Causes for chronic knee pain
Most people think that the most common causes for chronic knee pain is ligament injuries for younger people. Of course, arthritis knee pain is also very common in the elderly people. However, a lot of people are unaware of the fact that there are several other causes of chronic knee pain too. Other underlying conditions and injury types that could lead to knee pain are:
- Tendonitis: An inflammation in the tendons, which leads to tenderness and pain outside the knee joint, is known as tendonitis of the knee. This condition can be treated quite easily.
- Bursitis: The sacs between the muscles, bones and tendons are filled with a fluid. These sacs are known as the Bursae and an inflammation in them leads to a severe condition, known as Bursitis. This is a severe condition that could lead to arthritis or other joint problems, if left untreated.
- Torn meniscus: The meniscus is a rubbery tough cartilage which works as a shock absorber between the thighbone and shinbone. This condition usually occurs when people twist their knees, usually when there is excess weight on it.
- Loose body: Bone degeneration and knee injuries could cause a piece of bone or cartilage to break off at times. These pieces float in the joint space and do not really cause any problem, till they interfere with knee joint movement. If that happens it could lead to severe knee pain.
- Knee locking: A tear in the knee cartilage could interfere with a person’s ability to straighten the knee, resulting in severe and chronic knee pain.
- Dislocated kneecap: The patella, which is a triangular bone, located at the front of the knee, can slip out of place. This dislocation is usually quite visible and can also lead to intense pain in the knee.
- Pain in the other parts of the leg or hip: Extreme pain in other parts of the leg at times causes people to change the way the walk. Because of this, they could put added pressure on their knees while walking, resulting in swollen knee pain.
- Gout: This condition is a type of arthritis, which occurs when the excess of uric acid in the body form crystals, which accumulate in the joints. Although this condition affects the toe the most, it can also lead to severe knee pain.
- Pseudo-gout: Most people mistake this condition for gout, since the symptoms are quite similar. However, this condition is caused by the formation of calcium phosphate crystals, which can build up in the joint fluid.
- Chondromalacia: Also commonly known as a runner’s knee, this is a serious condition, which occurs when the cartilage located under the kneecap is damaged.
answered by G M