The knee joint comprises bones, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and a bursal sac. All these knee parts work in a coordinated manner to help us walk, run, bend down, and jump.
Moreover, the knee joint tolerates your total body weight. That’s why your knee is always susceptible to arthritis pain or injury.
Every one in five people experience knee pain as they grow older. Furthermore, women show a higher tendency of knee pain than men.
In that case, you must be aware of the causes, associated symptoms, and treatment for this pain in the knee. So, let’s go through knee pain in detail.
What are the associated symptoms of knee pain?
To begin with, people often experience pain while lifting the weight, bending, or straightening their knees.
As this symptom worsens, you will experience the following associated symptoms such as:
- Limited range of motion
- Tenderness
- Swelling due to the accumulation of fluid in the joint region
- Warmth sensation
- Redness
- Instability
- Stiffness while getting up from your bed or due to prolonged sitting
- Cracking noise while climbing the steps
- Crunching or popping noise
- Bone spurs (formation of extra bone bits around the knee joint)
Initially, all these symptoms remain mild for a prolonged duration. After that, they will worsen with rapid changes. Additionally, the pain remains constant even when you work or remain sedentary. All the above-listed symptoms may worsen in the cold weather, especially morning when you get up from bed or after extended sitting.
You may experience knee joint deformity where the shape of your knee changes due to weak muscles around the affected knee joint. The knee will point either towards the inside or outside.
When should you consult the doctor for knee pain treatment?
Consult your physician if you:
- Have all the above-listed symptoms along with severe knee pain that may worsen day by day
- Have fever
- Could see leg or knee deformity obviously
- See apparent knee swelling with restricted movements
- Can’t tolerate weight on your knee
Remember that not every knee pain should be considered seriously. However, it may cause knee joint damage and disability if it becomes severe. So, get it managed as early as possible.
What are the causes of knee pain?
Many conditions induce knee pain which are as follows:
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Baker’s cyst
- Dislocated kneecap
- Chondromalacia
- Bursitis
- Partial or complete meniscus tears
- Patellofemoral Syndrome (runner’s knee)
- Patellar tendonitis
- Partial Cruciate ligament tear or sprain
- Traumatic ligament injuries
- Knee fracture
- Altered gait due to foot and hip pain
- Degenerative conditions
- Hamstrings Tendinopathy
- Partial Lateral Collateral ligament sprain or tear
- Gout
- Pseudogout
- Sport injuries
- Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome (pain in your knee due to poorly fitting footwear)
What are the factors that trigger your knee pain?
Here is the list of triggering factors of knee pain, which are given as follows:
- Obesity
- Past knee injuries
- Lack of muscular strength or flexibility
- Sports activities such as alpine skiing, jogging, running, or basketball jumps and pivots
What are the commonly available treatment options for your knee pain?
There are a few non-invasive options for treating your knee pain.
1. R.I.C.E. formula
R.I.C.E. denotes Rest, Ice application, Compression, and Elevation. It is an initial home treatment option to reduce your knee inflammation and pain.
2. Activity modification
This is not an option to try any new act but to stop your old routine acts. Just try to give up activities that may exacerbate the pain in your knee joint.
But don’t stop being active. For instance, physicians may recommend athletes stop running. However, they can continue cycling.
3. Exercise and weight loss
A searching study from Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center revealed that obese females have four times more risk of developing knee pain due to osteoarthritis. At the same time, obese males have a five times more risk of developing knee pain due to osteoarthritis.
Exercise and lifestyle modification to lose weight can successfully reduce knee pain by more than 50 per cent.
4. Physical therapy
Physical therapy helps to decrease your knee pain and strengthen the muscles around your affected knee. This procedure can modify pressure on your knees, lessen inflammation, and improve knee function. This physiotherapy exercise needs to be done under the supervision of a qualified physical therapist.
5. Medications
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) can effectively reduce pain and improve knee functions. However, its prolonged continuous use can increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems, strokes, cardiac problems, and kidney dysfunction.
6. Corticosteroid injections
If medications don’t work, physicians recommend corticosteroid injections that can reduce inflammation and provide relief from pain. However, its extensive use can weaken the injection’s tendon region and the associated areas, followed by their breakdown.
7. Surgery
Surgery will be the last option. But it has an extensive post-rehabilitation period. Furthermore, it can increase the risk of surgical complications.
Can stem cell treatment heal your knee pain?
Yes. Stem cells can develop into any cell. Hence, stem cell treatment can naturally repair the affected region and restores normal knee function. Since this treatment uses your cells, such as bone marrow or adipose tissue, you may not experience any adverse complications.
Extracting these stem cells and re-injecting them into the affected portion can help your body heal quickly and develop new tissues. It accelerates the healing process, reduces pain and restores joint mobility. Furthermore, you will find improvement in your knee pain within a short duration.
That’s how this life-changer therapeutic option reduces your knee pain and associated symptoms that may worsen your condition.
What’s the upshot?
Eager to lead a pain-free life hereafter by undergoing stem cell treatment? At Medica Stem Cell clinic in Ireland, the UK, UAE and India, our medical team will attend to your knee-related issues, assess your knee condition in detail, discuss your realistic goals, and inform you immediately whether stem cell therapy works for you or not.
One can schedule a direct consultation with our medical team right away without further delays. Our personalised stem cell treatment can do wonders to get rid of your knee pain. After all, don’t you deserve better treatment?
