The most common cause of knee pain can hit you in your 30s as easily as it can in your 60s and 70s. Orthopaedic surgeon Robert Nickodem Jr., MD says osteoarthritis, or “wear-and-tear arthritis,” is the most common cause of knee pain – and the most common form of arthritis.
There is no cure for arthritis of the knee. It's a lifelong condition. But the good news is treatment can relieve some of the symptoms. Treatment might even slow down or stop the disease from getting worse.
Knee pain will usually go away without further medical treatment, using only a few self-help measures. If you need help you might first see a physiotherapist or your GP.
Walking as a form of exercise has enormous benefits, particularly for older adults. It's easy on the joints and helps boost heart health and improve circulation and balance. And new research now suggests that taking a walk can reduce and prevent knee pain related to osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.
Red flags in physical examination
For those who are symptomatic can present with discoloration, pain, warmth, swelling, and tenderness of the affected extremity (11).
The knee may lock or stick during movement. It may creak, click, snap, or make a grinding noise (crepitus). Pain may cause a feeling of weakness or buckling in the knee. Many people with arthritis note increased joint pain with changes in the weather.
Your knees may be weak or shaky due to inflammatory conditions, systemic disease, or other vascular issues (blood clots or deep vein thrombosis). Your knees may also feel weak due to poor blood circulation. Some other causes are: Infection in knees.
Overall knee pain can be due to bursitis, arthritis, tears in the ligaments, osteoarthritis of the joint, or infection. Instability, or giving way, is also another common knee problem. Instability is usually associated with damage or problems with the meniscuses, collateral ligaments, or patella tracking.
Cartilage Regeneration Options
MACI is a surgical procedure that uses cartilage-forming cells from your body to restore damaged cartilage in the knees. It involves a biopsy to harvest chondrocytes (cartilage-forming cells), which are allowed to multiply in a lab, and surgery to implant them into the damaged area.
The most common causes of knee pain are related to aging, injury or repeated stress on the knee. Common knee problems include sprained or strained ligaments, cartilage tears, tendonitis and arthritis.
Several nutritional supplements have shown promise for relieving pain, stiffness and other arthritis symptoms. Glucosamine and chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and curcumin are just some of the natural products researchers have studied for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Cycling makes knee joint bend and stretch gently and helps to ease the movement of the joint. Cycling also improves the muscle strength around the knee joint, which ultimately protects the knee joint if there are any impact actions. So it's wise to say that cycling promotes knee joint health in many ways.
The Best Exercises for Bad Knees. The most effective way to alleviate pain in your knee joints is simply to get moving, Woods says. “Walking, water aerobics, cycling, swimming, yoga, and strength training all help improve the symptoms associated with arthritic knee pain and knee pain in general.”
If you suspect you have cartilage damage, try developing habits that include low-impact aerobic exercise instead of high-impact workouts. Cycling, swimming, walking, hiking, using the elliptical machine, or tai chi are all excellent low-impact aerobic workouts that don't place undue pressure on your knee joints.
Don't jar your joint(s).
High-impact exercises can further injure painful knees. Avoid jarring exercises such as running, jumping, and kickboxing. Also avoid doing exercises such as lunges and deep squats that put a lot of stress on your knees. These can worsen pain and, if not done correctly, cause injury.
Best Sleep Position for Knee Pain
Sleeping with knee pain may require you to elevate the knee and leg. If so, sleeping on your back is the best option. Place pillow under both legs to elevate the knee above the level of the heart. If there is swelling in the knee, the elevation can help to reduce it.