Instant relief depends on the root cause of knee pain. Injury as well as an internal condition can give rise to inflammation. For effective treatment, a person must consult a knee specialist.

Every knee pain cannot be cured instantly at home. There are various causes of knee pain and thus, the nature of the cause decides the treatment and how fast the relief comes.

Knee Anatomy

The knee is the most important joint in the entire skeletal system. It is made up of various internal parts such as:

• The Femur
• The Tibia
• The Patella
• Articular Cartilage
• Meniscus
• Bursa
• Ligaments
• Tendons
• Synovial Membrane
• Muscles

These parts work together to create a smooth and painless mobility experience.

Causes of Knee Pain

As far as injuries are concerned, sportspersons are most at risk. Major knee injuries leading to intense knee pain and hampered mobility are as follows.

ACL Injuries: The knee joint has four ligaments, one of which is ACL or anterior cruciate ligament. These ligaments connect the shinbone to the thighbone. ACL injuries are of three types: mild stretching (Grade 1), partial tearing (Grade 2) and complete tearing (Grade 3).

Fractures: An injury can cause damage to any of the bones involved in the knee, for example, the patella, the femur and the tibia. If someone has osteoporosis, it further increases the risk dramatically.

Torn Meniscus: Each knee joint has two soft-tissue pads that work as shock absorbers. Sudden turning, twisting and trauma can cause damage to these parts too.

Knee Bursitis: The knee joint also has small fluid-filled sacs. Individually each structure is called a bursa. This part helps with smooth and painless mobility. Inflammation of this part is called bursitis.

Patellar Tendinitis: A tendon is a fibrous tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. When this part of the knee gets inflamed, it is called tendinitis. When the patellar tendon gets swollen and injured, the condition is known as patellar tendonitis specifically.

Dislocated Kneecap: The usual position of the patella is the centre of the front knee. When the bone of the kneecap gets displaced from this position, the structure becomes dislocated.

Not just athletes but other people can also sustain knee injuries due to falling, collisions and harmful movements. Furthermore, there is more than one type of arthritis as well.

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Gout
• Pseudogout
• Septic Arthritis

To find out the root cause of your knee pain, consult a knee specialist. Only after an exact diagnosis, the treatment required will be provided, ensuring lasting relief and painless walking.

Symptoms

The knee pain might vary in severity from condition to condition. However, pain is the most common symptom of various knee problems. Other discomforts are such as enlisted below.

• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Redness
• Warmth
• Instability
• Inability to make the knee joint straight completely

Diagnosis

Knee conditions are diagnosed with imaging tests such as X-rays, MRIs and CT scans. An X-ray test helps find out what is wrong with the knee bones while soft-tissue conditions are diagnosed with either an MRI or a CT scan.

Sometimes, MRI technology isn’t safe for a patient due to metal implant components within the body from previous surgeries. In that case, CT scanning technology is preferred for imaging and medical evaluation.

Treatment

Any of the following options can be provided to relieve knee pain, as per the condition of a patient’s knee.

• Medications
• Physiotherapy
• Injections
• Surgery, i.e., knee arthroscopy, partial knee replacement surgery, total knee replacement surgery, etc.,

Medicines can be prescribed to relieve pain and control conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, etc. Physiotherapy is provided for patients with weak muscles. Sometimes, instances of mild sprains are also treated with medicines and physiotherapy.

There are injections of corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and platelet-rich plasma as well for objectives like pain relief, providing lubricant to an arthritic knee and promoting healing respectively.

For intense ACL and other soft-tissue injuries, arthroscopy is performed. It is a minimally invasive keyhole surgery. In this intervention, a pencil-thin camera called an arthroscope is inserted inside the knee through small holes, not wider than the pencil diameter.

Knee replacement surgery is only recommended when the knee joint has accumulated severe and almost complete damage on the inside. The joint needs a replacement intervention to restore motion and become painless once again.

There are two types of knee replacement surgeries: total and partial.

A person might require other surgical interventions as well for fractures and a dislocated kneecap.

If you are suffering from knee pain, don’t resort to popping painkillers regularly. It has side-effects long-term. One must ensure that they get knee pain treatment in Delhi NCR or anywhere nearby as early as possible.

First Aid & Complications

After a mild injury to the knee during sports, one must ensure the first aid—R.I.C.E.

• Rest
• Ice Application
• Compression
• Elevation

Rest the affected knee with the entire leg. Don’t move it as motion can make the injury worse. Furthermore, take an ice pack and apply it to reduce post-injury swelling.

For compression, the affected knee has to be wrapped around with a bandage; not too tight or loose but with the right grip. Finally, lie down on the back and keep the concerned leg raised above the heart level. A pillow can be used for propping up.

Make sure you don’t continue to play or practise with an injured knee.

If the knee pain persists and healing doesn’t happen with rest, consult a specialist.

Furthermore, when the injury is too intense, don’t handle it on your own. Reach out to a sports injury specialist as soon as possible.

Many people suffer from chronic and debilitating knee pain due to severe arthritic conditions. In that case, knee replacement surgery is required to eliminate pain and help the affected patient walk comfortably.

To plan your surgery, connect with the best orthopedic surgeon in Delhi.

Conclusion

Knee pain has multiple causes. Senior citizens often suffer from arthritis, experiencing chronic stiffness, inflammation and reduced mobility. In that case, pain can be relieved instantly but only temporarily with medicines, physiotherapy, biologics, and injections.

The only permanent cure is total knee replacement surgery. However, knee pain from a mild injury should end with enough rest, hydration and sleep.