Knee Pain
Knee Pain
The knee supports the full weight of your body above it and withstands a significant amount of pressure and force as it bends, extends, and rotates thousands of times every day. The knee is made up of bones (femur, tibia, and patella), cartilage at the joint surface, meniscus tissue between the bones, and ligaments and tendons and muscles surrounding the knee to stabilize the joint. Bursa tissues are small sacs of fluid that allow the soft tissues to glide smoothly past each other.
Common Knee Conditions:
Overuse (Wear and Tear): Repeated stress on the knee can place strain on the joint causing cartilage damage. This may progress to the point where the bones start rubbing against each other with age resulting in osteoarthritis.
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Bursitis: Prepatellar bursitis can be caused by irritation and inflammation of the bursa in front of the knee cap often caused by constant kneeling such as plumbers, roofers, and gardeners. Other causes of prepatellar bursitis may include infection from a puncture wound and will need evaluation by an orthopaedic surgeon.
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Tendinitis: Jumper’s knee (patellar tendinitis) is a common condition affecting athletes involved in sports that require a lot of jumping and running such as basketball. The patellar tendon inflammation and partial tearing results in pain at the lower end of the knee cap that is worsened with activities such as running, jumping, and going up and down stairs.
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Sprains and Ligament tears: The knee ligaments are made of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL). Sports injuries, falls, and direct blows to the knee may cause a partial or complete tear of the ligaments.
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Meniscus tears: The meniscus is one of the most common injuries occurring in the knee. Tearing of the meniscus may be caused by sudden pivoting, twisting motions, squatting, sports injuries, or wear and tear as we age and the meniscus tissue weakens.