get to the bottom of the knee pain causes, and here are some of the possible problems he needs to be on the lookout for.

Causes of Knee Pain

Following a trial and error method, a medical specialist can determine what is causing the pain and the discomfort with the help of a few tests. Once the cause has been found, possible solutions and treatments can be administered. These solutions need to be accompanied by some form of physiotherapy knee exercises, and the joint will take anything between a few weeks and a few months to heal completely.

Ligament Injury
This is one of the first and most obvious answer to the question, "What causes knee pain?". The knee is made up of several ligaments in order to facilitate its unique movement, and these ligaments can get damaged or even torn sometimes, as a result of extra stretching or rigorous exercise. This is a painful condition and requires the individual to not put any stress on the knee even once the pain has been banished. The three main ligaments that can get damaged are the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and the the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL).

Tendon Injury
Also known as tendonitis, this is one of the primary inner knee pain causes that afflicts individuals. Tendons attach the muscles to the bones inside the knee, and when these get inflamed or swollen, it causes a great deal of pain. This injury will swell up the knees uncontrollably, and will render the individual unable to perform any physical activity at all. The patellar tendon is the one that is most commonly affected in the case of athletes.

Meniscus Injury
The C-shaped cartilage that curls inside the knee is known as the meniscus, and this is a part that is also very prone to damage and injury. This cartilage can experience a meniscus tear at any part, and this is something that will cause a great amount of pain to the individual. This is an injury that can affect anyone who is exercising, and there is no way it can be avoided or prevented, simply due to its unpredictable nature.

Dislocation
Another of the causes of knee pain is the dislocation of the knee cap. This is something that will occur only when there is a large external force (or trauma) that collides against the kneecap, thus dislocating it from its position. This knee cap is a triangular bone known as the patella, and when it gets dislocated one can see it in a grotesque position at the front of the knee. The dislocated kneecap will also move around from side to side, and this is something that can cause one to panic excessively.

Arthritis
Arthritis is perhaps the most common of all lateral knee pain causes, and there are hundreds of people (most notably, elder people) who are plagued by this problem. This is simply the wear and tear of the cartilage of the knee, and this is something that is unavoidable due to the aging of the knee. There are many different types of arthritis, and these will have to be evaluated by a doctor on a case to case basis. Various knee pain causes and treatments related to arthritis of the knees, can only be suggested by a qualified and experienced doctor.

Bursitis
On the outside of the knee joints, there are some small sacs of fluid present. These are known as the bursae, and they are very important for the functioning of the knee. This is due to the fact that they cushion the outside of the knee joint, thus making it easier for the tendons and the ligaments to move over the joint smoothly. When an injury causes inflammation in these sacs, it is known as bursitis, and this is something that leads to pain each and every time the tendons move inside. After a while, this becomes extremely difficult to live with.

Along with these knee pain causes, here are some more factors that can lead to intense knee pain.
  • Iliotibial Band Syndrome
  • Gout and Pseudogout
  • Hyperextended Knee
  • Chondromalacia of Patella (or Patellofemoral pain)
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Septic Arthritis
  • Osgood-Schlatter Disease
All these knee pain causes have their own modes of treatment and knee pain relief. You must start the treatment as soon as possible, and not waste any time whatsoever. The injury will only get worse if you waste time in getting the treatment. It is not easy to love with a severe knee injury, so you must follow all the precautions that you can.

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