Knee Pain

Physical conditions or diseases that can cause knee pain:

• osteoarthritis: pain, inflammation, and joint destruction caused by degeneration and deterioration of the joint.
• tendinitis: pain in the front of the knee that is made worse when climbing, taking stairs, or walking up an incline.
• bursitis: inflammation caused by the repeated overuse or injury of the knee.
• chondromalacia patella: damaged cartilage under the kneecap.
• gout: arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid.
• Baker’s cyst: a buildup of synovial fluid (fluid that lubricates the joint) behind the knee.
• rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that causes painful swelling and can eventually cause joint deformity and bone erosion.
• dislocation: dislocation of the kneecap most often the result of trauma.
• meniscus tear: a rupture in one or more of the cartilage in the knee.
• torn ligament: tear in one of the four ligaments in the knee. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured ligament.
• bone tumors: the second most prevalent bone cancer is osteosarcoma and most commonly occurs in the knee.

Factors that may make chronic knee pain worse:

• injuries to the structure of the knee can cause bleeding and swelling, and over time, if the injury is not treated properly, it can create a chronic problem
• a sprain or strain
• overuse
• infection
• bad posture and form when doing physical activity
• not warming up or cooling down before or after physical activity
• improperly stretching the muscles