Your knees are the largest joints in your body, and they carry most of your weight while permitting an expansive range of motion. When something goes wrong, and you’re suffering from knee pain, it’s time to see Dr. Ashley M. Classen and the team at Trinity Pain Medicine Associates in Fort Worth, Texas and Dallas, Texas. They can diagnose and relieve your pain, as well as improving your mobility. Call the office or book an appointment online today.
Given the complexity of the knee joint, there’s plenty that can go wrong. The most common cause of knee pain is typically a sudden injury, though this still covers a wide range of damage. Injuries can result from impact, bending, abnormal twists, overextension, or falling on the knee. The most common types of knee injuries include:
Overuse can also take a toll on your knees, causing inflammation of the sacs of fluid that lubricate and cushion your knees, called bursitis. Tendons can inflame or experience small tears, resulting in tendinitis. Patellofemoral pain syndrome causes pain in the front of the knee, due to injury, overuse, or carrying extra weight. There are also conditions that may cause knee pain as a secondary symptom.
Osteoarthritis may be the most common, a wear-and-tear disease that can take its toll on many joints in the body, knees included, as can other types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and lupus. Baker’s cysts cause swelling behind the knee. A variety of infections can affect the knees as well. These include:
Treatment of a knee injury depends on the nature of the injury itself. If there’s no structural damage to the knee’s components, rest, ice, compression, and elevation – the RICE protocol – is a sound strategy, accompanied by over-the-counter pain and inflammation medications.
If you’re experiencing significant swelling and/or pain, redness, tenderness, warmth in the area of pain, or fever, make an appointment with Trinity Pain Medicine Associates as soon as possible. If your knee joint is visibly deformed, unable to bear weight, or swells suddenly, seek immediate medical attention from an urgent care or emergency facility.
