Knee pain

Knee pain is one of the most common unpleasant sensations that everyone has experienced at least once. The progression of diseases, due to which pain can develop, is due to the fact that the human knee is made up of many structures and is subjected to colossal loads every day. Damage can affect one of the ligaments or tendons, or certain sacs that fill with fluid, as well as cartilage. This symptom can be a signal for diseases that affect not only the knee, but also general diseases of the body or systems.

It is also necessary to distinguish in which movements there is pain, for example, pain in the knee during flexion is inherent in people with an active lifestyle and often speaks of a violation of the structure of joints and bones. Such cramps occur mainly in the later stages of the disease, when it is impossible to do without treatment with the help of surgical intervention. Often the knees pain and crunch while squatting, this can be an indication that the cartilage tissue is destroyed (mainly observed in athletes by constant running). Pain inside arises from various pathologies of the joint or the appearance of neoplasms. The appearance of pain after childbirth is due to the fact that during pregnancy the female body went through a lot of changes that can lead to the development of some diseases.

It is important to determine why the pain is manifesting in the knee joint, as some diseases can only be cured with the help of operable surgery, and for some, traditional medicine is sufficient.

etiology

As mentioned earlier, there are many causes of knee pain that are not always directly related to injuries, illness, and bruises of the knee joint. The first group of factors includes conditions that directly affect the knee joint, including:

• Osteoarthritis of the knee is a condition that most commonly affects people over 40. The pathology usually affects both knees. The main symptom is pain and crunching when stretching and squatting. The cramps are sharp and sharp. When lying down, the degree of intensity decreases;
• Getting blood into the joint cavity;
• Meniscus damage can occur at any age, regardless of gender. Often only one knee is affected. This disease is characterized by the manifestation of a sharp crunch and pain in the knee when bending over or after running. In addition, a person loses the ability to move because he feels excruciating pain with the slightest movement of the leg;
• Arthritis - the disorder develops very quickly, the inflammatory process spreads to the knee joints of both legs. It is best to start treatment as early as possible as the disease has spread to other joints;
• Violation of the integrity of the ligaments due to rupture, most often the inner ligament is prone to it, much less often it occurs laterally. In this case, there is a swelling and limitation of motor functions;
• various tendinitis - the occurrence of which can be traced back to many reasons, for example infectious diseases or the influence of bacteria, trauma or bruises, allergies to drugs or abnormalities in the body structure. In such disorders the knee pain manifests itself from within;
• Displacement or dislocation of the kneecap - occurs very rarely and mainly in children or athletes after intense exertion or running;
• inflammatory process in the joint pouch. With early treatment, complications can arise that only need to be resolved with the help of medical intervention;
• pathological processes in the synovial membrane covering the joint;
• the appearance of a cyst on the inside of the knee joint leads to pain under the knee in the back;
• Destruction of the integrity of the fatty tissue that covers the joint. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the form of swelling of the injured knee;
• Osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage tissue thins;
• various infectious diseases, the course of which can lead to arthritis. Pain in the knee manifests itself when walking, as well as after squats;
• Bone tuberculosis;
• Spinal disorders cause the knee to feel like it hurts when you walk;
• Metabolic disorders or salt deposits in the knee often lead to pain in the knees when squatting.

The second group of reasons consists of other factors that give rise to pain in the knee joint:

• excessively high body weight;
• external injuries or bruises of the knee joint;
• Working conditions due to which a person is forced to be on his feet for several hours in a row;
• intense physical activity - that is why this disorder is most often observed in professional athletes, for example, after running;
• wrong posture when working;
• wear uncomfortable shoes with high heels.

There are several reasons a woman's knees hurt during pregnancy:

• an increase in body weight (in some cases up to twenty kilograms);
• Lack of calcium and other minerals in the body;
• Production of a certain hormone that softens the ligamentous tissue.

After childbirth, all unpleasant sensations should go away on their own, but if it does not, you should consult a doctor, as this can be a sign of the diseases mentioned above. After giving birth, a woman may experience pain in her knees when squatting, standing up, and stretching. This has the following reasons:

• intense muscle work during childbirth;
• involuntary sudden movement during childbirth can cause dislocation;
• if a woman had various ailments of the musculoskeletal system before giving birth;
• When breastfeeding a baby, fluid builds up in the female body, which adversely affects the joints. Because of this, pain occurs when standing up and stretching the knees.

Symptoms

In addition to pronounced signs - pain of varying intensity and crunching when squatting, this manifestation has additional symptoms characteristic of the disease, which resulted in the knee sore when walking or other leg movements:

• Sleep disorders;
• increased body temperature;
• decreased or complete loss of appetite;
• stiff movements;
• increased pain when walking. The sitting or lying position improves significantly;
• noticeable swelling of the injured knee - can be observed from the inside;
• Inability to shift weight on a sore limb;
• deformation of the kneecap;
• Change in skin color on the knee;
• Fever.

If you express the first signs, you need to immediately contact a medical institution to diagnose and arrange effective treatment.

diagnosis

Since many disorders cause the knee to hurt when walking, after running, squatting and getting up, the diagnosis should consist of:

• A detailed questioning of the patient about the appearance of the first symptoms, the intensity of the pain, the location of the occurrence (from outside or inside), possible causes (e. g. when walking, after running or during childbirth), the causes of pain;
• palpation of the knee by the attending physician to get a more complete picture of the localization of the pain and identify swelling;
• Analysis of the patient's blood for general and biochemical research;
• radiography - in which all pathologies of the structure of the knee are clearly visible;
• Extraction of fluid by puncture - is carried out if the attending physician suspects bone tuberculosis;
• Puncture of fluid from the knee joint;
• Arthroscopy - performed on meniscal injuries that cause internal knee pain. This method is carried out not only for diagnosis, but also during treatment;
• Measuring bone tissue density;
• Ultrasound of the knee;
• Examinations of the patient using MRI and CT.

treatment

There is no single way to cure all diseases and disorders. The method of treatment is prescribed for each patient individually and depends on the cause of the occurrence and the severity of the cramps if the knee hurts when walking, after running, squatting or standing up. Methods of treatment that are prescribed to all patients without exception, including women after childbirth:

• Reducing the load on the lower extremities so as not to experience the slightest symptoms;
• applying a fixation bandage to the injured knee;
• Warming the knee with warming ointments or compresses. As directed by the doctor, cold compresses are used, but no more than fifteen minutes a day;
• anti-inflammatory drugs.

If necessary, treatment is carried out with surgical intervention.

In addition, there are alternative therapies that can reduce the occurrence of symptoms, but can only be used after consulting a doctor. These pain treatments include:

• Iodine network;
• a compress made from your own urine;
• a mixture of raw potatoes with kerosene;
• Lotions made from apple cider vinegar mixed with egg yolk;
• ointment from chopped potatoes with horseradish;
• an onion compress, for this you need to cut it in half and apply it to the outside and inside of the knee;
• Eau de Cologne and dandelion solution;
• Tinctures made from alant and alcohol;
• a compress of black elder, chamomile and pine cake;
• Calendula lotion;
• a mixture of mustard and honey.

Folk remedies are not recommended to women during pregnancy and after childbirth, when the baby is breastfeeding.

prophylaxis

To avoid knee pain when walking, running, or squatting, you must:

• adhere to a healthy lifestyle;
• Always monitor your posture;
• keep your own body weight normal;
• warm up the muscles before exercise so that knee cramps do not occur after running and exercising.
• wear comfortable shoes only;
• treat immediately any illnesses that may lead to the disorder;
• undergo routine examinations in the clinic several times a year;
• Do gymnastics if a person's lifestyle or working conditions are standing or sitting;
• Avoid hypothermia;
• Get medical attention at the first symptoms, especially after giving birth or while running.