Knee pain

Knee pain is one of the most common unpleasant sensations that every person has experienced at least once. The progression of diseases, due to which pain may appear, is due to the fact that the human knee consists of many structures, and every day they are all subjected to colossal loads. Damage can affect one of the ligaments or tendons, or specific sacs that fill with fluid, as well as cartilage. This symptom can be a signal of diseases not only related to the knee, but also general diseases of the body or systems.

It is also necessary to distinguish with what movements pain occurs, for example, pain in the knee during flexion is inherent in people leading an active lifestyle, and often speaks of a violation of the structure of joints and bones. Such spasms mainly appear in the later stages of the course of the disease, when it is impossible to do without treatment with the help of surgical intervention. Often knees hurt and crunch when squatting, this may indicate that cartilage tissue is being erased (mainly observed in athletes due to constant running). Soreness on the inside arises due to various pathologies of the joint or the occurrence of neoplasms. The appearance of pain after childbirth is due to the fact that during pregnancy, the female body underwent many changes, which could lead to the development of some diseases.

It is important to determine why the pain in the knee joint is expressed, because some diseases can be cured only with the help of an operable intervention, and for some it will be enough to use traditional medicine.

Etiology

As mentioned above, there are many reasons why knees hurt, and they are not always directly related to injuries, diseases and bruises of the knee joint. The first group of factors is made up of disorders that directly affect the knee joint, among which are:

• gonarthrosis is a disorder that most commonly affects people over forty. Pathology usually affects both knees. The main symptom is pain and crunching during extension and squatting. The spasms are sharp and sharp. The degree of intensity decreases when lying down;
• getting blood into the joint cavity;
• damage to the meniscus can occur at any age, regardless of gender. Often only one knee is affected. This ailment is characterized by the manifestation of a strong crunch and pain in the knee when bending or after running. In addition, a person loses the ability to move, because he experiences unbearable pain at the slightest movement of the leg;
• arthritis - the disorder develops very quickly, the inflammatory process spreads to the knee joints of both legs. It is best to start treatment as early as possible because the disease has spread to other joints;
• violation of the integrity of the ligaments due to rupture, most often the internal ligament is susceptible to this, much less often it occurs on the lateral. In this case, there is swelling and limitation of motor functions;
• various tendon inflammations - the appearance of which is due to many reasons, for example, infectious diseases or the influence of bacteria, trauma or bruises, allergies to medicines or abnormalities in the structure of the body. In such disorders, pain in the knee from the inside is expressed;
• displacement or dislocation of the patella - occurs very rarely and mainly in children or athletes, after intense exertion or running;
• inflammatory process in the articular bag. In case of untimely treatment, complications may arise, which will have to be eliminated only with the help of medical intervention;
• pathological processes in the synovial membrane that covers the joint;
• the occurrence of a cyst on the inside of the knee joint leads to pain under the knee in the back;
• destruction of the integrity of the adipose tissue covering the joint. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the form of swelling of the injured knee;
• osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage tissue becomes thinner;
• various infectious diseases, the course of which can lead to arthritis. Pain in the knee is expressed when walking, as well as after squats;
• bone tuberculosis;
• spinal pathologies cause a feeling that the knee hurts when walking;
• metabolic disorders or salt deposition in the knee often leads to pain in the knees when squatting.

The second group of reasons is made up of other influences from which pain in the knee joint appears:

• excessively high body weight;
• external injuries or bruises of the knee joint;
• working conditions due to which a person is forced to be on his feet for several hours in a row;
• intense physical activity - that is why this disorder is most often observed in professional athletes, for example, after running;
• incorrect posture while working;
• wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes.

There are several reasons why a woman's knees hurt during pregnancy:

• an increase in body weight (in some cases up to twenty kilograms);
• lack of calcium and other minerals in the body;
• production of a specific hormone that softens the ligament tissue.

After childbirth, all unpleasant sensations should go away on their own, but if this does not happen, you should consult a doctor, as this may serve as a sign of the above diseases. After giving birth, a woman may have pain in her knees when squatting, standing up and extending. This is due to the following reasons:

• intensive muscle work during childbirth;
• an involuntary sudden movement during the birth of a baby can cause dislocation;
• if a woman had various ailments of the musculoskeletal system before childbirth;
• when breastfeeding a baby, fluid accumulates in the female body, which adversely affects the joints, it is because of this that pain is felt when getting up and extending the knees.

Symptoms

In addition to pronounced signs - pain of varying intensity and crunching when squatting, this manifestation has additional symptoms characteristic of the disease, which caused the knee to hurt when walking or other leg movements:

• sleep disturbances;
• increased body temperature;
• decreased or complete lack of appetite;
• stiffness of movements;
• increased pain when walking. There is a marked improvement in sitting or lying position;
• noticeable swelling of the injured knee - can be observed from the inside;
• inability to shift weight to a sore limb;
• deformation of the patella;
• change in the color of the skin on the knee;
• fever.

When expressing the first signs, you must immediately contact a medical institution for diagnostics and the appointment of effective treatment.

Diagnostics

Since many disorders provoke the fact that the knee hurts when walking, after running, when squatting and standing up, the diagnosis should consist of:

• a detailed survey of the patient for the appearance of the first symptoms, the intensity of pain, the place of its appearance (from the outside or inside), possible causes (for example, when walking, after running or giving birth), which causes soreness;
• palpation of the knee by the attending physician to find out a more complete picture of the localization of pain, as well as to identify swelling;
• analysis of the patient's blood for general and biochemical research;
• radiography - in which any pathologies of the knee structure will be clearly visible;
• sampling of fluid by puncture - carried out if the attending physician suspects bone tuberculosis;
• puncture of fluid from the knee joint;
• arthroscopy - performed in cases of meniscus injury that causes pain in the knee from the inside. This method is carried out not only for diagnosis, but also during treatment;
• measuring bone tissue density;
• Ultrasound of the knee;
• examinations of the patient using MRI and CT.

Treatment

There is no single way to cure all diseases and disorders. The method of treatment for each patient is prescribed individually and depends on the cause of the appearance and the severity of the spasms, if the knee hurts when walking, after running, while squatting or standing up. Treatment methods that are prescribed to all patients without exception, including women after childbirth:

• reducing the load on the lower extremities, so that not the slightest symptoms arise;
• the imposition of a fixing bandage on the injured knee;
• warming the knee with warming ointments or compresses. As prescribed by the doctor, cold compresses are used, but not more than fifteen minutes a day;
• anti-inflammatory medicines.

If necessary, treatment is carried out with a surgical intervention.

In addition, there are alternative therapies that can reduce the onset of symptoms, but they can only be used after consulting a doctor. Such treatments for pain include:

• iodine mesh;
• a compress from your own urine;
• a mixture of raw potatoes with kerosene;
• lotions of apple cider vinegar mixed with egg yolk;
• ointment from chopped potatoes with horseradish;
• an onion compress, for this you need to cut it in half and apply it in half on the outer and inner sides of the knee;
• cologne and dandelion solution;
• tinctures from elecampane root and alcohol;
• a compress from black elderberry, chamomile and pine cake;
• lotion from calendula;
• a mixture of mustard and honey.

Folk remedies are not recommended for women during pregnancy and after childbirth, when the baby is breastfeeding.

Prophylaxis

To avoid knee pain when walking, after running or squatting, you need to:

• adhere to a healthy lifestyle;
• always monitor your posture;
• keep your own body weight normal;
• warm up the muscles before training, so that knee spasms do not occur after running and exercise;
• wear only comfortable shoes;
• promptly treat all diseases that can lead to this disorder;
• undergo a routine examination at the clinic several times a year;
• perform gymnastics if a person's lifestyle or working conditions are in a standing or sitting position;
• avoid hypothermia;
• at the first symptoms, especially after childbirth or running, consult a doctor.