Knee Pain, What Does It Mean?

When it comes to dealing with any type of injury, the knee is often one of the biggest problem areas of the body. The first thing to understand about knee health is that the knee is a stable joint that functions and exists directly between two very mobile joint the hip and the foot. If the hip or foot is injured, mobility of the knee is limited.

If you’ve ever had any sort of injury, especially a knee injury, you may have grown to appreciate how your knees power you through various sports and activities: kicking, jumping, running, and pivoting. To avoid knee injuries, it helps to understand how your knees work and what you can do to protect them.

The knee is a joint, the largest joint in the body. Your knees provide stability and allow your legs to bend, swivel, and straighten. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, all working as one. What makes knee injuries complicated is they can be caused by stress or damage to any of these parts. The knee sits in the middle of three bones: the tibia (your shinbone), the femur (your thighbone), and the patella (the kneecap). The patella is a flat and round bone that protects the knee joint.

As we age, strain on our knees becomes compounded, and the pain becomes more common and persistent. With that said, the pain can come from so many different sources, whether by aging or injury. Understanding what is causing your knee pain may be a simple task, or more complicated. A skilled physician can use clues to determine the cause of knee pain.

• Front of Knee: Pain over the front of the knee is most commonly related to the kneecap. Kneecap pain can be caused by several different problems.
• Inside of Knee: Pain on the inside, or medial side of the knee, is commonly caused by medial meniscus tears, MCL injuries, and arthritis.
• Outside of Knee: Pain on the outside of the knee, or lateral side, is commonly caused by lateral meniscus tears, LCL injuries, IT band tendonitis, and arthritis.
• Back of Knee: Pain in the back of the knee can often be due to the collection of fluid, called a Baker’s Cyst.

The knee is a complicated and critical part needed for your everyday life activities. So, when you have pain that comes with serious symptoms or lasts for more than a week or two, seek the right diagnosis by getting a physical exam and any necessary imaging that comes with it.

If you are experiencing knee pain, call Colorado Center of Orthopaedic Excellence at (719) 623-1050 to request an appointment.