The knee is the largest joint in the human body. It is quite often subjected to intense physical exertion, and is also affected by diseases. In addition, he can be injured very easily.
If the knee joint hurts, then this can be triggered by a variety of negative factors. The correct diagnosis can only be made by the attending doctor, therefore, if the slightest violation occurs, you should immediately seek advice.
Main reasons
Why the knee joint hurts, the attending doctor will be able to determine after a comprehensive diagnosis. In children and adolescents, discomfort in this area often occurs when blood circulation is disturbed. Their body develops much faster than the bones and blood vessels, and at the end of the growth period, the pain disappears. Older people experience pain due to the course of various diseases or after an injury.
Often the knee joint hurts after a workout, which occurs due to a significant load on this area, which provokes the developmentinflammatory processes. If a feeling of certain discomfort begins, then you should not postpone a visit to the doctor, since only he will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. This specialist can be an orthopedist, traumatologist, rheumatologist or neuropathologist.
Injuries
Very often the knee joint hurts after a workout, which may be associated with an injury. Depending on the degree of damage, the pain can be sharp and simply unbearable or aching. In any case, to assess the condition, it is important to consult a doctor and undergo an additional examination that will show how serious everything is. Some of the most common injuries include:
- knee injury with soft tissue damage;
- partial or complete damage to ligaments;
- meniscus injury;
- fractures of the patella.
Even the most common bruises are accompanied by hemorrhage into the joint and inflammation in the synovial membrane, which is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the joint cavity. If timely treatment is not carried out, then the inflammation will go into a chronic stage with the destruction of the articular membranes.
Injury sensations
Different types of injuries have their own specific symptoms, which can be used to recognize the degree and nature of the damage. When the patella is fractured, the soft tissues are damaged and the position of the knee becomes unnatural. In the event of a sprain or rupture of the ligaments, damage to the fibers occurs, a characteristic crack is observed, as well as a sensationinstability and dislocation of the limb.
When the meniscus is damaged, the pain in the knee becomes quite sharp and aching, and when the meniscus is pinched, it increases significantly with movement. If there is bursitis, then the pain is permanent, even at rest. Possible suppuration and pressure on the nerve endings.
Diseases that cause pain
If the knee joint hurts, then this may be due to various diseases of the musculoskeletal system or associated with circulatory disorders. The pain may be associated with the active growth of a person and disappears by about 20 years, however, with the course of arthrosis, it can significantly reduce the mobility of the joint. Painful sensations can occur against the background of the course of colds, a sharp change in the weather. Among serious diseases, one can distinguish such as:
- aseptic bone necrosis;
- gout;
- rheumatism;
- osteomyelitis;
- hemarthrosis;
- arthrosis;
- tendonitis.
If the knee joint hurts when bending, then this may be a sign of deforming osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage tissue is affected or thinned and the structure of the head of the bone changes. Painful sensations occur during movement, but pass very quickly. Over time, pain may appear at rest, the joints become stiff, limited in mobility. This disease leads to a curvature of the leg and difficulty in the performance of the joint, which over time completelycollapses.
In addition, bone tuberculosis and malignant neoplasms can be distinguished among dangerous diseases.
Gonarthrosis
If the knee joint hurts when bending, then this can occur in the presence of gonarthrosis or deforming arthrosis. Basically, this disease occurs after previously transferred arthritis in people after 40-50 years. Women are much more likely to suffer from this disease.
Gonarthrosis is formed gradually, and this happens against the background of circulatory disorders, changes in the structure of cartilage tissue. In athletes with significant physical exertion, the disease can occur even at a young age. The primary form of the disease is often bilateral, and in the secondary pathological process, only one knee joint is predominantly affected. The development of the disease occurs in several stages, and in the last of them there are constant pains in the knees when walking and even the slightest movements. In addition, the gait changes greatly, the joint is deformed, and the patient cannot walk without additional support.
Arthritis
If the knee joint hurts when walking, then this may be the first sign of arthritis. This disease occurs quite often and mainly in older people. The disease is chronic and is accompanied by constant aching pain in the knee, exacerbations, and limitation of motor activity. Among the main causes of arthritis are:
- impact of a traumatic factor;
- rheumatism;
- failedoperation;
- penetration of infection into the joint cavity;
- genitourinary and intestinal infections;
- frequent hypothermia.
Arthritis is accompanied not only by painful sensations, but also by joint deformity. As the disease progresses, the pain increases more and more, and also intensifies after physical exertion. In the affected area, a characteristic swelling occurs, the skin turns red, becomes hot to the touch. In advanced cases, bone deformities are noted.
Types of pain
Very often people have pain in the knee joints of the legs, and in this case it is very important to determine the nature of the course of the pain so that timely competent assistance can be provided to the patient. Pain can be acute and require immediate medical attention. In addition, the pain may be chronic, worse in the morning, but it disappears very quickly after a little warm-up.
Pain syndrome can have very different localization, in particular:
- under the knee;
- in the middle of the knee joint;
- top.
Unpleasant sensations are rarely localized at one point, often they cover a significant area and can even reach the foot. Many people have pain in the knee joint when walking and bending, and at the same time a characteristic crunch is heard. Often the pain worsens during physical activity. To determine the peculiarity of the therapy, you need to determine the exact cause of theiroccurrence. For this, modern diagnostic methods are used.
Features of treatment
If the knee joint hurts when bending, how to treat the organ? Only a qualified doctor can determine this, since therapy can be medical or surgical, it all depends on the cause that provoked the discomfort. If the problem is minor, then alternative therapy or homeopathic remedies can be used.
Any way of conducting therapy is based on certain principles. Initially, you need to eliminate pain, and then the inflammatory process. Also, restoration of the affected organ is carried out. To consolidate the result, you need to eliminate the cause of the disease and normalize the metabolism in the body.
If there is an injury, it is very important not to expose the knee joint to heat for at least a day, so you need to stop taking a hot bath and visiting the bath. After reducing pain and reducing swelling, you can apply therapeutic compresses and conduct a course of gymnastics to develop the joint.
Bandaging helps reduce swelling, but it's important to do it correctly. It is not necessary to bandage the leg too tightly and it is important to monitor the condition of the limb at all times. The operation is performed only according to indications. Modern medicine makes it possible to perform an intervention with a minimum degree of tissue injury.
Being overweight, you need to change your diet, as additionalkilograms negatively affect the entire body, gradually leading to the destruction of the joints.
Drug therapy
If knee joints hurt, how to treat? This is of interest to many patients, since it is important to quickly eliminate the existing discomfort and not harm your body. Drug therapy is widely used, which implies the use of:
- antibiotics;
- chondroprotectors;
- non-steroidal drugs;
- hormonal drugs.
If pain in the knee is observed due to an injury, then initially it is necessary to ensure the immobilization of the leg, create rest conditions for it, contributing to the restoration of damaged tissues. The most effective are such means as "Ketoprofen", "Diclofenac", "Indomethacin". They help to quickly and effectively eliminate pain. The course of therapy is selected by the doctor strictly individually, since their effect on the body may vary.
Alternative medicine
Many patients are interested in what to do if the knee joints hurt and what folk remedies can be used. If you experience pain, you can not self-medicate, since the affected joint can hurt for a variety of reasons, in particular in the presence of serious diseases and inflammatory processes.
Compresses, warm baths with the addition of decoction of eucalyptus, hop cones, calamus, mint, birch buds help to cope well. It is important to warm upjoint, dilate blood vessels and eliminate muscle tension.
For rubbing into the knee, you can use an alcohol infusion from the cinquefoil. In addition, you need to moisten the tissue in the resulting product and apply to the diseased joint. Willow or aspen infusion helps well, which must be rubbed into the affected area several times a day.
Rehabilitation activities
At the stage of rehabilitation, the doctor prescribes a complex of therapeutic exercises, wearing orthopedic shoes, treatment with mud, water and massage. In the absence of a certain amount of movement, the leg can become less mobile, and the ongoing inflammatory processes will eventually lead to very serious consequences. You should not endure pain, it is very important to determine the cause of its occurrence in a timely manner.
Gymnastics
If the knee joint hurts and crunches when bent, then it is possible that this is arthrosis. In this case, running is strictly contraindicated. Only walking is allowed so that the muscles do not lose their elasticity and firmness. However, it is worth remembering that with an exacerbation of the disease, it is imperative to minimize any movement at all.
As a preventive measure, you can do the most ordinary gymnastics every day, the complex of which will help you choose the attending doctor. It is necessary to perform exercises that increase the amplitude of rotation of the knee joints, strengthen the muscles that will take on more load, and less pressure will be placed on the knees. It is necessary to warm up the muscles and ligaments very carefully, since any sudden movements candamage them.
What not to do
The use of certain methods of therapy must be agreed with the doctor in order to exclude the occurrence of complications. The right load will contribute to the therapy, but you need to know the measure in everything. Excessive activity will only make things worse.
Exacerbate pain and falls, so be sure to minimize these risks. Extra care must be taken when driving on slippery surfaces.
Prevention measures
Prevention must necessarily be aimed at reducing pain in the knee joint. Among the main preventive measures, it is necessary to highlight the following:
- weight loss;
- optimal exercise;
- smoking cessation;
- dieting.
Pain relief can be achieved through proper nutrition, injury prevention, and exercise.
