Knee injuries can happen for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common injuries can occur from playing sports or participating in other physically demanding activities. However, there are some other cases when knee injuries can occur. Learning more about the different causes of knee pain may help you out with trying to figure out your own knee ailments. For a more concrete analysis behind knee pain consider discussing the matter with a knee joint doctor from a clinic like Premier Osteoarthritis Centers of Pennsylvania. From there you can learn why your knee joints are giving you trouble.
Less Common Causes
A thorough exam which includes diagnostic testing and a patient history can confirm the actual cause of your knee condition. There are several common causes of knee pain, but occasionally a patient’s knee issue will be sourced to a less common cause and those are discussed here.
- Dislocated kneecap. This is often caused by a sharp blow to the knee or a sharp, turning movement. It’s typically very painful, and the knee may slip off to the side or buckle. Symptoms may also include stiffness, cracking sounds, and swelling.
- Gout. Those who have an elevated level of uric acid in the bloodstream are more prone to developing an inflammatory condition known as gout. Certain joints such as knees collect the uric acid that forms crystals, which causes this issue. A person may experience it in one knee joint but not the other, or have it occur in both at the same time. Symptoms include swelling, redness, warmth, and severe pain.
- Plica syndrome. The plica is an embryonic residual of the synovial capsule of the knee joint. When the plica becomes irritated, it can cause knee pain. The pain typically worsens when the person engages in certain types of activity such as kneeling, running, or sitting for a long time, or squatting. When bending the knee, there may be a popping sensation.
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease. Children who are between the ages of 9 and 14 are at greater risk for developing this condition. It is more likely to occur if the child recently experienced a growth spurt.
- Osteochondritis dissecans. Adolescents and children are more likely to develop this condition that occurs when an area of the knee bone does not receive a sufficient amount of blood. It results in a loosening and separation of the underlying bone and the knee cartilage. Symptoms usually begin to present with pain in the knee area which may progress with swelling and stiffness.
- Knee joint infection. When a knee becomes infected in the joint, it typically causes a great deal of pain and is accompanied by stiffness, warmth, swelling, and possibly a fever. It is usually caused by a bacterial infection in the bloodstream.
Kneecap fracture. When the knee suffers a traumatic and direct hit, such as when it is forced into a dashboard during an auto accident, or if a person falls directly onto the knee, the kneecap may fracture. It is painful, and when the person tries to straighten their knee, it usually results in the knee area swelling and developing severe bruises.