What can cause knee pain without injury? Symptoms & how to manage it.

what can cause knee pain without injury

 

Our knees are undoubtedly the joints where discomfort is most prone to occur. Numerous accidents might result in knee pain. Some of the most frequent causes of knee injuries, such as fractures, torn ligaments, and sprains, include car accidents, falls, and sports accidents.

However, there are situations when knee discomfort develops without an earlier injury. It can be tempting in those circumstances to initially ignore the discomfort to see whether it goes away on its own. The difficulty is that even though you may not have been in an accident, the ailment causing your discomfort may still be critical. Delaying treatment may result in the extension or worsening of your symptoms.

 

What can cause knee pain without injury?

Most knee discomfort that isn’t caused by a direct injury is caused by the cartilage or connective tissues (tendons and ligaments).

Knee tendonitis

Your leg and knee muscles are joined to the bones that make up the joint by tendons. When a tendon is irritated and inflamed, tendonitis results; usually, overuse, overloading, or repetitive motions in your joints and muscles will result in tendonitis. You can get tendonitis if you spend an entire day doing an activity you’re not used to, such as severe trekking or a lot of bending and lifting.

Knee Pain Resulting from Arthritis


The cartilage inside the joints is harmed by arthritis. The bones inside a joint can move freely without sticking or uncomfortable friction because cartilage acts as a thick, slippery layer of protection. The friction inside the joint rises when the cartilage deteriorates or wears away, resulting in discomfort, stiffness, and inflammation. Osteoarthritis, one of the various forms of arthritis, is by far the most prevalent and is brought on by wear and tear and changes brought on by ageing. Arthritis typically develops where the thigh bone meets the shin bone or where the thigh bone meets the kneecap. The following other forms of arthritis:

  • The autoimmune condition called rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Gout, a condition where uric acid crystals accumulate in the joint.
  • An accumulation of calcium crystals in the joint fluid is known as pseudogout.
  • Infection caused within the knee joint, developing septic arthritis.

 

Arthritis

 

Infection

Infections, besides septic arthritis, can also bring on knee pain. Most infections also result in warmth and soreness in the affected joint, and a fever is not unusual.

Ankle, foot, or hip issues

Put greater weight on the opposite side of your body if you have a foot, hip, or ankle injury. Your posture and balance may change over time, putting strain on your knees.

 

Previous injuries

You might believe that the prior injury has already fully recovered. But occasionally, even a forgotten injury can weaken or leave your knee susceptible to future discomfort. For example, you might not notice if an accident has dislodged a little piece of bone or cartilage until it affects how your joint moves months or years later. Previous kneecap injury? Recent onset of knee pain may indicate kneecap instability. Likewise, your current symptoms could result from prior traumas that damaged your tendons or ligaments.

Fractured Knee

 

Bursitis

Bursae are tiny sacs filled with fluid that reduce friction in joints. Bursae in the knee helps in the smooth passage of tendons and ligaments across the bones in the joint. When these small sacs become irritated and inflamed, bursitis develops. Bursitis is often brought on by excessive or repeated use of your knee.

Knee pain and cancer

Despite being rare, some cancers can also result in knee pain. For example, osteosarcoma bone cancer is characterised by swelling and pain in the knee and leg. Moving around and engaging in weight-bearing activities often makes symptoms worse. In addition, some osteosarcoma patients discover that their discomfort is worse at night.

 

Prevention of knee pain

Although knee pain cannot always be avoided, the following advice could help fend off accidents and joint deterioration:

 Keep excess weight off.

One of the finest things you can do for your knees is to keep a healthy weight. Your joints are stressed with every additional pound, which raises your risk of osteoarthritis and other problems.

Weightloss

 

Regular practice and professional care.

Make sure you use the best technique and movement patterns for your sport or activity. Again, professional advice can be very beneficial.

Make wise exercise decisions.

You might need to alter your exercise routine if you suffer from osteoarthritis, persistent knee discomfort, or frequent injuries. At least a few days a week, think about switching to swimming, water aerobics, or other low-impact exercises. Sometimes relief might be obtained by merely reducing high-impact activities.

See a doctor if you must. Getting appropriate care and expert treatment at the right is crucial to saving your knee from further damage. In addition, you must seek expert care if the pain is recurrent or severe.

 

Why choose Dr Rik Kundra for expert consultation?
Dr Rik is a specialist knee surgeon in Dubai who focuses on complex knee problems, biologic knee reconstruction, and joint preservation. He also treats patients with knee arthritis, always attempting to use the least invasive techniques that preserve joint integrity. From elite professional athletes to weekend warriors, he treats sports injuries in athletes of all skill levels. To enhance patient outcomes, he is actively involved in surgical education and research, including assessing cutting-edge surgical procedures.

 

Disclaimer

All content and media on this page are created and published for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Meet Dr. Rik personally for appropriate medical diagnosis and advice.

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