Knee pain is pain in or around the knee.
The knee joint consists of an articulation between four bones: the femur, tibia, fibula and patella. There are four compartments to the knee. These are the medial and lateral tibiofemoral compartments, the patellofemoral compartment and the superior tibiofibular joint. The components of each of these compartments can experience repetitive strain, injury or disease.
Running long distance can cause pain to the knee joint, as it is a high-impact exercise.
The location and severity of knee pain may vary, depending on the cause of the problem. Signs and symptoms that sometimes accompany knee pain include:
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Swelling and stiffness
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Redness and warmth to the touch
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Weakness or instability
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Popping or crunching noises
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Inability to fully straighten the knee
Causes
Injuries
Some common injuries based on the location include:
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Sprain (Ligament sprain)
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Medial collateral ligament
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Lateral collateral ligament
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Anterior cruciate ligament
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Posterior cruciate ligament
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Tear of meniscus
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Strain (Muscle strain)
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Hemarthrosis – Hemarthrosis tends to develop over a relatively short period after injury, from several minutes to a few hours.
[Darlene Hertling and Randolph M.Kessler. Management of Common Musculoskeletal Disorders. Third Edition.
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Fractures
Diseases
Some of the diseases of cause of knee pain include the following:
Inflammations
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Bursitis of the knee
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Prepatellar bursitis - Housemaid's knee (most common)
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Infrapatellar bursitis - Clergyman's knee ( Superficial infrapatellar bursitis and Deep infrapatellar bursitis)
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Semimembranosus bursitis
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Tendinitis
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Patellar tendinitis ( Jumper's knee)
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Hamstring tendinitis
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Popliteal tendinitis
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Synovitis of the knee
Deformities
Common deformities of the knee include:
Syndromes
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Patellofemoral pain syndrome
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Plica syndrome
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Iliotibial band syndrome
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Hoffa's syndrome
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Joint hypermobility syndrome
Dislocations
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Patella dislocation
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Knee joint dislocation ( Tibiofemoral joint dislocation)
Cold temperature
Knee pain is more common among people working in the cold than in those in normal temperature.
[ Cold-induced knee pain may also be due to tenosynovitis of the around the knee, in which cold exposure has a specific role, either as a causative or a contributing factor.]
There is also a hereditary disease, familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS), which often features knee pain, in addition to hives, fever and pain in other joints, following general exposure to cold.
Knee pain due to less physical movement
A lower level of physical activity and a work environment where one is required to sit in a chair during the work day is one reason for developing knee joint pain, as the lower degree of physical movement tends to weaken the knee muscles. Blood vessels also can be affected, leading to development of painful conditions. Working on building strength through a full range of motion is crucial for rebuilding strength and getting rid of knee pain.
As age progresses the movement of the knee joint involves higher friction with adjacent tissue and cartilages.
Other causes
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Ligamentous laxity
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Fat pad impingement
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Knee effusion
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Deep vein thrombosis
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Peripheral vascular disease
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Exostosis
Referred knee pain
Referred pain is that pain perceived at a site different from its point of origin but innervated by the same spinal segment.
Diagnosis
Knee MRIs should be avoided for knee pain without symptoms or effusion, unless there are non-successful results from a functional rehabilitation program.[
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In some diagnosis, such as in knee osteoarthritis, magnetic resonance imaging does not prove to be clear for its determination.
Management
Although surgery has a role in repairing traumatic injuries and broken bones, Arthroscopy do not provide significant or lasting improvements to either pain or function to people with knee pain, and therefore should almost never be performed.
Overall, a combination of interventions seems to be the best choice when treating knee pain. Interventions such as exercises that target both the knee and the hip, foot bracing, and patellar taping are all recommended for use with patients who have knee pain.
Current evidence suggests that psychological factors are elevated in individuals with patellofemoral pain.
Epidemiology
About 25% of people over the age of 50 experience knee pain from degenerative knee diseases.
Society and culture
In the United States, more than US$3 billion is spent each year on arthroscopic knee surgeries that are known to be ineffective in people with degenerative knee pain.
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