Knee pain for Orthopaedic

There are many different reasons that you may experience knee pain. Some of the most common causes include the following:

• Injuries - one of the most common causes of knee pain, is the occurence of an injury. This can be done through a twisting action, stretching the knee, overuse, or by banging the knee. Depending on the type of injury, it can cause injury to the ligaments, tendons, cartilage, bones, or the bursae that cusion the knee joint. 
• Knee arthritis - arthritis in the knee is a common form of arthritis, and causes inflammation in the joints. This can be due to rheumatoid arthritis, or caused by general wear and tear. 
• Mechanical problems - these can cause issues with the movement of the knee. This may be due to some loose cartilage in the knee, causing friction and pain when moving, or a misalignment of the knee joint. 

To try to avoid knee injuries, it is important to always do warm up exersises before starting physical activity. Wearing the correct equipment such as the correct footwear or protective gear where required for the activity that you are doing. 

Strengthening your leg muscles is important to reduce the risk of knee pain, especially the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hips. 

Resting when required, and not over fatiguing the knee joint. 

Knee pain should be diagnosed by a medical specialist. This will be done by analysing the knee through a scan such as the following:

• X-ray - this helps the doctor to see the bone structure inside the knee to detect for any fractures. 
• MRI - Magnetic resonance imaging can be used to show injuries to the soft tissue such as the muscle, ligaments, and tendons. 
• Ultrasound - this scan helps the doctor to see real-time images of the soft tissue structures of the knee.