Knee Pain
Common Knee Complaints:
Knee Injuries
We all know how important it is to be active, and the benefits there are to your joints and general wellbeing, unfortunately injuries can occur and commonly these involve the knees.
The most common knee injuries involve the ligaments, cartilage or meniscus, tendons or joint surfaces. Old injuries that were never rehabilitated can also return from time to time or result in a constant background annoyance.
Osteoarthritis
Often referred to as ‘wear and tear’ it is a common cause of knee pain affecting mostly those over the age of 50. The cartilage wears away and can cause swelling and aching in the affected part of the knee. There is often stiffness when the joint hasn’t been moved for a while.
At Fountain Square we fit the Unloader One knee brace which is proven to be effective against this type of damage.
Meniscal tear
Twisting injuries can cause the knee cartilage to tear. The edges of these tears can get stuck in the joint and cause it to lock, this sometimes requires surgery to resolve the problem. Minor tears can heal on their own, but a thorough physiotherapist assessment is required to assess how bad the injury is.
If surgery is required the Rebound cartilage brace is effective at protecting the healing cartilage during weight bearing activity.
Bursitis
Bursa are fluid filled sacs that help protect joints from friction when in use. Overuse, impact injuries or constant pressure can cause the bursa to become inflamed, this leads to discomfort.
A common condition at the knee is prepatella bursitis or “housemaid’s knee”.
Dislocated kneecap
Normally through trauma the kneecap slides sideways out of the groove it usually sits in, extremely painful, this normally requires significant pain relief to relocate. Physiotherapy is an essential part of the recovery to help prevent this occurring again.
IT (iliotibial) band syndrome
The iliotibial (IT) band is a piece of tough tissue that runs from your hip down to the outer part of your knee. When you overdo activity, it can become inflamed over time. That causes pain on the outer side of the knee. It’s common among runners when going downhill.
Osgood-Schlatter disease
As we go through adolescence our bones grow rapidly and this can result in a significant pull on where the tendons attach. In Osgood-Schlatters the quadriceps muscle pulls away at the tibia where it attaches and a bony lump develops, this can be quite painful, especially during a growth spurt, physiotherapy and regular stretching can help keep you active and playing sport during this time.
Patellar tendinitis
Repetitive strain on tendons can cause inflammation (tendonitis). At the knee the patella tendon can become inflamed and sore especially with jumping activities, often referred to as “jumpers knee”.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
When the knee cap is not aligned properly in its groove this can lead to pain, most commonly on the outside of the knee cap. Imbalances in the leg muscles, tension in the iliotibial band and knee alignment issues can all contribute to this condition. Physiotherapy can help address most of these problems, resulting in a reduction in the knee pain and return to activity.
Knee ligament injuries
Knee ligament can be injured through a variety of mechanisms. Often a sharp change in direction or impact, such as a rugby tackle. It often occurs quickly and depending on the severity can immediately put a stop to your activity.
The main knee ligaments are:
ACL – Anterior Cruciate Ligament PCL – Posterior Cruciate Ligament MCL – Medial Collateral Ligament LCL – Lateral Collateral Ligament
Grade I sprain
The ligament is stretched but not torn, there may be swelling. Returning to sport to early after a Grade I sprain may result in more significant damage. Physiotherapy advice and treatment is recommended.
Grade II sprain
This is a partial tear of the ligament, the main indicator is swelling and bruising, movement is often very painful and quite challenging. Physiotherapy can help reduce the swelling and early rehabilitation helps prepare the injury for returning to sport.
Grade III sprain
This is a complete tear of the ligament, swelling and bleeding occurs, the joint is unstable and weightbearing is virtually impossible. Pain is often absent during a complete rupture as the pain nerve fibres are completely ruptured aswell.
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