Whether you are athletic or not, knee pain and injuries are a common ailment. Indeed, the knee is involved in many daily movements, and supports a good part of the weight of our body. Sometimes following a trauma, sometimes with a more uncertain onset, knee pain is often disabling, making it difficult to walk. What causes knee pain? What to do when they occur, and how to prevent them?
KNEE PAIN: HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
Knee pain can be caused by a number of situations and contributing factors. In terms of cartilaginous surface, the knee is the largest joint in the human body; it is also one of the most complex, which makes it particularly susceptible to trauma, infection and wear.
The sport often involved
Often, in people with no particular health concerns, the pain is caused by trauma. These traumas mainly take place in the context of sports practice: for example, we know that ligament injuries of the knee physiotherapy mullingar (in particular the injury of the anterior cruciate ligament) are particularly frequent among footballers , or followers of alpine skiing.
In some cases, knee pain may appear without trauma, spontaneously and often gradually. This may be related to an underlying disease, or activities that repeatedly and excessively strain the knee ; a sport, or a job that requires spending some time on your knees or with your knees bent.
Risk factors for knee pain
We are not all equal when it comes to knee pain. The following risk factors have been identified:
Overweight (mainly involved in the development of knee osteoarthritis, or gonarthrosis)
heredity
Advanced age, corresponding to joint wear
The intensive practice of a sport
Knee malformations
WHAT PATHOLOGIES ARE INVOLVED?
The pathologies responsible for knee pain are potentially numerous! From one pathology to another, the characteristics of the pain, and the other symptoms that accompany it, can vary greatly.
Knee injuries
If your knee has suffered a trauma, you may suffer from:
A bone fracture (femur, tibia)
A knee meniscal injury (crack or rupture of the menisci, which are the crescent-shaped cartilage located between the tibia and the femur)
An injury or rupture of the ligaments (cruciate or lateral ligaments)
Non-traumatic knee pain
A person with knee pain without trauma may be affected by:
Osteoarthritis of the knee , which is one of the most frequent localizations of osteoarthritis. This pathology, which corresponds to a degeneration of the cartilage, can evolve by painful flare-ups
Tendinitis of the knee (tendinitis of the crow’s feet, patellar tendon or quadriceps tendon)
An inflammatory disease (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus erythematosus)
A microcrystalline disease, such as gout or chondrocalcinosis
Osgood-Schlatter disease, an inflammation of the front of the tibia that occurs mostly in adolescents aged 10 to 15
More rarely, an infection or a tumor
Most knee pain is not a sign of a serious condition; however, it is important to treat them in time to avoid complications.
WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF KNEE PAIN?
Not all knee pain requires medical consultation. When your pain is not the result of a major trauma; that it is of moderate intensity; and that it doesn’t get in the way of your daily activities, a few simple steps can help:
Reduce or stop activities that cause pain (sport, DIY or other)
apply ice
Elevate the painful knee if it is swollen
If despite these few measures, the pain persists or worsens, do not delay before consulting your doctor! In general, it is considered that pain that lasts more than 3 days should be the subject of a consultation.
In the event of serious trauma preventing walking and putting your foot on the ground, you must immediately contact an emergency medical service. For more interesting articles, Please Visit wpc16.com
KNEE PAIN: WHAT TREATMENT?
There is no standard treatment for relieving knee pain. The choice of treatment depends on the origin of the pain, identified by your doctor during the diagnosis.
The most commonly indicated treatments for knee pain are:
Taking painkillers or anti-inflammatories
Taking antibiotics in case of infection
Infiltrations
Immobilization of the knee with a splint
physiotherapy _
Knee surgery (prosthesis in some cases)
Surgery remains rare; it is generally considered only as a last resort, or in the event of a particularly serious injury.
EFFECTIVELY PREVENT KNEE PAIN AND INJURY
Throughout life, during sports activities and outside, certain good practices can help you preserve your knees, and thus limit the risk of injury.
To maintain and protect your knees, you can:
Fight against overweight, which accentuates the constraints and the risk of osteoarthritis
Limit the wearing of shoes with heels, especially if you walk a lot; this type of shoe is a frequent cause of knee pain and other pathologies of the lower limb
Practicing muscle strengthening exercises for the knee: cycling, strength exercises…don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or physiotherapist for advice!
Work on the flexibility of your knees
Finally, when you have fragile knees, it can be good to know which sports to avoid, and which ones can be practiced without risk.
WHAT SPORTS CAN I PRACTICE IN CASE OF KNEE PAIN?
Apart from the acute phase after a major trauma, physical activity is recommended to fight against knee pain. However, it is advisable to avoid traumatic sports for the knee, and to favor gentle activities.
The sports to avoid in priority are football, rugby and skiing, because of the frequent twisting of the knee and the significant risk of injury. Running is not without risk either, and should be practiced in moderation.
