Chronic knee pain affects many people, both young and old, active and sedentary. Sometimes the pain can be a mild irritation, while for others the pain can be debilitating, greatly impacting their overall quality of life. Have you ever wondered what is causing your knee pain? Aside from sustaining an injury, there are other reasons you might be experiencing knee pain.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
This type of pain can come on gradually and manifests itself as a dull aching pain in the front of the knee where your patella or kneecap is located. It is very common in runners (also known as runner’s knee) and athletes who do a lot of jumping.
Most often the cause of this knee pain is related to weak muscles surrounding your hips and knees, which help keep your patella properly aligned.
Patellofemoral Pain can be treated by a rehabilitation specialist through manipulative therapy and exercises to strengthen those supporting muscles around your hips and knees.
Knee Arthritis
On a very basic level, arthritis is inflammation or swelling of a joint. Symptoms can vary depending on the type of arthritis, but most commonly it includes joint pain and stiffness.
There are two types of arthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis which is an autoimmune disease and Osteoarthritis which is most often a result of aging as well as wear and tear.
Working with Physiotherapist, Athletic Therapist and/or Kinesiologist can help people with arthritis relearn movement patterns, strengthen the muscles to support the joints, and improve mobility to prevent additional strain on the joint.
Learn more about managing arthritis here!
Prepatellar Bursitis
Bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa which is a fluid filled sac and reduces friction between moving parts in your body's joints, such as your kneecap, shoulder and elbow. Sometimes they become inflamed and cause pain in the joint.
Prepatellar Bursitis can be caused by excessive kneeling such as in gardeners or tile setters.
If you have been diagnosed with prepatellar Bursitis, treatment should focus on reducing inflammation. This can be achieved through rest and applying ice to the area. A rehabilitation specialist can also offer treatments to help settle the inflammation.
Do you have knee pain? Book an appointment to see one of our Rehabilitation specialists today!