Pain - knee
Knee pain usually results from:
Simple causes of knee pain often clear up on their own with self care. Being overweight can put you at greater risk for knee problems.
Knee pain can be caused by:
Less common conditions that can lead to knee pain includebone tumors.
For knee pain that has just started:
For knee pain related to overuse or physical activity:
Tips to relieve knee bursitis pain:
Call your doctor if:
Your health care provider will perform a physical examination, with careful attention to your knees, hips, legs, and other joints.
To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your health care provider will ask medical history questions, such as:
The following tests may be done:
Your health care provider may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are stronger than those available over-the-counter. If those don't help, your doctor may inject a steroid into the knee to reduce pain and inflammation.
You may need referrals to a physical therapist (to learn stretching and strengthening exercises) and podiatrist (to be fitted for orthotics).
In some cases, surgery is needed. For example, if arthritis is severe, a joint replacement may be recommended. A minor ligament strain will heal with home care and torn ligaments may recover with use of a knee brace. However, for big tears or ruptures, as well as a torn meniscus, arthroscopic knee surgery is often needed.
Recovery from ligament and meniscus problems is slow. You may need crutches and long-term physical therapy.
Pain - knee
Frontera WR, Silver JK, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2008:section 7.
Honkamp NJ, Shen W, Okeke N, Ferretti M, Fu FH. Knee: Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the adult. In: DeLee JC, Drez D Jr, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:chap 23, section D.
Huddleston JI, Goodman SB. Hip and knee pain. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Harris ED Jr, et al, eds. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 42.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; and C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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