A Knee problem is a common injury we see given that our knee joints go through wear and tear everyday. Let’s talk about the 3 most common knee problems we see in our clinic.
Knee Arthritis (osteoarthritis) – What is it?
With using your body over time, the cartilage that covers the ends of our bones where they form a joint starts to wear down, and uneven bumps and grooves can form that prevents the joint from moving smoothly. This causes an increase in friction in your joint, which can lead to pain, inflammation, and a loss of range of motion. You may have knee osteoarthritis if you notice the following symptoms.
- Pain and stiffness in your knee when you first wake up, or when you get up after sitting down for a while.
- Pain and stiffness in your knee that limit your ability to squat down, use stairs, or walk long distances.
- A general ache in your knee joints or swelling in the knees after doing a lot of activity.
Meniscus injury – What is it?
The meniscus is two thick, rubbery C-shaped wedges of cartilage that sits between the bottom end of your femur and the top end of your tibia. It acts like a shock-absorber for your knee joints and helps maintain a good shape for your knee joint to work well while you use it. The meniscus can be torn with repeated jumping and running, but especially with landing and twisting on the leg, and is often injured during sporting activities. You may have a meniscus injury if you notice the following symptoms:
- Sharp, catching pain in knee while walking, using stairs, or extending your knee
- Feeling unsteady in your knee when you walk on it
Patelo-Femoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) – What is it?
This is a condition where you feel pain in the front of your knee, which can stem from a few different things. It can be caused by some arthritic changes to the cartilage along the underside of your patella, but is often caused by an uneven pulling of the muscles around your knee. This can cause the patella (knee cap) to track unevenly while your knee bends and straightens, which places abnormal tension along the front of the knee and often leads to pain. This issue often happens with either overuse of the knees, or a sudden change in your activity levels. You may have PFPS if you notice the following symptoms:
- Pain or tightness along the front of your knee with walking, squatting, or using stairs
- A sensation of clicking or popping in the knee with activity
- Pain along the front of the knee after prolonged sitting
All of these cases can be helped with physical therapy! If you think you may have one or more of these issues in your knee, give our office a call. Our licensed physical therapists can evaluate you to help determine the cause of your knee pain. We will then create a personalized plan of care to help you get back on track to a healthy life! CLICK HERE to schedule an evaluation!
