Knee pain is a common complaint among adults and is most often associated with general wear and tear from daily activities like walking, climbing stairs, kneeling, and other activities that use the knee. Sudden injuries are another common cause of knee problems.
Athletes who run or play sports that involve jumping or quick pivoting are also likely to experience knee pain and problems. And as we get older, the everyday wear and tear results on our knees become increasingly evident. The good news is that there are are a variety of conservative treatment options that may enable you to stave off knee replacement or major surgery.
You can count on Main Line Spine to diagnose the core cause of your knee pain through a thorough evaluation and advanced imaging technology. If there is a minimally invasive treatment option that will work for your case, rest assurred that Main Line Spine will find it.
Common Knee Pain Causes
Common knee pain causes include the following:
Sprained or Strained Knee Ligaments and Muscles
A sprain is when the fibers in one of the ligaments have stretched or torn. This condition can be caused by sudden impact, putting too much weight or pressure on a knee, or a sudden twist that stretches a muscle, tendon, or ligament.
A strain is a tear that occurs in muscle fibers or the tendons. This condition may occur after a dramatic increase of activity, like walking for more in a day than you usually do. Symptoms often include pain, swelling, and difficulty in walking.
Torn Ligament or Cartilage
A knee tear is is an injury to one of the ligaments or layers of cartilage that supports and stabilizes the knee. A knee tear may be partial, in which some of the structure is damaged – or complete, in which a ligament or meniscus is torn in two or separates from the bone.
Tendonitis
Tendonitis refers to the inflammation of tendons from overuse during activities such as running, jumping, or other sports.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that affects the knee. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process where the cartilage in the joint gradually wears away. It often affects middle-aged and older people. Osteoarthritis may be caused by excess stress on the joint such as repeated injury or being overweight.
Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the knees by causing the joint to become inflamed and by destroying the knee cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis often affects persons at an earlier age than osteoarthritis.