10 Reasons Why Your Knees Are So Painful & Immobile

Knee pain can be very debilitating. You cannot walk, climb stairs or do whatever you find essential. While knee pain surfaces as a common symptom, the root cause of the pain might differ from one person to another.  

To learn about 10 common reasons for knee pain, read this post till the end. 

Overuse Syndrome

Overuse of muscles leads to this syndrome, in which the affected person experiences mild and achy feelings of pain. This problem can affect any muscles or soft tissues like ligaments, tendons, bursae, etc., including the knee and its internal components. 

The following incidents can lead to this syndrome, 

●      Prolonged improper posture

●      Bad ergonomics concerning the workstation

●      Walking or climbing stairs more than usual

●      Over-exercising

●      Regular weight training

●      Inadequacy of rest after exercise sessions

●      Exercising improperly 

The basic idea behind all these activities is using knee muscles more than their current capabilities and not ensuring enough rest to allow natural healing to ensue for recovery.  

Osteoarthritis

It is a degenerative condition. It affects many people, especially senior citizens. Being a very rampant form of arthritis, it happens mainly due to overuse. However, an injury can also cause it. 

The knee has cartilage that is found on bone ends. In this condition, this cartilage gets affected. There are various stages involved. 

At the final stage of osteoarthritis, the cartilage is almost gone and bone ends start developing tiny spurs over the edges. Eventually, this condition leads to chronic stiffness, immobility and inflammation.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is an autoimmune condition which happens due to the malfunctioning of the immune system. The body’s immune system mistakenly starts attacking healthy joint lining, leading to chronic inflammation and pain. 

RA often leads to chronic synovitis. This is the inflammation of the synovial membrane. It doesn’t just affect the knee but also any other joint or even an organ. In addition, the affected person feels feverish and tired as symptoms. 

Joint pain is widespread, affecting more than one joint at the same time, and inflammation is chronic. Connect with an orthopedic specialist in Delhi NCR if you have such symptoms. Prompt treatment is needed, or damage is irreversible.

Osteonecrosis

The blood is one of the most essential fluids found in the body. The main function of the blood is to help the body meet its oxygen and nutrition-related demands without any interruptions. 

However, certain events like an injury or internal conditions can disrupt the interruption-free blood supply to a particular area, leading to the death of healthy cells. If the blood supply ever gets stopped to the knee, healthy bone issues die out of starvation and lead to collapse and dysfunction.  

Mostly AVN or Osteonecrosis causes problems with the hip joint. However, it can affect the knee joint as well.

Gout

The body produces uric acid (or urate) as a result of purine metabolism. Purines are substances that are found in cells as well as foods. So, the body breaks them down and produces uric acid during essential biological processes. 

However, sometimes, due to a number of factors, the body either starts to produce too much uric acid or gets rid of too little. This condition leads to a buildup of urate in joints, causing episodes of intense pain from time to time; the condition is medically known as Gout. 

Without treatment, gout flares become more intense and last longer progressively.       

Pseudogout

It is a condition that shows similarities to Gout. However, the type of crystals involved differs. In Gout, urate crystals are involved, while in pseudogout, crystals containing calcium are present. 

The condition is commonly caused by the presence of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals. Such crystals form in the synovial fluid, which is the joint lubricant produced by the synovium or joint lining. 

Pseudogout causes severe joint damage without treatment. Conditions almost resemble osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. 

Septic Arthritis

It is an infectious condition that happens due to the growth of germs within a joint. Germs include bacteria, fungi or viruses. 

These microbes can make their way to the knee mainly from one part that is already infected to another. 

For example, Endocarditis is a heart infection. If this infection isn’t treated on time, it will lead to infections in the other parts of the body as well the knee.

The infection in the heart will grow without treatment and spread to the knee through blood circulation. 

A joint infection or septic arthritis is a serious condition as it damages cartilage, a layer of soft tissue in the knee, quickly and badly. Consult a doctor early if your knees are swollen, warm and tender all, at once.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is a prevalent overuse injury that impacts the outer knee, frequently affecting runners, cyclists, and hikers. The iliotibial band (ITB) is a tough-tissue band extending from the hip to the shin along the outer thigh. 

Continuous friction or tightness of the ITB results in inflammation and discomfort due to overuse and inadequate resting.  

Symptoms generally intensify with activity, particularly when running downhill or during extended exercise. Often, rest and enough sleep fix the situation completely. 

However, if the pain persists, make sure you consult a doctor for expert advice and effective treatment.  

Tendonitis

A tendon is the part of the knee that connects a muscle to a bone. Overuse or trauma can result in damage to this structure and thus cause inflammation, which is medically known as Tendonitis. 

Conclusion

These are the major causes of knee pain. If you have injured the knee, make sure that you follow the first aid, also known as, R.I.C.E. 

●      Rest.

●      Apply an ice pack to the site of injury; for 10-15 minutes at a time and then rest for 2-3 hours, repeat the cycle frequently after injury.

●      Compress the part with a compression bandage; keep it not too light or loose.

●      Elevate the part at the heart level while lying on your back. 

In R.I.C.E., resting helps with healing while the other three steps work on reducing post-injury swelling. 

If the knee pain doesn’t go away, it is always a good idea to consult the best doctor for knee pain in Delhi.