Knee Pain Problem: Causes, Signs, Symptoms and How to Improve It

What are the Most Common Knee Problems?

The aging process and ongoing strain on the knee joint are the main causes of certain knee issues, such as arthritis, however, an injury or an abrupt action that stresses the knee might cause other knee issues. The following are examples of common knee issues faced by millions of people worldwide:

• Sprained knee ligaments and/or muscles - A blow to the knee or an abrupt twist of the knee are the most common causes of a sprained knee ligament or muscle, and pain, edema, and trouble walking are common symptoms.

• Torn cartilage - The menisci, which are patches of connective tissue that improve stability and serve as shock absorbers, can be torn by trauma to the knee and as a result, sprains can cause cartilage tears. Wearing a brace during an activity may be part of the treatment to prevent future damage to the knee, but the torn cartilage may need to be repaired surgically.

• Tendonitis - Overuse of a tendon during specific activities, such as running or cycling, can lead to tendon inflammation called tendonitis. In sports like basketball, this frequently happens when the force of landing on the ground after a jump strains the tendon.

Arthritis - The most prevalent kind of arthritis affecting the knee is osteoarthritis, and the degenerative process of this disease causes the joint's cartilage to progressively deteriorate. People in their middle and older years are frequently affected by it, but excessive joint stressors like obesity or recurrent injuries might also result in osteoarthritis. By inflaming the joint and eroding the knee cartilage, rheumatoid arthritis can also have an impact on the knees, however, compared to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis frequently strikes people earlier in life.

What Causes Nerve Pain in the Knee?

It is crucial to know about some typical reasons for nerve pain in the knee because it can have a major influence on your everyday activities and even disrupt your life to a great degree. The following factors are frequently responsible for nerve-related knee pain:

• Knee ligament injury 

  Ligaments are a type of supporting tissue in your body, and between your thigh bone and shinbone, there are four primary kinds of ligaments. The anterior cruciate ligament facilitates the rotation and forwards motion of your shinbone, the posterior cruciate ligament facilitates the rearward movement of your shinbone, the medial collateral ligament aids in maintaining the stability of the inside of your knee, and the lateral collateral ligament aids in maintaining the stability of the outside of your knee. You could hear a pop and notice swelling around your knee joint if you damage one of your knee ligaments, and knee pain may result from a pinched nerve in your knee brought on by this inflammation.  

• Bone Fracture

  You may be more susceptible to persistent nerve pain in your knee due to a pinched nerve if you break a bone near your knee or in your lower leg. Falling directly onto your knee might result in bone fractures, and that’s why you may be more susceptible to a bone fracture if you are an athlete or enjoy running since you are more prone to fall. Having osteoporosis, a disorder that weakens bones, or being in an accident can also result in a bone fracture.

• Keeping your legs crossed for prolonged periods  

  Your hips are positioned unevenly when you cross your legs and your pelvic bone may rotate as a result of this unbalanced posture. Because of this twist, your knee joint receives less blood supply, which may cause irritation and a pinched nerve causing knee pain.

Pinched Nerve in the Knee - Signs and Symptoms

The peroneal nerve provides movement and sensation to the top of your foot and the outside of your lower leg, but it gets irritated when crushed, resulting in pinched nerve sensations. Usually, the damage is limited to the myelin sheath surrounding the nerve, however, the symptoms get worse when damage is also done to the nerve itself. Dorsiflexion, or weakness that restricts your ability to raise your foot inward, is sometimes regarded as the most annoying symptom because when you walk, your foot drags as a result. 

Additional signs of a pinched peroneal nerve include pain on the top of your foot and the outside of your lower thigh. You may feel scorching pain, tingling, feelings of pins and needles, numbness, burning sensation, and a loss of sensation as well. The muscles that the pinched nerve is connected to may start to weaken after two weeks or longer and cause other physical issues. A pinched nerve in your lumbar spine is the other typical cause of pain symptoms, and in this particular case, you will also have discomfort in the back and outside of your thighs or in your lower back.

Physical Therapy Can Help Reduce Knee Pain

Knee pain may worsen if treatment is not received, but the good news is physical therapy is a safe and efficient way to alleviate discomfort in the knee without having to go through invasive treatment methods. Physical therapists frequently use the following methods to help patients with knee pain, so take a look.  

• Manual therapy - Physical therapists use manual treatment techniques such as joint mobilization and soft tissue manipulation and can give you exercises for nerve-related knee pain. A certified physical therapist can help you minimize edema and stimulate your body to produce more natural joint lubricant by using soft tissue manipulation, and to increase mobility and lessen tightness in your knee, they do joint mobilization.  

Active exercises - Active knee pain exercises are another physical therapy technique that may be used to alleviate knee pain! In order to lessen the strain on a pinched nerve in your knee, active knee exercises aim to strengthen the muscles that support your knee which lessen the strain while you sit and walk. 

Improve Knee Mobility With Exercise

Many mobility exercises for knee pain can work wonderfully if you perform them correctly and regularly, however, you should always remember to not over-exercise. 

Final Remarks

Mild knee pain is not a huge concern, but if your knee pain has persisted for more than a month, you must take advice from a healthcare professional! Physical therapy often works most efficiently in curing knee pain, but you must first rule out the serious health concerns that are sometimes related to knee pain by visiting an experienced doctor. 
Contact Medanta to get an appointment with the top orthopedics and receive the best available treatment!