What is Knee Pain?

Knee pain can be really uncomfortable and might cause other problems like walking oddly or back pain. It can make it hard to do everyday activities or play sports. If your knee pain lasts more than a couple of weeks or is really bad, you should see a doctor for a check-up.

Initial Evaluation

When you first visit us, we usually take x-rays to look at the bones in your knee. After that, we do a physical exam to find out where the pain is coming from. Sometimes, we might need more tests like an MRI or CT scan to get a better idea of what’s wrong and decide on the best treatment.

Knee Anatomy

Where Does It Hurt?

Your treatment will depend on where your pain is. For example:

• Pain going up or down stairs might be from the kneecap joint or the patellar tendon.
• Pain when squatting could be from a torn meniscus or cartilage.
• A locking or clicking feeling might also be due to a meniscus tear.
• Feeling unstable might mean you have a ligament issue.

How to Manage Your Knee Pain

We usually start with non-surgical treatments because many people improve without surgery. For issues like cartilage or meniscus tears, these treatments can help a lot. With the right exercise and changes to your activities, you might feel better and get back to your usual activities without needing surgery.

Here are some options to try:

• Anti-inflammatory Drugs: These can help with mild to moderate pain by reducing inflammation. But, they shouldn’t be used for a long time.
• Physical Therapy: This helps strengthen muscles around your knee, improve flexibility, and reduce inflammation. A good physical therapist can help you feel better and improve your knee’s function.
• Injections: These can help diagnose and treat knee pain. For example:
  • Diagnostic Injections: A numbing drug can show if the knee joint is the pain source.
  • Pain Relief Injections: Cortisone or hyaluronic acid can reduce pain and inflammation. The time it takes to see improvements can vary based on the injection given. If you don’t see any improvements, we may need to look into other options.