Why does my knee make a sound and hurt when I bend it?

If there is a sound when you bend your knee and it is quite painful, there are many reasons for this symptom. Our knee joint is the largest joint tissue. It is easily worn out if it is under heavy pressure for a long time, which can easily lead to such symptoms. It may also be congenital patellar developmental disorder, which is more likely to cause such symptoms. Of course, it may also be caused by inflammation.

Why does my knee make a sound and hurt when I bend it?

(1) Long-term, forceful, and rapid flexion and extension of the knee joint increases wear on the patellofemoral joint, such as the training of cyclists and skaters, which is a common cause of this disease.

(2) Congenital patellar developmental disorders, abnormal position, abnormal size of the femoral condyle, or acquired knee valgus, valgus, tibial external rotation deformity, etc. can all cause patella instability. During the sliding process, the compressive stress on the patellofemoral joint surface is concentrated at a certain point, which becomes the basis for chronic injury.

(3) The nutrition of patellar cartilage mainly comes from synovial fluid. Abnormal synovial fluid composition caused by various reasons can cause malnutrition of patellar cartilage, which is susceptible to degeneration due to slight injuries. Abnormal composition of synovial fluid due to various reasons.

Symptoms

(1) Initially, the patient presents with pain under the patella. The pain is more obvious at the beginning of training, relieved by a little activity, aggravated by prolonged training, and gradually disappears after rest. As the disease progresses, the pain lasts longer than it is relieved, resulting in inability to squat, difficulty climbing or descending stairs, or sudden weakness and falling.

(2) Tenderness at the edge of the patella. Squeezing or pushing the patella in the extended knee position may cause a feeling of friction and pain. When the patellar cartilage is simply damaged and there is no joint effusion, when patellofemoral osteoarthritis is formed in the later stage, synovitis may occur and joint effusion may occur. At this time, the floating patella test is positive. Patients with a long course of illness may suffer from quadriceps atrophy.

(3) When the patellar cartilage surface is severely worn, an abnormal clicking sound may be felt.

Treatment options

1. Non-surgical treatment is the main treatment

(1) After symptoms appear, first immobilize the knee joint for 1-2 weeks and perform quadriceps resistance exercises to increase knee joint stability.

(2) If swelling or pain suddenly worsens, cold compresses should be applied, and then hot compresses and physical therapy should be used after 48 hours.

(3) Glucosamine sulfate/hydrochloride capsules help the synthesis of proteoglycans in cartilage, which is beneficial for cartilage repair.

(4) Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate can increase the viscosity and lubricating function of joint fluid, protect articular cartilage, relieve pain and increase joint mobility. Usually the injection is given once a week, and 4-5 injections constitute a course of treatment.

2. Surgical treatment

If strict non-manual treatment is ineffective or there is a congenital malformation, surgical treatment can be used.

Purpose of surgery:

(1) Increase the stability of the patellar joint during movement, such as lateral capsule release and lateral femoral condyle elevation.

(2) Scrape off smaller erosive lesions on the patellar articular cartilage to promote repair.

(3) For patients whose patellar articular cartilage has been completely destroyed, patellar resection can be used to reduce the progression of patellofemoral osteoarthritis, but the knee joint will be obviously weak after the operation, making it difficult for the patient to continue his sports career.