Knee pain is a common issue that affects people of all ages. It can occur from an immediate injury, overuse, or a medical condition. Physiotherapy or chiropractic care can help to alleviate the pain and improve mobility. At Falcon Health, our team are experts in diagnosing and treating knee pain at our physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic. So, we have developed this blog to help people identify knee pain and determine whether they require treatment from us.

Causes of Knee Pain

Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that worsens over time, damages the joints, and causes the affected joints to be painful and stiff. Arthritis can cause knee pain by damaging the cartilage that cushions the bones in the knee joint. At our physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic, we see many people with knee pain as a result of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a condition that worsens over time, damages the joints, and causes the affected joints to be painful and stiff. Osteoarthritis can cause knee pain by damaging the cartilage that cushions the bones in the knee joint. Cartilage is a slick and smooth material that covers the ends of bones in a joint. When cartilage wears away, bone rubs against bone, which can cause pain, inflammation, and stiffness.

There are a variety of causes of osteoarthritis including injury, obesity, and family history of the disease.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder where the body begins to attack itself. The disorder causes the immune system to damage it’s own tissues. This can lead to inflammation, pain, and joint deformity, leading to knee pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that can affect any joint in the body, but it most commonly affects the hands, wrists, and knees. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include pain, swelling, redness, and warmth in the joints.

Gout

Gout is a sudden and severe attack of pain in the joints. The attack usually occurs in the big toe but can also occur in the elbow, knees, wrists, or ankles. Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood. When there is too much uric acid in the blood, it can form crystals that deposit in the joints, causing pain and inflammation.

Injuries

Injuries to the knee can be quite debilitating, and can affect the bones of the knee as well as the surrounding tissues. Knee injuries can occur as a result of a number of activities, such as sport, or even simply from everyday wear and tear. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your knee, it is important to seek chiropractic or physiotherapy care as soon as possible. At our physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic, our team are experts in treating knee injuries, and can help you regain full mobility and strength in your knee. Below are some of the main causes of knee pain through injury.

ACL Injury

This consists of a tear or sprain to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), a major ligament in the knee. The ACL injury happens when a sudden movement causes the ligament to tear or sprain. This can be caused by a number of activities, such as sports, or even from everyday wear and tear, but this will depend on the severity of the injury. This is a common injury among athletes who place a lot of strain on their body whilst making sudden movements.

Symptoms of this injury include swelling, instability and pain.

Fractures

Whilst many people may just think the bone is affected by a fracture, ligaments muscles and tendons around the break can also be damaged. This can make it difficult to move the affected area and may cause severe pain. There are different types of fractures which can occur, depending on how much force was put on the bone and how it broke. This can cause damage to other parts of the knee by tearing or straining muscles and ligaments that hold the bones and joints in place. As a break occurs, these muscles and ligaments can also tear.

A doctor will be able to assess your fracture and will likely put a cast on it to help recovery. However, our experts at our physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic can support clients’ recovery by strengthening muscles and supporting alignment to help the entire knee recover.

Torn Meniscus

One of the most common knee injuries is a torn meniscus. This happens when the knee is forcibly twisted and is common among athletes, as it can be caused by a sudden movement. The meniscus is a piece of cartilage that helps to cushion the knee, so if it is torn, it can cause a lot of pain and discomfort.

Symptoms of this injury include swelling, popping, stiffness, intense pain and an inability to straighten the knee. A meniscus can be a difficult injury to recover from, but at our physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic, our experts can not only help recovery, but also strengthen the meniscus to avoid injury from recurring.

Bursitis

Bursitis is the inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a small sac of fluid that acts as a cushion between tendons, muscles, and bones. This can cause swelling, pain and stiffness, and lead to tenderness or a reduced range of movement in the knee. Bursitis can be caused by overuse, injury, or infection. Bursitis often occurs as a result of repetitive movement and overuse, so it is often found among older patients or those that have undertaken sport for many years.

The most common symptom of bursitis is pain in the affected joint.

Patellar Tendinopathy

Patellar Tendinopathy is the inflammation of a tendon. A tendon is a band of tissue that connects muscle to bone. Tendonitis can be caused by overuse, injury, or infection. This may be harder to identify than alternative injuries as it does not necessarily derive from a specific injury. Hence, the degree of pain may vary. The most common symptom of tendonitis is pain in the affected joint.

If you have experienced this pain for a prolonged period of time, we recommend visiting our physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic for a consultation with our experts.

Why Falcon Health?

At Falcon Health, we understand the importance of keeping your knees healthy. Knee injuries can be debilitating, and often lead to a decrease in quality of life. That’s why we offer chiropractic and physiotherapy care to help you recover from knee injuries and improve your overall mobility.

Can children receive chiropractic care?

Yes, children can receive chiropractic care. Chiropractors use gentle techniques that are safe for children of all ages.

Whilst we have outlined a few causes for knee pain, there are still multiple others that we have not covered. Whether you have sustained a severe injury, or have been dealing with prolonged pain, our experts at our physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic can diagnose your issue and prescribe the suitable treatments and exercises to enhance your recovery.

If you would like to learn more about our services, or make an enquiry, explore our website or contact us today on 01444 257555 or info@falcon-health.com

Article: Phoenix Marketing