Knee Pain
Presented here are several possible causes of knee pain and their symptoms*, listed in order of frequency of cases:
ACL Tear
Ligament injuries in the knee – such as an anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL injury – are dreaded by professional and amateur athletes alike. They can be painful and debilitating. They can even leave a person with permanent disability.
But there's good news. While an ACL injury or other ligament damage once ended the career of many an athlete, treatment is much more successful now.
Ligaments are tough bands of tissue that connect the bones in your body. Several in the knee connect the thigh bone with the bones of the lower leg. But too much stress on these ligaments can cause them to stretch too far – or even snap.
Knee Replacement
A person may want to consider knee replacement surgery if they have a stiff, painful knee that prevents them from performing even the simplest of activities and other treatments are no longer working.
Once you are under general anesthesia (meaning you are temporarily put to sleep), spinal, or epidural (numb below the waist) anesthesia, an eight- to twelve-inch cut is made in the front of the knee. The damaged part of the joint is removed from the surface of the bones, and the surfaces are then shaped to hold a metal or plastic artificial joint. The artificial joint is attached to the thigh bone, shin and knee cap either with cement or a special material. When fit together, the attached artificial parts form the joint, relying on the surrounding muscles and ligaments for support and function.
Patellofemoral Syndrome
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a condition of pain in the front of the knee. It frequently occurs in teenagers, manual laborers, and athletes. It sometimes is caused by wearing down, roughening, or softening of the cartilage under the kneecap.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome may be caused by overuse, injury, excess weight, or a kneecap that is not properly aligned (patellar tracking disorder).
Tendinitis
Tendinitis is an inflammation or irritation of the tendon, a thick cord that attaches bone to muscle.
Tendinitis is most often caused by repetitive, minor impact on the affected area, or from a sudden more serious injury.
There are many activities that can cause Tendinitis, including:
- Gardening
- Raking
- Carpentry
- Shoveling
- Painting
- Scrubbing
- Tennis
- Golf
- Skiing
- Throwing and pitching
Meniscus Tear
A meniscus tear is a common knee injury. The meniscus is a rubbery, C-shaped disc that cushions your knee. Each knee has two menisci (plural of meniscus)-one at the outer edge of the knee and one at the inner edge. The menisci keep your knee steady by balancing your weight across the knee. A torn meniscus can prevent your knee from working right.
A meniscus tear is usually caused by twisting or turning quickly, often with the foot planted while the knee is bent. These tears can occur when you lift something heavy or play sports. As you get older, your meniscus gets worn. This can make it tear more easily.
Office Hours
By appointment only. OMPT Specialists’
office hours are subject to change:
| Mon - Fri | 7:00am - 7:00pm |
| Sat* | 8:30am - 12:30pm |
| * Open every other Saturday | |
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