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Last Updated: Oct 23, 2019
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Causes And Symptoms Of Knee Pain!

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Dr. Madu SridharOrthopedic Doctor • 16 Years Exp.MS - Orthopaedics, M.Ch Trauma & Ortho, Diploma In Orthopaedics (D. Ortho), MBBS
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Knee pain is something that can affect anyone - irrespective of their age. While sometimes it may be of minor importance - and can easily be handled by self-care, often, lingering pain is a manifestation of some other serious underlying problem, such as arthritis. In this case, it is imperative that you consult a doctor and take appropriate measures to combat it.

Causes :

Arthritis: The chief cause of lingering knee pain, arthritis itself can be of a number of types:

  • Osteoarthritis, which is a result of deterioration of cartilages due to wear and tear
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis, an inflammatory chronic disorder
  • Septic Arthritis, causing pain, swelling and redness.
  • Gout caused due to the development of uric acid crystals in the joints

Fractures: These are caused by the breaking up of the kneecap due to falls or collisions.
ACL Injuries: Caused due to the tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (that connects the femur and the shinbone). Especially common in sportspersons such as footballers or basketball players.

Meniscus tears: The meniscus or the rubber-like cartilage (that acts as a shock absorber) can be torn by sudden jerks or excess pressure.

Symptoms:The major symptoms of knee pain include weakness, redness, instability, stiffness or the inability to properly straighten or move the leg. Often, a deformity is also visible, such as a bone sticking out of the leg - in which case it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately.

  • Possible risks: Factors which include the odds of being inflicted by knee pain and cause serious complications include :
  • Being overweight: This exponentially increases the stress or pressure that is applied on the knee joints - even in doing mundane tasks like walking up and down stairs.
  • Excessive physical activity: Some activities, such as sports apply excess stress on the knees as compared to other tasks.
  • Loss of muscle flexibility: Tightness or weakness in muscles causes increasing number of problems in the knees.
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