Being active is one of the best things you can do to keep your joints and the rest of your body healthy. But this could be challenging and uncomfortable if you are struggling with knee pain. But fortunately, there is a wide range of treatment options that can help alleviate the symptoms by treating the cause. 

Knee Pain specialists can help you by diagnosing the underlying cause, and designing an appropriate treatment plan for your knee pain.  

What is knee pain?

Any pain in and around your knee, indicating a medical condition affecting the knee joint itself or the soft tissue around the knee, is known as knee pain. 

Knee pain can negatively impact your knee stability and range of motion, which can impair your routine activities. 

Knee pain can be caused due to the normal aging process, or strenuous physical activities that lead to injury. However, there could be an underlying cause of your knee pain, requiring prompt treatment. 

What are the other conditions that can cause knee pain?

Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis are common causes of knee pain. This results due to constant wear and tear over the years. 

ACL tear: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects your thigh bone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia). ACL tears are a common cause of knee pain which occurs when your knee slides forward too far. 

Meniscus tear: Meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage of your knee joint. This helps to stabilize the joint and prevents the bone inside your knee from rubbing against each other. Meniscus tears occur due to awkward twisting movements and sudden stops causing severe knee pain. 

Bursitis: It is an inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs in your knee joint. These sacs provide cushioning and protection of the bones and connective tissue inside the joint. Knee pain due to bursitis usually radiates from your back, hip, or ankle. 

Runner’s knee: This results due to overuse, misalignment, trauma, or weak muscles. Pain is more common around the kneecap, which worsens while you walk, run, or kneel. 

How can you manage and treat knee pain?

Treatment options for knee pain include:

Conservative methods 

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Rest and activity modification
• Ice compressions
• Wearing a protective knee brace
• Using arch supports
• Hyaluronic acid injections (viscosupplementation)
• PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections
• Steroid injections
• Regenerative medicine shots

Minimally invasive procedures

• Genicular radiofrequency ablation
  • Destroying the genicular nerve to stop the transmission of pain impulses to the brain
• Knee arthroscopy 
  • ACL reconstruction 
  • Meniscus repairs

Surgery

• Partial or total knee replacement 

Knee pain is common, but persistent pain that lingers for a long period of time should not be ignored and requires proper evaluation and treatment.