What kind of knee pain is caused without injury?

Written by: Mr Trevor Lawrence
Published:
Edited by: Conor Lynch

Knee pain is the latest medical topic up for discussion in one of our medical articles, as distinguished consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Mr Trevor Lawrence, details the different types of knee pain, and what kind of knee pain is usually caused without injury or trauma to the knee.

What are the different types of knee pain?

Some patients will complain about knee pain just behind the kneecap. These patients have very early wear and tear of the kneecap. The most common type of knee pain is pain related to arthritis. The third type of knee pain is related to cartilage or ligament damage following a serious injury or trauma to the knee.

 

Which locations in the knee are affected most by knee pain?

The areas that are most commonly affected are the cartilages (which can be torn) and the ligaments.

 

What kind of knee pain is caused without injury?

Arthritis is the most common cause of knee pain without injury. The lining of the bone ends become damaged over years and years of wear. Patients often present with this pain saying that they have noticed the knee pain for a period of about six to nine months.

 

What are the most common injuries that cause knee pain?

The most common injuries causing knee pain are sports injuries. Very often, footballers will twist and injure their meniscus. On occasions, sports athletes can get into deep bending positions and get up quickly, which can tear a ligament.

 

What is the most important piece of advice you would give to patients suffering from knee pain?

If the knee becomes very swollen, this would suggest a serious injury to the knee has occurred. I would suggest that, in this case, patients seek medical attention from an orthopaedic surgeon. If the knee isn’t swollen but pain is experienced, I would suggest using an exercise bike.

 

I would usually recommend patients use an exercise bike for 30 minutes a day. This will gradually build up muscle strength in the knee.

 

To schedule in an appointment with Mr Trevor Lawrence, simply head on over to his Top Doctors profile today.

By Mr Trevor Lawrence
Orthopaedic surgery

Mr Trevor Lawrence is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon based in Birmingham and the West Midlands. He specialises in hip and knee procedures, including hip, knee and revision hip replacements. Mr Lawrence practices privately at Spire Parkway Hospital and Spire Little Aston Hospital alongside his lead consultant work for University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB). 

Mr Lawrence also specialises in hip and knee pain and arthritis, treating all ages at his clinics, leading a team of consultants at Spire Park Hospital. He is responsible for training fellow orthopaedic surgeons and prides himself in low redo rates; it is a quarter of the national average for hip replacements and a third for knees. As part of his work, Mr Lawrence performs complex hip surgery for young patients with dysplasia (malformed hip joints) using the latest replacement technology.

Mr Lawrence's qualifications and training reflect his esteemed surgical reputation. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh's medical school, trained at the renowned Wrightington Hospital in Wigan and Princess Elizabeth Hospital in Exeter. Furthermore, he has fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons and the University of Virginia in the USA. 

Mr Lawrence won the Naughton Dunn Award in 2011 and has also been awarded for his quality of care given to patients via his NHS work and is a convener for the Exeter hip course. He has also presented nationally and internationally numerous times as a guest speaker on orthopaedic surgery. 

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