The knee is the body’s largest joint. It is one of the body’s most critical parts, allowing the lower leg to move while supporting the weight of the body. Movements of the knee joint are crucial to many everyday activities, including walking, running, sitting and standing.
The upper and lower bones of the knee are separated by two discs, and the upper and lower leg bones are joined by muscles, tendons and ligaments. The knee joint connects the thigh with the leg, and the bones of the knee joint are covered by cartilage that helps shield the area against shock and provide a gliding surface for the movement of joints.
Knee pain is an extremely common problem that can occur in the bony structures of the knee joint, the kneecap or the ligaments and cartilage of the knee. It is an area vulnerable to injury and the development of osteoarthritis. Knee pain occurs in people of all ages, but older people and children are particularly vulnerable. If not treated appropriately, knee pain can impact the way you walk, and even hurt your spine.
Osgoods-Schlatter disease is a painful knee condition impacting the upper shinbone and occurring most often in active teenagers. The most common knee conditions experienced by adults are Medial and Lateral Knee Pain, Arthritis and Chrondomalacia Patella.
You can find more information about these forms of knee pain below.
Pain experienced in the inner side of the knee is very common and is caused by a number of issues impacting the structures of the knee. These structures include the medial meniscus, which acts as the shock absorber in the knee, and the medial collateral ligament that supports the inside of the knee joint during movement.
There are a number of common causes that can result in pain to the medial knee area.
Dan Everson Podiatry will assess your health and exercise history and conduct a physical examination to diagnose a case of medial knee pain. A physical examination may involve pressing and applying pressure to the area to assess discomfort. A range of movements and maneuvers may be used to check the integrity of the knee joint. An X-ray might be used depending on the severity, and MRI scans are particular useful in assessing damage to tendon and ligament injuries.
When treating a case of medial knee pain it is important to treat not only the symptoms but also the underlying cause.
Dan Everson Podiatry would typically suggest one or more of the following treatment methods:
Dan Everson Podiatry recommends the following activities to help prevent an onset of medial knee pain:
Lateral knee pain occurs on the outer side of the knee that typically presents itself gradually. Pain may take the form of a dull and persistent ache, or it may present as a sharp and acute sensation, making it hard to move your leg in certain ways. It is most prevalent among runners and cyclists.
The most common causes of pain to the lateral knee area are Illiotibial Band Syndrome and a lateral collateral ligament sprain or a lateral meniscus tear. Some of the causes that may lead to one or more of these problems include:
Symptoms or signs you have a lateral knee pain condition could include one or more of the following:
Dan Everson Podiatry will assess your health and exercise history and conduct a physical examination to diagnose lateral knee pain. A physical examination may involve pressing and applying pressure to the area to assess discomfort. A range of movements and maneuvers may be used to check the integrity of the knee joint. An X-ray or MRI scan may be recommended.
It is highly important to treat not only the symptoms of lateral knee pain but the underlying cause as well.
Dan Everson Podiatry would typically suggest one or more of the following treatment methods:
To prevent lateral knee pain, you can take one or more of the following options suggested by Dan Everson Podiatry:
Osgoods-Schlatter Disease is a painful knee condition impacting the upper shinbone. The condition occurs most often in active teenagers. During a growth spurt, the tendon connecting the quadricep muscle to the knee joint becomes tight and puts pressure on the growing bone. This strain becomes worse with exercise involving the quadriceps.
This condition is not serious in nature and most often corrects itself in a few weeks or months when the growth spurt is complete. Boys are more often affected than girls, with boys most likely to experience the condition between 13 and 14 years of age, and girls from 10 to 11 years of age. Symptoms mostly occur on one side of the body, but it affects both knees for one in three people.
The most common causes of Osgoods-Schlatter Disease are:
Osgoods-Schlatter Disease causes swelling and discomfort below the knee. Other symptoms of the condition include:
Dan Everson Podiatry can diagnose Osgoods-Schlatter Disease through history taking, a physical examination of the foot and ankle and a Biomechanical Assessment to study your range of movement, look for swelling in the joint and assess pain experienced through movement. An X-ray, MRI or CT scan may also be recommended to evaluate the stage of the illness.
Osgoods-Schlatter Disease usually resolves itself with activity modification, a stretching program, knee pad wearing during exercise and pain relief. Dan Everson Podiatry can create a tailored recovery program for you.
Kinetic Orthotics can also be prescribed to correct abnormalities or imbalances in the feet and legs. This is a range recommended by Dan Everson Podiatry, designed using patent-protected technology to optimise the way force is transferred as you move.
In rare cases where people don’t respond to non-surgical treatments, surgery may be advised. Dan Everson Podiatry can provide you with guidance on the best option for you.
Regular stretching before and after exercise is advised as a precaution measure for this condition.
Another knee condition that falls under the “runner’s knee” injury umbrella, Chrondomalacia Patella is one of the most common causes of chronic knee pain. Also known as Patella Tracking Syndrome, this condition is more likely to occur in women, young adults and teenagers. Athletes, sportspeople and older people with arthritis are also susceptible.
This injury is often a result of overuse and a period of rest can be all that is needed. However, the condition can be caused by a more serious issue – such as unnatural movement of the kneecap (patella) when the affected leg is bent or straightened.
The cause of pain is a result of cartilage under the kneecap becoming abnormally softened due to poor alignment of the kneecap. As the kneecap slides over the femoral bone, it grates over the bone due to the kneecap’s misalignment, causing irritation, swelling and pain. Common causes include:
Dan Everson Podiatry can diagnose Chrondomalacia Patella by assessing your health and exercise history and conducting a thorough physical examination of the affected knee, combined with further testing to assess damage to the cartilage under the knee. A blood test and X-ray can be used to rule out arthritis and inflammation. MRI scans will provide a more complete picture of the knee joint and an arthroscopy may be performed which involves inserting a tiny camera into the knee under anesthetic to enable the cartilage to be seen first hand.
The aim in treating this condition is to provide or create a straight pathway for the kneecap to travel during movement. This will help prevent pain and discomfort and also rehabilitate the knee. With proper rest and rehabilitation a patient can expect to fully recover and return to normal function.
Dan Everson Podiatry would typically suggest one or more of the following treatment methods:
Dan Everson Podiatry recommends the following activities to help prevent an onset or recurrence of Chrondomalacia Patella:
Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more of the joints and can impact the small joints and surrounding tissue of the foot and ankle, making it challenging to move without pain.
The knee is the most likely part of the body to be affected by arthritis, and there are three types of arthritis that can occur – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and posttraumatic arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that often progresses into larger joints such as the knees after attacking the body’s smaller joints. It usually affects both knees.
This condition occurs when the immune system attacks its own tissues and results in swelling of the synovial membrane covering the knee joint, resulting in knee pain and stiffness.
The causes of rheumatoid arthritis are presently unknown.
The symptoms most often associated with rheumatoid arthritis of the knee are:
Dan Everson Podiatry can diagnose rheumatoid arthritis through history taking, a physical examination of the knee and a Biomechanical Assessment to study your range of movement, look for swelling in the knee and pain experienced through movement. Blood tests, and an X-ray, MRI or CT scan may also be recommended to confirm and evaluate the stage of the disease.
Dan Everson Podiatry would typically suggest one or more of the following treatment methods:
There is no known way to prevent rheumatoid arthritis, as the causes are presently unknown. There are several ways to reduce your risk of major joint damage after a diagnosis of this condition:
Posttraumatic Arthritis typically develops after an injury to the knee. This form of arthritis also sees the cartilage between joints erode, which can take place many years following an injury.
An injured joint is seven times more likely to develop into arthritis compared with an uninjured joint, even if the injury is professionally treated.
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