Knee pain and joint instability can greatly affect your mobility because it reduces the range of motion of the affected leg. It, therefore, reduces your productivity because you cannot take part in your daily chores. Therefore, if you are struggling with joint instability or knee pain, orthopedic specialists are here to solve all your concerns. Qualified and experienced orthopedic surgeons are keen on diagnosing the cause of your knee pain. Doing so helps them determine the treatment option that suits all your concerns, including knee replacement surgery and joint injections. Below is all you need to know concerning knee pain.

Why can you have knee pain?

Typically, knee pain is a common health concern because most of the activities you participate in exert pressure on large, weight-bearing joints like the knee joint. For example, walking, standing, running, kneeling, and jumping all strain your knees. Some of the common conditions that cause knee pain are:

•         Meniscus tears

Meniscus refers to a piece of cartilage that is c-shaped and is found at the knee joint. The function of the joint is to support your weight, allow you to turn your knee, stabilize the knee joint and help prevent the bones at the knee joints from rubbing against each other. Tears to this cartilage can occur when you stop suddenly or during awkward twisting movements.

•         Arthritis

There are various types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis is more common. Osteoarthritis is due to tear and wear of your joint or an autoimmune disorder like rheumatoid arthritis.

•         Runner’s knee

Patellofemoral pain syndrome or Runner’s knee is due to trauma, overuse, misalignment, or weak muscles. As a result, you can develop pain behind your kneecap. The intensity of your pain increases when you kneel, walk or run.

•         ACL tears

The anterior cruciate ligament is an example of the four ligaments responsible for attaching the tibia and femur, making the knee joint. ACL tears are common injuries, especially when your knee slides too far anteriorly.

•         Bursitis

Bursitis refers to the bursae inflammation, a small sac filled with fluid at your knee joint. The function of the bursae is to provide protection and cushioning for your connective tissue and bones at the joint. However, at times it can be inflamed due to overuse. In this case, you begin experiencing pain that radiates to your hips, back, and ankles.

What treatments are available for knee pain?

Health care specialists usually use non-surgical approaches to alleviate knee pain and improve joint function. Elevating your knee and applying ice is a form of conservative treatment. Other treatments include physical therapies, using arch supports, anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections, rest and activity modification, wearing a knee brace, regenerative medicine injections, and viscosupplementation. However, if your pain is not responding to treatment, you can benefit from genicular radiofrequency ablation. It is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to damage the genicular nerve to prevent the transmission of pain signals to your brain. Surgery can be used when other treatment options do not relieve pain.

Since knee pain can greatly affect your performance at work or in your daily chores, if you begin experiencing some discomfort at the knee joint, you must seek medical help to identify the cause of your pain. If you seek relief for knee pain, you can get started by calling or visiting Integrity Orthopedics today.