Understanding Knee Pain

Our knee joint is a complex structure. It is also one of the most commonly injured joints in our body, particularly amongst athletes.

What Causes Knee Pain? Due to the complexity of the knee joint, the causes of the knee pain can vary depending on the symptoms you are experiencing. There are many conditions that can cause or correlate with knee pain such as arthritis, obesity, overuse injuries and post-trauma. Knee pain has a strong relationship to our feet and the rest of our lower limbs. Your feet are the foundation for your entire body. When this foundation is misaligned or is functioning poorly, the effects can be felt throughout the body, including your knees. Knee pain can also be a result of damage to the structures around the knee such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, joint cartilage, bursae, and bone. We can often relate the cause of knee pain depending on the location of the pain.

Pain on the front of the knee can be secondary to bursitis, arthritis or softening of the patella cartilage.
Pain on the sides of the knee is usually caused by injuries to the collateral ligaments, arthritis, or tear to the meniscus.
Pain in the back of the knee is commonly related to arthritis or Baker’s cysts which are an accumulation of joint fluid that forms behind the knee.

Instability of the knee is also another common knee problem, which is closely correlated with damage or problems with the meniscus, collateral ligaments or patella tracking.

How Can a Podiatrist Assist In Knee Pain? A lot of knee pain can be resolved with nil to minimal complications at early stages. In the case where knee pain has not been the result of a traumatic incident but rather, poor lower limb biomechanics, a podiatrist can address the abnormal motion of the lower limb and prevent further complications.

Some of the common treatments for knee pain include:

Orthotics to improve foot posture, biomechanics and knee alignment
Footwear to support the lower limb biomechanics and accommodate orthotics
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Dry needling to alleviate tight muscles, swelling and inflammation

Knee pain is never normal. Delay knee treatment just because the pain is bearable will not bring any benefits. Your knee condition could take a turn for the worse and potentially sustain a long-term injury. If you are having following symptoms, visit Passion Podiatry today for diagnosis.