KNEE PAIN TREATMENT & RECOVERY PLAN

The bones that make up the knee joint include the end of the femur, tibia, and fibula. The stabilizing ligaments for this region include both the medial and lateral collateral ligaments as well as the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. There are also two c-shaped meniscus' within the knee joint that serve as shock absorbers.

The main muscles surrounding the knee include the hamstrings (semimembranosis, semitendinosis, and bicep femoris), the quadriceps (vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, vastus laterallis, and rectus femorus) and the gastrocnemius.

Knee pain is a common injury that happens when there is a sudden injury, overuse injury, or there may be an underlying condition. When pain is experienced, is may be due to a sprain in the stabilizing ligaments or there may be a minor injury to the menisci which can still cause severe knee pain and swelling.

There are additional structures that make up the knee joint and include the patellar tendon which attaches the primary quad muscle to the shin bone and holds the floating patella bone in place as well as a fluid filled sac called a bursae that contains joint fluid and provides lubrication.

The knee joint is meant to support bending, straightening and the ability to bear weight. Chronic knee pain is a lingering type of pain due to overuse or it can be acute meaning it is due to a recent injury.

Some causes of knee pain may be due age and development. It is important to note that while a child's body is growing through adolescence and adulthood, knee pain is a common complaint. This is due to the body having to adapt to its changing demands and put a lot of stress on the knee joint.

An underlying cause of joint pain may be associated with being overweight. A person carrying excess weight puts a lot of load on the joints when walking or running and therefore is at greater risk. Athletes or those that put their body in high physical demand are more prone to knee injuries.

It is also important to note that knee pain is commonly associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome, a type of knee injury similar to patellar tendinitis that is due to the knee cartilage becoming damaged due to overuse or injury and causing inflammation. This is one of the many types of knee injuries that can cause severe pain right at the patellar tendon.

Athletes involved in sports that require a lot of jumping, cutting, and sprinting tend to develop patellofemoral pain syndrome more often due to the repetitive stress and minor injuries that cause symptoms like knee osteoarthritis and knee swelling. Sports like soccer, football, and lacrosse also have a high number of ligament injuries, especially to the anterior cruciate ligament because any quick or sudden foot plant and twist can result in torn cartilage.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another medical condition that may cause knee pain as it is a chronic disease of the inflammatory system that causes swelling and knee problems.