What you should know about knee pain

What you should know about knee pain and how we treat it at Schrock Medical Clinic in both Kearney and Lincoln, NE.

Knee pain and what you should know.

Here are some general things to know about knee pain:

  1. Causes: Knee pain can result from various factors, including injuries, overuse, arthritis, inflammation, or underlying medical conditions.
  2. Common Conditions: Common causes of knee pain include ligament injuries (like ACL or MCL tears), meniscus tears, tendonitis, bursitis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and patellar tracking disorder.
  3. Symptoms: Symptoms may include pain, swelling, stiffness, instability, and difficulty walking or bending the knee.
  4. Diagnosis: Healthcare professionals may use physical examinations, imaging tests (X-rays, MRI), and sometimes lab tests to diagnose the cause of knee pain.
  5. Treatment: Treatment options depend on the underlying cause of the knee pain and may include rest, physical therapy, medications, injections, and in some cases, surgery.
  6. Prevention: Preventive measures include maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, using proper techniques during exercise, and avoiding activities that put excessive stress on the knees.
  7. Home Care: RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) can be helpful for managing acute knee injuries. However, it’s essential to seek professional advice for persistent or severe pain.

 

What makes up the knee joint.

The knee joint comprises bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and a bursal sac, making it the most intricate joint in the human body. All these components must work harmoniously to carry out activities like walking, running, jumping, and bending.

The knee joint has the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone), and patella (kneecap). It connects the thigh and shin bones, enabling the proper functioning of various body parts. A lubricant that is present in the bursa acts as a cushion, preventing friction between the knee bones.

 

Injuries to the knee area often result in knee pain. Knee pain can either resolve on its own or worsen over time. However, consider additional knee pain symptoms like swelling, restricted range of motion, popping sound, stiffness, and redness, and don’t ignore these symptoms. Contact a medical professional at Schrock Medical Clinic for a timely and precise diagnosis and treatment, as it is best to rule out severe knee pain conditions early on to access a timely treatment and prevent further damage to the knee joint.

What are some common knee complaints?

Below are several factors that commonly contribute to knee pain:

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

  • Various forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lupus, and gout
  • Baker cyst
  • Cancers that either metastasize to the bones or originate in the bones
  • Osgood-Schlatter disease
  • Bone infections around the knee
  • Infections in the knee joint.

INJURIES AND OVERUSE

  • Bursitis
  • Tendinitis
  • Dislocation of the kneecap
  • Fractures of the kneecap or other bones in the knee
  • Iliotibial band syndrome
  • Patellofemoral syndrome
  • Patellar tendonitis
  • Torn ligament, such as an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury.

How is knee pain diagnosed?

Once you undergo a complete physical examination and assessing medical history, providers may recommend the following imaging tests:

  • X-ray test
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan)
  • Arthroscopy
  • Radionuclide bone scan

After assessing the results, the medical provider will recommend the best-suited knee pain treatment without surgery. If non-surgical approaches fail to yield positive results, your provider may suggest surgery as a final option.

Knee pain treatment without surgery.

  1. The R.I.C.E. Formula, which includes rest, applying ice therapy, compression, and elevating the affected area, can be used at home to limit activities that may worsen knee pain symptoms.
  2. Pain-reducing medications, such as analgesics, aim to alleviate discomfort, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) help decrease pain and inflammation.
  3. Hyaluronic acid, a lubricating fluid found in the knee joint, may be recommended by a physician to enhance joint flexibility. This is typically done through hyaluronic acid injections.
  4. Corticosteroid injections into the knee can provide short-term relief by reducing inflammation, but the effects typically last only 1-3 weeks. A medical provider typically limits the number of Corticosteroid injections into a joint because repeated Corticosteroid injections might damage the cartilage within a joint.
  5. Slowing the progression of arthritis can be achieved through activity modification, such as reducing knee bending and climbing stairs. Make lifestyle changes that focus on maintaining a healthy body weight to help prevent the worsening of this condition, as excess weight puts additional pressure on the knee joints.
  6. Medical providers may suggest physical therapy as a treatment option, which can include exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint and the use of assistive devices such as braces or crutches.
  7. Knee joint pain relief at Schrock Medical Clinic in Kearney NE and Lincoln NE. Regenerative treatment for knee pain offers a comprehensive solution that may include Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, hyaluronic acid, prolotherapy, sarapin or other natural medical injections. With PRP therapy, you can restore normal structure and function of the joint, leading to significant improvement within 2-4 weeks. This therapy naturally stimulates the body’s healing mechanism to repair injured tissue and tackles the joint’s inflammation, providing pain relief. Similarly other regenerative medicine therapies provide a safe, rapid, and effective option that significantly improves the quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Don’t allow your knee pain to hinder your progress! Address your knee pain promptly to prevent it from escalating and further damage to the joint. Remember, you only have two knees, and both may be restored to the original joint condition in many cases, or in more severe cases, further damage can be prevented using regenerative treatment. There are better approaches to knee pain treatment than relying on knee replacement as a last resort. Are you ready to explore regenerative treatment for knee pain? Reach out to Schrock Medical Clinic, where a pain-free future is within your grasp.

In conclusion, Schrock Medical offers a comprehensive approach to address injuries, recovery, and enhance overall physical abilities. You get all the care you need under one roof at Schrock Medical Clinic; located in both Kearney and Lincoln NE. Contact us today to schedule an appointment by calling us at 308-236-6499, or by clicking here.

 

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