Pain in the knee often occurs in a significant part of the population. In most cases, they quickly pass and do not cause a person much discomfort. But there are cases when pains in the knee joint are manifested constantly, negatively affecting a person’s entire life.
The causes of pain in the knee joint are divided into two main groups - traumatic and chronic changes associated with various factors.
The cause of acute traumatic injuries of the structure of the knee joint can be a rupture of ligaments, sprain, dislocation, rupture of the meniscus and, finally, a fracture of the patella. Other damage to bone structures directly entering the knee joint is also possible. This group also includes a number of reasons that provoke joint overload. These include tendonitis or inflammation of the tendons, tendinosis - microscopic rupture of tendon tissues, bursitis - inflammation of the bags with articular fluid. Pain can also occur as a result of the so-called syndrome of fibrinous film (this is the process due to which folds in the articular ligaments are formed). The above traumatic conditions cause pain of various nature and intensity.
Pain in the knee joint can be caused by chronic changes, for example, due to diseases. These types of pain are not associated with overload or injury.
Osteoarthritis and arthrosis are degenerative diseases of the joint. These types of diseases are characterized by pronounced pain in the knee, especially in the morning. During the day, the intensity of pain tends to decrease. Quite often, the pain is emphasized on the site of past injuries. There are other causes of pain in the knee joint, caused by any diseases and changes associated with age. The older the person, the greater the risk of injury and the occurrence of such diseases.
If your knee joints are sore, you should consult a doctor, but to relieve pain, you can take painkillers. Aspirin, ibuprofen have a powerful analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. You can also take acetaminophen, but it will only ease the pain without affecting the edema itself, if any.
On the first day after the injury, cold compresses will help well, in the future it is better to remove long-term pain by applying a damp warm towel. You can also use hydromassage or warm baths. In order to reduce pain, it is necessary to reduce the load on the knees. Losing just 4.5 kilograms of weight, you can reduce the current load on the knee joint by 36 kg.
There are physical exercises that significantly reduce the detrimental effects of overweight on the knees. These types of exercises include cycling, swimming, hiking. If you need running exercises, you should increase the warm-up time, you can also reduce the distance and so on.
In order to strengthen the joints, you can do gymnastics. There are special programs designed to increase the strength and flexibility of the muscles involved in the walking process. Strong thigh muscles and strong hamstrings are good insurance against most chronic diseases.
A visit to a doctor is mandatory in cases where pain makes it difficult to move around, if the pain lasts more than a day and is accompanied by severe swelling, redness, and so on. It is also worth worrying about when there is excessive mobility in the joints or the inability to withstand the load under the influence of your weight.
If the pain becomes so strong that it’s even difficult for you to move around, you should urgently seek help from a doctor. Consult with a specialist if the pain in the knee joint of unknown origin lasts more than three days. If, in addition to severe pain, you notice redness or severe swelling lasting more than a day, it is also recommended to consult a doctor.