Your knees are the largest joints in your body, which makes sense given all they’re responsible for. From supporting most of your body to providing mobility, your knees are under a considerable amount of strain as they propel you through life. Making all of this possible are the components in each of your knees, which include your:
- Femur (thighbone)
- Tibia (shinbone)
- Patella (kneecap)
- Menisci
- Ligaments
- Cartilage
- Muscles
- Tendons
When knee pain develops, it can be caused by a problem in any one of these areas.
What are the most common causes of knee pain?
Hundreds of conditions can bring on knee pain, but the most common include:
- Degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis
- Ligament tears
- Tendinitis
- Torn meniscus
- Fractures and dislocations
- Bursitis
Knee pain can come on with acute injury, overuse, or develop over time due to progressive conditions like arthritis. In fact, degenerative conditions are among the leaders of the pack when it comes to knee pain and, without intervention, the pain usually only grows worse.
How is knee pain diagnosed and treated?
When you see Dr. Chowdhury, he reviews your symptoms and your medical history. After examining your knee, he reviews your condition. From there, he typically starts by recommending a conservative treatment. He may order imaging, bracing, therapeutic exercises, viscosupplement injection, weight management, and assistive devices to help decrease pain and stress on your joint.
If these are ineffective by themselves, surgical options and more advanced interventional pain management option are considered.
Interventional pain management techniques include:
- Corticosteroid injections
- Lubricating injections
- Radiofrequency ablation
- PRP/ stem cell injection
- Peripheral nerve stimulation
A targeted exercise routine and lifestyle modifications can go a long way toward long-term relief from knee pain, and Dr. Chowdhury typically recommends that you approach the problem from every angle possible.
In certain cases, surgery may be the best option for your knee pain, in which case Dr. Chowdhury refers you to the appropriate specialist.<
For the resolution of your knee pain or other major joint pain syndromes, call Ortho-Spine Rehab Center or use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.