Knee pain and discomfort is one of the common diseases that people suffer across the globe. According to experts, not only is knee pain uncomfortable, but it can also hinder a person’s functions if left untreated for a long time. An injury could have caused pain in the knee or it could even be an underlying knee condition.
If one is not aware of common knee conditions, one might not realize the severity of the problem. The patient would dismiss it as a mere ache when your body could have been trying to tell you something. If you are suffering from pain in the knees, we recommend you visit knee pain doctors from TSRG immediately.
Experts say that minor knee pain can be treated with self-care measures. Additionally, physiotherapy and knee braces will strengthen and support the knee to alleviate stress. However, severe cases might need medical intervention and should not be ignored.
A Few Common Knee Conditions and their Preventive Measures
Meniscus tears
It is one of the most commonly found injuries, especially in athletes. The meniscus is a cartilage in the knee that cushions the joint from wear and tear. With a twist or a significant force to the knee, this may tear and cause debilitating pain.
In some cases, a torn piece of the cartilage might come loose and get caught in the joint, causing your knee to lock up. Symptoms of meniscus include knee pain, difficulty in bending and straightening of the leg, and a tendency of the knee to get stuck. At the time of the injury, you might feel a popping sensation.
How can you prevent a meniscal tear?
Preventing a meniscal tear is not easy as accidents happen to be one of the common reasons why meniscus tears occur in the first place. Nonetheless, there are some regular practices you should follow in your routine to avoid injuries.
Thigh muscles should be regularly exercised and made strong to be made stable. One should also maintain flexibility. Moreover, it is essential to only steadily increase intensity while working out to avoid jerking the knees. It’s also important to wear shoes that support and fit well and warm up before strenuous activity.
Knee Ligament Injuries
The ligament is the band of tissue that connects the knee to the bones. It is a tough tissue usually found in your joints. A ligament injury may put you on the sidelines fast, but recovery is still possible with proper care.
Icing and elevation are the best methods to alleviate your ligament injuries. However, more often than not, you might require medical intervention – either surgery or a rigorous physiotherapist to bring you back to full function.
Prevention of injuries follows the same protocol as meniscal tears- stretching, strengthening, and warming up.
Tendonitis
It is a condition in which your tendon experiences inflammation after an injury. Most of the time, it is self-treatable in mild cases, with recovery taking 2-3 weeks. In the interim, it will cause stiffness, joint pain, and limited movement.
Tendons are the connectors between your muscles to the joints in your bone. They are located all over your body. To distinguish tendonitis from other knee injuries, the symptoms you must look out for include difficulty moving a joint, crackling sensation in moving (if movement occurs since tendonitis restricts it), and swelling, sometimes with heat or redness.
Causes of tendonitis include repetitive or sudden and sharp movements. To prevent it, you can work on your posture and technique while playing sports. You may try resting tired muscles instead of overusing them, warming up and stretching before and after activity, as well as wearing supportive shoes.
Runner’s Knee
Healthline states that Runner’s Knee is the name given to any injury that affects the patella, which is the kneecap. Conditions include patellofemoral malalignment, anterior knee pain syndrome, chondromalacia patella, and iliotibial band syndrome.
This is often caused by running, which puts undue pressure on the knee. Other than running, this is also caused by any repetitive strain on the knees- cycling, skiing, soccer, amongst others. Obese people are more liable to have this condition. Moreover, Harvard Medical School says this is more common in women than in men, especially those who are middle-aged.
On top of staying in shape, the preventive measures against the runner’s knee are the same as other knee injuries. These include resting in between exercise, stretching, warming up, proper shoes that absorb shock, and a good running form.
Knee Bursitis
It is the inflammation in the sac called the bursa, located near the knee joint. Bursae are liquid-filled sacs that reduce friction and provide cushioning to pressure points between the bone and tendons, muscles, and skin near the joints. They play an essential role in reducing pain. Not only does knee bursitis cause pain, but it also restricts mobility.
How do you recognize that you have this injury? Unfortunately, this may not always be possible as signs and symptoms differ based on the affected area and the inflammation cause. In general, look out for your knee feeling warm, tender, and swollen under pressure. You might also experience pain at rest or while moving.
While a sharp blow to the knee could cause the symptoms to appear rapidly, most cases see a gradual increase in the symptoms in cases of knee bursitis. This is from friction and irritation, which occurs from kneeling on hard surfaces.
The best remedy is to wear knee pads when you exercise. Moreover, squatting should be minimized, weight maintained, and sufficient breaks should be taken.
Conclusion
Mentioned above are some of the most common knee conditions that you need to be aware of. Look out for the symptoms, and it’s better to not make the mistake of ignoring them.
