Everything You Need to Know About Knee Pain

The knee is the largest joint in the body. It is also one of the strongest joints made to bear full body weight, enormous stress of physical activities like running and jumping.

The knee is the largest joint in the body. It is also one of the strongest joints made to bear full body weight, enormous stress of physical activities like running and jumping.

Its good health is vital for maintaining mobility. Even mild knee pain may be quite debilitating.

Although knee pain is more commonly present in older adults, young adults and even adolescents may experience it. Perhaps the most significant difference in each age group is the cause of knee pain.

In adolescents, it would be due to trauma, including sports injury. In adults 30 to 60 years of age, it could be rheumatic arthritis. While in older adults, osteoarthritis remains the leading cause.

Knee pain can reduce your quality of life.

Osteoarthritis

It remains the leading cause of knee pain, especially in older adults. It is a disease of wear and tear. Most older adults may have some issues related to the knee joint. Studies show that about 10% of adults are living with osteoarthritis.

The disease is more common in women. In addition, individuals with higher body weight are at greater risk.

A knee brace can take pressure off the part of the joint most affected by osteoarthritis and help relieve pain.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory and painful condition. Pain is often felt inside the knee. It is an autoimmune disease. It quite often affects multiple joints causing pain and stiffness. It may start at any age, but its risk increases with age. Although most might be diagnosed with it between 30 to 50 years of age, its incidence is highest after 60.

It’s a complex disorder requiring treatment with medications along with lifestyle interventions. It is uncurable, though a person may experience prolonged remissions.

Knee injuries

The knee is quite a complex joint with the thigh, shin, and knee cap, connected by multiple ligaments and tendons. It’s a joint with articular cartilage. Additionally, it has meniscal cartilage between the femur and tibia as a shock absorber.

All this means that knee injuries are quite complex. For example, they could be due to ligament tears or damage to the meniscus, articular cartilage.

Among ligament injuries, injury to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), Medial collateral ligament (MCL) are quite common. Injuries to ligaments not only cause pain but instability, too.

Knee bursitis

As the knee joint has to bear so much pressure, it has another way of managing such enormous stress. There are multiple fluid-filled sacs around the joint, helping absorb various forces. They are between the bones, tendons, and muscles.

Inflammation of these sacs also causes pain and swelling. It might be caused by overuse or physical strain. Bursitis may occur due to some infection, too. Bursitis may be a complication of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Managing inside knee pain

Doctors use various medications to manage knee pain. However, there is a lot that people can do to support knee health. Apart from medicines, one may use supplements, knee support devices like braces, physiotherapy.

Most knee diseases like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis are progressive. Then tend to become worse with time. In many cases, medications are just not enough. Supplements or physiotherapy would not reverse the condition. However, these measures may considerably slow down pathological processes.

- Role of knee braces in managing inside knee pain

Knee braces are cheap, easy to use, and yet most users report at least some benefit from their prolonged use.

Studies show that knee braces may help in numerous ways:

  • Reduce pain perception due to stimulation of local receptor
  • Help reduce knee activity limitations over the long run
  • Help enhance knee stability
  • Enhance self-confidence and so-called “knee confidence.”

Studies show that prolonged knee illness considerably reduces a person’s confidence in the knee, increases sensitivity to pain. In addition, it means that those living with knee conditions continue to suffer from certain issues even during periods of disease remission.

It appears that apart from supporting knee, braces are good confidence boosters. Those who start using them regularly feel much more confident walking, participating in various activities.

To conclude, the knee is the largest and one of the most important joints for human mobility. In addition, there are numerous diseases affecting joints. Therefore, the best strategy is to use multiple ways to manage knee issues, from medications, supplements to different devices.

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