Information Source on Knee Injury

The precise location of knee pains can help identify the problem. Pain on the front of the knee can be due to bursitis, arthritis pain, or a general softening of the patella cartilage as in chrondromalacia patella. Pain on the sides of the knee is commonly related to injuries to the collateral ligaments, arthritis, or tears to the meniscuses. Pain in the back of the knee can be caused by arthritis or cysts, known as Baker’s cysts. Baker’s cysts are an accumulation of joint fluid (synovial fluid) that forms behind the knee.

Overall knee pain can be due to health issues such as bursitis, arthritis, tears in the ligaments, osteoarthritis of the joint, or infection. Instability, or giving way, is also another common knee problem. Instability is usually associated with damage or problems with the meniscuses, collateral ligaments or patella tracking.

Knee pain usually results from overuse, poor form during physical activity, not warming up or cooling down, or inadequate stretching. Simple causes of knee pain often clear up on their own with self medicated care. Being overweight can put you at greater risk for knee problems and knee injuries. We suggests you try losing weight with weight-loss possible from new brazil diet pills!

Knee pain can be caused by:

Arthritis -- including rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, and gout, or other connective tissue disorders like lupus.

Bursitis -- inflammation from repeated pressure on the knee (like kneeling for long periods of time, overuse, or injury).

Tendinitis -- a pain in the front of your knee that gets worse when going up and down stairs or inclines. Happens to runners, skiers, and cyclists.

Baker's cyst -- a fluid-filled swelling behind the knee that may accompany inflammation from other causes, like arthritis. If the cyst ruptures, pain in the back of your knee can travel down your calf.

Torn cartilage (a meniscus tear) -- can cause pain on the inside or outside of the knee joint.

Torn ligament (ACL tear) -- can cause pain and instability of the knee.

Strain or sprain -- minor injuries to the ligaments caused by sudden or unnatural twisting, possibly incurred by running. A good reason to engage in more rational running methods.

Dislocation of the kneecap.

Infection in the joint.

Knee injuries -- can cause bleeding into your knee, which worsens the pain.

Hip disorders -- may cause pain which is felt in the knee. For example, iliotibial band syndrome is injury to the thick band that runs from your hip to the outside of your knee.

Less common conditions that can lead to knee pain include the following:

Many causes of knee pain, especially those related to overuse or physical activity, respond well to self-care:

Call your health care provider if:

What to expect at your health care provider's office

Your health care provider will perform a physical examination, with careful attention to your knees, hips, legs, and other joints.

To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your doctor will ask medical history questions, such as:

The following diagnostic tests may be performed:

» Fluid drawn from the knee and analyzed

» X-rays of the knees.

» Medical imaging (MRI) of the knee if a ligament or meniscus tear is suspected.

Your doctor may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are stronger than generic prescription drugs available over-the-counter in drug stores.

If those don't help, your doctor may prescribe other drug store prescriptions, or the doctor may inject a steroid to reduce knee pain and knee inflammation.

Referrals to a physical therapist (to learn stretching and strengthening exercises) and podiatrist (to be fitted for orthotics) may be necessary. These help prevent repeated problems.

In some cases, knee surgery is needed. For example, if arthritis is severe, a joint replacement may be recommended. Find out if joint replacement surgery is a viable option for your particular knee pain situation and as a knee injury cure solution.

Minor knee ligament strain will heal with home care and torn ligaments may recover with use of a knee brace. However, for significant tears or ruptures, as well as a torn meniscus, arthroscopic knee surgery is often needed.

Recovery from ligament and meniscus problems is slow. Crutches and extended physical therapy may be needed.

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Knee arthroscopy is surgical procedure in which a small camera is used to examine tissues inside the knee joint.

Arthroscopy surgery is often needed for both shoulder injury and knee injuries, frequently attributable to knee injury problems caused by sports, including running knee injuries.

Arthroscopy allows for the visualization of the interior of a joint through the use of optic instruments. Surgery can now be performed on larger joints using direct visualization and miniaturized techniques. After this procedure, the person can often go home the same day.

Arthroscopic Surgery on the knee involves inserting a small camera, less than 1/4 inch in diameter, into the knee joint through a small incision. The camera is attached to a video monitor which the surgeon uses to see inside the knee, known as scoping.

In some medical facilities, the patient can even choose to watch the Arthroscopic Surgery on the monitor as well. Arthroscopic Surgery can be seen in the operating room live and on medical television shows.

Make sure you bring your health insurance card with you so the doctor can determine if your health insurance fully covers Arthroscopic Surgery, which surgical and medical costs can be quite substantial.

For a simple surgical procedure, a local or regional anesthetic is administered, which numbs the affected area. The surgical patient remains awake and able to respond. For more extensive surgery, general anesthesia may be used. In this case the patient is unconscious and pain-free.

After the tiny arthroscopy camera is inserted, saline is pumped in under pressure to expand the knee joint and to help control bleeding. Some surgeons may also use a tourniquet to prevent bleeding.

After looking around (scoping) the entire knee for problem areas, the surgeon will usually make 1-4 additional small incisions to insert other instruments. Commonly used instruments include a blunt hook to pull on various tissues, a shaver to remove damaged or unwanted soft tissues, and a burr to remove bone. A heat probe may also be used to remove inflammation (synovitis) in the joint.

Additional instruments may be inserted to repair the knee. At the completion of the arthroscopy surgery, the saline is drained from the knee, the incisions closed, and a dressing applied. Many surgeons take pictures of the procedure from the video monitor to allow the patient to see what was done.

Is Surgery Needed?

Arthroscopy knee surgery may be recommended for knee injury pain, and knee pain problems, such as: