The knee is the largest joint in the human body. He quite often undergoes intense physical exertion, and is also affected by diseases. In addition, it can be very easily injured.
If the knee joint hurts , then this can be triggered by a variety of negative factors. Only the attending doctor can make the correct diagnosis, therefore, if the slightest disturbance occurs, you should immediately seek advice.
Main reasons
Why the knee joint hurts , the attending doctor will be able to determine after a comprehensive diagnosis. In children and adolescents, discomfort in this area often occurs with circulatory disorders. Their body develops much faster than bones and blood vessels, and at the end of the growth period the pain disappears. Older people experience pain due to various diseases or after an injury.
Often the knee joint hurts after training, which is due to a significant load on this area, which provokes the development of inflammatory processes. If a feeling of certain discomfort begins, then you should not postpone the visit to the doctor, since only he can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. Such a specialist may be an orthopedist, traumatologist, rheumatologist or neuropathologist.
Injuries
A knee joint often hurts after a workout, which may be due to injury. Depending on the degree of damage, the pain can be sharp and simply unbearable or aching. In any case, to assess the condition, it is important to consult a doctor and undergo an additional examination, which will show how serious everything is. Among the most common injuries can be distinguished such as:
- bruise of the knee joint with damage to soft tissues;
- partial or complete damage to the ligaments;
- meniscus damage;
- patella fractures.
Even the most common bruises are accompanied by hemorrhage in the joint and the inflammatory process in the synovial membrane, which is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity. If treatment is not done in a timely manner, then inflammation will go into the chronic stage with the destruction of the articular membranes.
Trauma
Different types of injuries have their own specific symptoms, by which the degree and nature of the damage can be recognized. With a fracture of the patella, soft tissues are damaged, and the position of the knee becomes unnatural. In the case of sprain or rupture of the ligaments, fiber damage occurs, characteristic crackling is observed, as well as a feeling of instability and dislocation of the limb.
When the meniscus is damaged, the pain in the knee becomes quite sharp and aching, and when the meniscus is pinched, it significantly increases with movement. If there is bursitis, then the pain is permanent even at rest. Suppuration and pressure on the nerve endings are possible.
Pain provoking diseases
If the knee joint hurts, this may be due to various diseases of the musculoskeletal system or related to circulatory disorders. Pain can be associated with active growth of a person and goes away by about 20 years, but with the occurrence of arthrosis can significantly reduce joint mobility. Painful sensations can occur against the background of the occurrence of colds, a sharp change in the weather. Among serious diseases, one can distinguish such as:
- aseptic bone necrosis;
- gout;
- rheumatism;
- osteomyelitis;
- hemarthrosis;
- arthrosis;
- tendonitis.
If the knee joint hurts when bent, then this may be a sign of the course of deforming osteoarthrosis, in which the cartilage tissue is affected or thinned and the structure of the head of the bone changes. Painful sensations occur during movement, but pass very quickly. Over time, pain can appear at rest, joints become stiff, limited in mobility. This disease leads to curvature of the leg and impaired performance of the joint, which completely collapses over time.
In addition, among dangerous diseases, bone tuberculosis and malignant neoplasms can be distinguished.
Gonarthrosis
If the knee joint hurts when bent, then this can occur in the presence of gonarthrosis or deforming arthrosis. Basically, this disease occurs after a previous arthritis in people after 40-50 years. Much more often women suffer from this disease.
Gonarthrosis is formed gradually, and this happens against the background of circulatory disorders, changes in the structure of cartilage. In athletes with significant physical exertion, the disease can occur even at a young age. The primary form of the disease is often bilateral, and in the secondary pathological process mainly only one knee joint is affected. The development of the disease occurs in several stages, and on the last of them there are constant pains in the knees when walking and even the slightest movements. In addition, the gait changes greatly, the joint is deformed, and the patient cannot walk without additional support.
Arthritis
If the knee joint hurts when walking, then this may be the first sign of arthritis. This disease occurs quite often and mainly in older people. The disease proceeds chronically and is accompanied by constant aching pain in the knee, exacerbations, as well as limitation of motor activity. Among the main causes of arthritis can be identified such as:
- exposure to the traumatic factor;
- rheumatism;
- failed operation;
- penetration of infection into the joint cavity;
- genitourinary and intestinal infections;
- frequent hypothermia.
Arthritis is accompanied not only by pain, but also by deformation of the joint. As the disease develops, the pain sensations increase and increase after physical exertion. In the affected area, characteristic swelling occurs, the skin redden, become hot to the touch. In advanced cases, bone deformities are noted.
Types of pain
Very often, knee joints of the legs hurt in people, and in this case it is very important to determine the nature of the flow of pain so that timely, competent assistance to the patient can be provided. Pain can be acute, and they require immediate medical attention. In addition, the pain can be chronic, intensifying in the morning, but it disappears very quickly after a short warm-up.
Pain syndrome can have a very different localization, in particular:
- under the knee;
- in the middle of the knee joint;
- from above.
Unpleasant sensations are rarely localized at one point, often they cover a significant area and can even reach the foot. Many people have a sore knee joint when walking and bending, and at the same time a characteristic crunch is heard. Often the pain worsens during physical activity. To determine the peculiarity of the therapy, you need to determine the exact cause of their occurrence. For this, modern diagnostic methods are used.
Treatment features
If the knee joint hurts when bent, how to treat the organ? Only a qualified doctor can determine this, since therapy can be medication or surgery, it all depends on the cause of the discomfort. If the problem is minor, then folk remedies or homeopathic medicines can be used.
Any method of therapy is based on certain principles. Initially, you need to eliminate the pain, and then the inflammatory process. Restoration of the affected organ is also performed. To consolidate the result, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease and normalize the metabolism in the body.
If there is an injury, it is very important not to affect the knee joint with heat for at least a day, so you need to refuse to take a hot bath and visit the bath. After reducing pain and swelling, you can apply medical compresses and a gymnastics course to develop the joint.
The dressing helps to reduce puffiness, however it is important to carry it out correctly. It is not necessary to bandage the leg too tight and it is important to monitor the condition of the limb all the time. The operation is performed according to indications only. Modern medicine makes it possible to perform an intervention with a minimal degree of tissue injury.
Being overweight, you need to change the diet, as additional kilograms adversely affect the whole body, gradually leading to the destruction of joints.
Drug therapy
If the knee joints are sore, what should be treated? This is of interest to so many patients, since it is important to quickly eliminate the existing discomfort and not harm your body. Drug therapy is widely used, which implies the use of:
- antibiotics;
- chondroprotectors;
- non-steroidal agents;
- hormonal drugs.
If pain in the knee is observed due to the presence of trauma, then initially it is necessary to provide immobilization of the leg, create rest conditions for it, which contribute to the restoration of damaged tissues. The most effective drugs are Ketoprofen, Diclofenac, Indomethacin. They help to quickly and effectively eliminate pain. The course of therapy is selected by the doctor strictly individually, since their effect on the body can change.
Alternative medicine
Many patients are interested in what to do if the knee joints are sore and what alternative therapy can be used. If you experience pain, you can not self-medicate, since the affected joint can hurt for a variety of reasons, in particular in the presence of serious diseases and inflammatory processes.
Compresses, warm baths with the addition of a decoction of eucalyptus, hop cones, calamus, mint, and birch buds help to cope with the problem. It is important to warm the joint, dilate blood vessels and eliminate muscle tension.
To rub into the knee, you can use alcohol infusion from saberfish. In addition, you need to moisten the tissue in the resulting product and apply to the diseased joint. Good will help infusion of willow or aspen, which must be rubbed into the affected area several times a day.
Rehabilitation measures
At the rehabilitation stage, the doctor prescribes a complex of therapeutic exercises, wearing orthopedic shoes, treatment with mud, water and massage. In the absence of a certain amount of movement, the leg can become less mobile, and the ongoing inflammatory processes will ultimately lead to very serious consequences. Do not endure pain, it is very important to determine the cause of its occurrence in a timely manner.
Gymnastics
If the knee joint hurts and crunches when bent, then it is possible that this is arthrosis. In this case, running is strictly contraindicated. Only walking is allowed so that the muscles do not lose their elasticity and firmness. However, it is worth remembering that with an exacerbation of the disease, absolutely any movement must be minimized.
As a preventive measure, you can carry out daily the most ordinary gymnastics, the complex of which will help the attending doctor to choose. It is necessary to perform exercises that increase the amplitude of rotation of the knee joints, strengthen the muscles that will take on more load, and a lower degree of pressure will be on the knees. Muscles and ligaments should be warmed up very carefully, as any sudden movements can lead to damage.
What is not recommended
The use of certain methods of therapy must be agreed with the doctor in order to exclude the occurrence of complications. The right load will contribute to the therapy, but in everything you need to know the measure. Excessive activity will only significantly aggravate the situation.
They aggravate pain and falls, so be sure to minimize these risks. When moving on slippery surfaces, special care must be taken.
Preventive actions
Prevention must necessarily be aimed at reducing pain in the knee joint. Among the main preventive measures, it is necessary to highlight such as:
- weight loss;
- optimal physical activity;
- smoking cessation;
- dieting.
Reducing painful manifestations can be achieved with proper nutrition, preventing injuries, as well as physical activity.