What causes knee pain?

There are many reasons for pain in the knee joint. Arthritis may cause such pain. In addition, due to occupational reasons, if there is pain in the meniscus or fat pad of the knee, long-term strain may cause such symptoms. We should strengthen prevention in daily life, avoid being affected by wind and cold, avoid excessive exertion, long-term exertion, etc.

1. Meniscus injury

Meniscus injury is a common injury among athletes.

Cause of disease: When the lower limbs are weight-bearing, the feet are fixed, and the knee joints are slightly flexed, if the knee is suddenly excessively internally rotated or externally extended, it may cause a meniscus tear.

Affected population: volleyball and other athletes.

Symptoms: The joints appear swollen and slippery, and there is a popping sound when the joints move. There is an obvious tearing sensation in the knee, followed by joint pain, limited movement, and limping when walking.

2. Fat pad strain

The fat pad fills the gap in the front of the knee joint, which strengthens the joint stability and reduces friction.

Cause of disease: Due to trauma or long-term friction, the fat pad becomes congested, thickened and inflamed, and adheres to the patellar ligament, thus limiting the movement of the knee joint.

Affected population: People over 30 years old who frequently walk, climb mountains or squat.

Symptoms: The patient will feel pain in the knee joint, which worsens when fully extended, but the joint movement is not restricted. Symptoms are obvious after exertion.

3. Traumatic synovitis of the knee

The synovium of the knee is one of the main structures of the knee joint. Synovial cells secrete synovial fluid, which can keep the articular cartilage surface smooth and increase the range of joint motion.

Cause of the disease: Damage to the synovium due to trauma or excessive strain will produce a large amount of fluid accumulation, which will increase the pressure within the joint. If it is not eliminated in time, it will easily cause joint adhesion and affect normal activities.

Affected population: athletes, mostly middle-aged and elderly people.

Symptoms: Patients will feel pain, swelling, tenderness in the knee joint, and a frictional and astringent sound in the synovial membrane. The most obvious characteristic of pain is that when the knee joint is actively and extremely extended, especially when the knee extension movement is performed with a certain resistance, the pain below the patella will be aggravated, and the pain will also be significantly aggravated during passive extreme flexion.

4. Osteoarthritis of the knee

Cause: Overload

Affected population: middle-aged and elderly people, mostly women.

Symptoms: The knee joint will be swollen and painful, and sometimes there will be friction sounds when moving the joint. The knee may develop a varus deformity with medial pain.

5. Knee ligament injury

Cause of disease: The stability of the knee joint is relatively poor when it is slightly flexed. If it is suddenly subjected to external force and causes eversion or inversion at this time, it may cause injury to the medial or lateral collateral ligament.

Patient population: People with a clear history of trauma.

Symptoms: Pain and tenderness on the inner side of the knee joint. The pain worsens when the calf is passively abducted. There is swelling on the inner side of the knee, and ecchymosis will appear after a few days. Knee joint movement may be restricted.