If your knee hurts or stiffens when bending or extending, you need to consult the doctor to diagnose the underlying condition. In this article, you will find detailed information on the causes and remedies for knee pain.
The knee joint is one of the largest hinge joints in the body, which joins the femur bone (of the upper leg) to the tibia (one of the bones of the lower leg). It is also one of the most important joints in the body, as is essential for carrying out proper movement of the legs for walking, running and sitting down. However, sometimes, due to some reasons, you may complain of knee pain when trying to move it. What can be the cause? Is it a serious disorder? Can it be treated effectively? Are there any home remedies for it? We will find answers to all these queries here.
Causes of Knee Pain
Arthritis is the major cause of stiffening of the knee which can cause immobility of the knee or leg. Usually arthritis is observed in older people; however, it is not limited to a specific age group, it is even observed in younger adults. Secondly, in most cases, knee pain is caused due to excess stiffness. This can happen due to several reasons. In most of the cases, stiff knee or knee pain occurs due to injury to the ligaments, tendons or bones. This is commonly found in dancers and sports persons. Improper twisting or stretching of the knee while playing can result in the rupture of the ligament, leading to stiff knee. Chondromalacia is another condition that can cause pain when stretching the leg. This condition develops when the knee cap or the patella gets irritated due to an injury, or wear and tear caused due to aging. Apart from the stiff knee problems, a fracture in the knee bone can be another major reason for pain when extending or bending the knee. Tendon injuries, knee locking and meniscal injuries can also be potential causes for difficulty in moving the knee.
Treating Knee Pain
If you experience pain or stiffness in the knee that occurs due to minor conditions like sitting with bended knee for a long time, or sleeping in an uncomfortable position, then the pain and discomfort will subside within a couple of minutes. You can even massage the knee with or without oil to get rid of the discomfort. In other severe cases, the treatment method depends on the cause and the nature of the condition. For e.g. in case knee pain is caused due to a bone fracture, you may even require surgery to rectify the condition. Similarly, in case of severe rupture of the ligaments or tendons too, a surgery may be required. There is no cure for arthritis, but, there are several home remedies and self care methods that can be used to relieve pain caused due to arthritis. Secondly, corticosteroids may also be prescribed for alleviating the pain.
When talking about home remedies, there is nothing as efficient as taking complete bed rest. Resting the leg and the knee in a comfortable position is essential to ease the pain. Secondly, using ice packs is another age-old remedy that has proven to be effective for treating stiff knee, inflammation and knee pain. Use of compression for treating pain in the knee can be effective. Similarly, there are several knee exercises and physical therapy methods or massage which are also effective in minimizing the symptoms of arthritis. However, the use of compression and massages should be undertaken only after consulting a doctor or a physiotherapist.
Most causes (except arthritis) can be effectively cured using different methods. Therefore, it is essential to look for medical help as early as possible. Take care!
