Top 3 Common Knee Problems (and How To Treat Them)

Although your knee is an exquisite piece of engineering, like the rest of your body, it’s subject to numerous injuries. Knee pain is one of the most common forms of chronic pain. Nearly 35% of U.S. citizens will have knee pain at some point in their lifetime. And women are at higher risk than men to experience knee problems. Gaining more knowledge about the most common cause of knee pain is necessary to start timely treatment and prevent irreversible damage to your health.

Here are some of the most common causes of knee pain and how to treat them.

1. Ligament tears

Your knee has four ligaments that connect its bones. All of them may get torn or otherwise injured. The most common knee injury many people face is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Most cases of torn ACL occur due to overstretching during sports like basketball, football, and gymnastics. You can also tear your ACL because of a fall when skiing or due to a direct blow to the front of your knee. Torn ACLs are prevalent in women because they have slightly different knee anatomy. Common symptoms of torn ACL include pain when walking or weight-bearing, swollen knee joint, and inability to straighten the knee.

Depending on your symptoms, you may benefit from undergoing physical therapy to recover range of motion and strength similar to the uninjured knee. If you experience severe knee instability, you may require surgical repair to continue participating in your favorite activities.

2. Cartilage tears

The meniscus is thick cartilage located at the top of the tibia bone in your knee. It serves as a cushion to protect your bones from the daily stress of walking, running, and climbing. Suddenly twisting your knee while bearing weight on it may result in a torn meniscus. This may lead to swelling, stiffness, and pain, particularly when rotating or trying to move your knee. If you participate in contact sports like tennis or basketball, your chances of tearing a meniscus are especially high. Other risk factors include aging and obesity.

Immediate treatment for torn meniscus includes rest, cold compression therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications to relieve pain and inflammation. Once you get better, a specialist may recommend undergoing physical therapy, wearing shoe orthotics, and controlling your body weight. If conservative treatment fails to provide results, you may require surgery to repair the torn cartilage.

3. Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune disorder in which your body attacks its own tissues, especially the joints. This condition typically affects both of your knees and starts to show first symptoms after years of causing damage. The most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the knee are pain, tenderness, and discomfort that worsens when you stand or during physical activity. You may also experience stiffness, weakness, and warmth in your knees and hear cracking, clicking, or popping noises when moving your joints. Untreated rheumatoid arthritis can eventually lead to permanent joint damage that can hamper you from being able to work or participate in your favorite activities.

Conservative ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis include corticosteroids injections, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs like biologics. Most patients usually benefit from a combination of treatments. You may require surgery if your knee gets severely damaged and irreparable.

The bottom line

If you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms, don’t wait until they get worse and reach out to a pain doctor to determine the proper cause and start appropriate treatment. Timely treatment is vital to prevent any irreversible damage to your knees and recover your range of motion and strength to the fullest extent.