Knee Pain

What causes knee pain?

Because they come under a lot of strain every day, knees are a frequent cause of pain for a lot of people. Typically knee pain is either due to an acute injury sustained during physical activity or as a result of an accident, or it’s from the effects of wear and tear over months and years.

Degenerative changes that take place over time are often due to repetitive strain and are a common result of certain occupational activities or playing sports.

Degenerative changes occur with aging, too, resulting in diseases such as osteoarthritis, where the cartilage that protects the ends of the bones in the knee wears away. Degenerative joint changes cause inflammation and dull, throbbing pain, and make it more difficult to flex the knee or put weight on it.

What kinds of injuries can cause knee pain?

Fractures, dislocations, sprained ligaments, and strained tendons are the most common knee injuries.

Cruciate and collateral ligament tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial cruciate ligament (MCL), posterior collateral ligament (PCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) join the bones in the knee together and provide stability for the joint. They can stretch and tear during physical activity, so these types of injuries are especially common in athletes.

Meniscus tear

The meniscus is a tough piece of cartilage in your knee that protects the bones and provides stabilization to the joint. Meniscal tears are also common in athletes.

Patellar pain and tendon rupture

The patella (kneecap) is a small section of bone that sits in front of the two main bones in the knee: the femur and tibia. The patella may dislocate, or the tendon connecting the patella to the shinbone may rupture.

Quadriceps tendon rupture

Your quadriceps tendon joins the quad muscles in your thigh to your knee, and like any tendon, it can rupture if put under too much strain.

What treatments are available for knee pain?

After diagnosing the cause of your knee pain, Dr. Stein uses conservative approaches to repair the damage when possible, particularly physical therapy, which is a vitally important part of any treatment program. With certain injuries, you may also need to wear a knee brace to support the knee while it heals.

Injections of corticosteroids can help reduce inflammation, and viscosupplementation injections that lubricate the knee joint can also be beneficial. Regenerative medicine techniques such as platelet-rich plasma therapy and stem cell injections help promote healing and tissue growth.

If you need surgery for your knee pain, Dr. Stein has extensive experience in carrying out minimally invasive procedures including:

• Arthroscopic knee surgery
• Meniscal repair
• ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL reconstruction
• Loose body removal
• Patella realignment surgery
• Patella and quadriceps tendon repair

For a prompt and accurate diagnosis of the cause of your knee pain and effective treatment solutions, call Drew Stein, MD, PLLC, today or book an appointment online.