If you work on your feet or if you are living an active life, chances are you to experience little pains and aches quite often.

Date:   6/6/2019 11:52:51 AM ( 5 y ago)

If you work on your feet or if you are living an active life, chances are you to experience little pains and aches quite often. You probably postponed a visit to the doctor multiple times because you thought that if you wait a little longer the pain would subside. Sometimes this is a good approach but there are also cases when it doesn’t. Here is what you need to know if you are suffering from knee pains. 

Common causes

Your knees are one of the most injury-prone joints, and knee damages can be the result of tears in one of their three ligaments.

Trauma

A change in direction or a sudden twisting movement can injure your anterior cruciate ligaments. You can injure your posterior cruciate ligament when the area is the target of an impact. A car crash can lead to an injury to the PCL. If you have a direct blow to your knees, you will probably experience medial collateral ligament damage. In case you have a ligament injury, you will need surgery to repair it.

Knee bursitis

Bursitis is the result of an injury to the bursae, the small sacs that work as a cushion around your knee joints and allow ligaments and tendons to easily move. Some common symptoms of bursitis are stiffness in the knee, pain, warmth and swelling. If the front of the knee gets injured, you can experience this condition.  You can treat this condition with therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, and even steroid injections if you are dealing with serious bursitis.

Fractures

A collision or fall can lead to fractures in the bones of the knee. If you suffer from osteoporosis or other degenerative diseases, you have weak bones that can break even if you wrongly step off a curb. Physical therapy can help you recover from a knee fracture, but if you have a serious injury, you will probably need surgery.

Degenerative tissue disorders

Many people suffer from these disorders. Osteoarthritis is one of the conditions that cause degeneration in the cartilage and tissue of the knee. It comes with symptoms like joint dysfunction, stiffness and pain. This health problem is one of the results of aging and around 10% of men and 13% of women over 60 experience it only in the USA. If you are dealing with it you can use manage its symptoms with the help of pain relief medications and gentle exercises.

Infection

Cellulitis is a complex bacterial skin infection that can affect your knee. You can experience it after a simple scrape on your knee if you don’t receive the right treatment. Common symptoms include tenderness to the touch, hot skin and redness. Left untreated this infection can spread to other parts of the body, and it can even threaten your life. If you have bruises and scrapes on your knee that do not seem to heal, you should seek for professional help. Antibiotics are one of the treatment solutions for this condition.  

When should you talk to a doctor?

You have a reduced range of motion

When you hurt your knee it can swell internally, and this swelling often leads to a reduced range of motion. If this is the case, you will probably have difficulties in bending or straightening the leg completely. You should talk to a doctor if your range of motion decreases in around 24 hours after you got hurt.

Your pain impacts your daily activities

If your pains have a negative impact on your daily activities you should no longer postpone the doctor visit. Have a doctor evaluate your state the moment you notice that your knee pain keeps you from completing your job tasks, makes your physical activities uncomfortable or if you feel frustrated because you are not able to do the things you used to. There are numerous knee pain treatment options, but it’s important for an expert to recommend the best solution for your condition.

Sometimes knee pain can affect your sleep, it can cause insomnia or it can prevent you from falling asleep.

Your joint is deformed

If you feel pain on your knee, you should stand in front of a mirror and compare your knees. If the one that hurts you looks deformed, you may experience a patella injury, a dislocated kneecap or even a fracture, so it’s advisable to seek professional help.        

You can barely walk

Some knee conditions can make walking difficult or can give you a limp. You should not ignore these symptoms, they are the signs of complex health problems and you should see a doctor to diagnose your condition. These symptoms are often associated with a degenerative condition or to a bone injury.

You experience pains for more than 48 hours

If you have waited 48 hours for your pains to go away or to lower in intensity, but they don’t seem to diminish any time soon you should schedule a doctor check. If you are an athlete, you should not wait more than 48 hours to talk to a specialist because your injury can lead to some serious conditions. If you are not an athlete, you should call your doctor if your knee pain doesn’t regress for three weeks.

Knee instability

Seek medical help the moment you feel you are prone to collapse due to your knee instability and pain. If your knee wobbles, you are probably suffering from a more complex health problem and a professional can help you. These symptoms are often the signs of a ligament problem and the more you wait the higher are the chances to permanently affect your knee are.

In addition, if you cannot stand up, or you have to shift your weight away from your injured knee you should seek help. Your affected knee is no longer able to hold your weight and it will influence your overall wellbeing. The inability to hold weight is a symptom associated with numerous knee problems, and only a doctor can diagnose and treat them.

It’s not advisable to wait for your knee pain to go away. Make sure you seek help if you experience the symptoms we listed in this article.

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