Knee pain is a pesky problem that can manifest at any age. It can stop you from doing the things you love – like your favourite sport. It can even make your day to day tasks, like walking or cleaning, difficult. 

Common symptoms of knee pain include pain in the front of the knee, clicking sounds from your knee, redness or swelling at the knee area, inability to straighten the knee or any weakness or instability in the knee.

But what causes knee pain? Why is your knee sore? And how should you treat knee pain? Read on to find out. 

Knee Pain – Causes

ACL Injury 

It’s the injury every athlete hopes to never have. An ACL injury can derail the careers of promising athletes and can cause significant harm. It occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. This ligament connects your shinbone to your thigh bone. The injury commonly occurs when performing quick movements. An ACL injury therefore commonly occurs in people who play football, soccer, netball, basketball and other sports that require fast changes in direction. 

Patellar Tendinitis

With tendinitis, inflammation and irritation occur in one or more tendons. Tendons are the fibrous tissues that attach muscles to bones. Patellar tendinitis occurs when there is an injury to the patellar tendon. This tendon runs from the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone. It allows you to perform high-intensity movements, like running, kicking and jumping. Unsurprisingly, patellar tendinitis commonly occurs in people who perform high-intensity sports like running or jumping sports, and also occurs in cyclists and skiers. 

Fractures

Breaking the bones of the knee, including the kneecap (patella) during a fall or auto accident is one sure way to cause knee pain. Although, these fractures can occur unexpectedly for some people, like those who suffer from osteoporosis. In fact, osteoporosis sufferers can sustain a knee fracture by merely stepping wrong. 

Knee Bursitis

The bursae are the small sacs of fluid situated around the outside of your knee. They ensure your tendons and ligaments glide seamlessly over the joint. Some injuries to the knee will result in knee bursitis, which occurs when the bursae become inflamed. 

Torn Meniscus

The strong, rubbery cartridge situated between your thigh bone and your shinbone acts as a shock absorber for this area. However, it can be torn if you were to quickly twist your knee while bearing weight on it.

Arthritis

Over 100 types of arthritis exist. However, if you suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, pseudogout or septic arthritis, you may be more susceptible to a knee injury. 

How Should You Prevent Knee Pain?

Strength Training

Improving your strength is a great way to help prevent knee injuries from happening. By building strong muscles, your joints will be better protected. A highly effective, low impact way to improve strength is with Pilates, or physio led exercise classes. 

Improve Flexibility 

Improving your flexibility will also help diminish the risk of knee injuries. Working on your flexibility may help you achieve a full range of motion more easily. A great way to improve flexibility is with Yoga or Pilates. 

How Should You Treat Knee Pain?

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a common treatment for knee pain. Physiotherapists use advanced, evidence-based techniques to improve their patients’ physical functionality. The practice is used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including knee pain. 

Home Remedies Can Help

As well as chatting with your general practitioner, home remedies can help alleviate knee pain. Resting the muscle is an important part of the healing process. When resting your knee, try to keep it elevated to reduce swelling. Also, applying ice can help reduce swelling and pain. Try using a bag of peas, as these will mould comfortably to your knee. A heat pack or hot water bottle is another option to help reduce pain. 

Visit BodyViva To Stop Your Knee Pain

Knee pain can affect anyone, no matter what stage of life you are in. It’s a tedious and painful injury to deal with. However, having the right treatment in place can help you speed up your recovery. At BodyViva, our expert physiotherapists are highly experienced in treating knee pain. Our physiotherapists possess genuine care for every patient and acknowledge that each individual has their own unique set of circumstances. If you’d like to learn more about our diverse range of services, contact the friendly team at BodyViva today.