There are several reasons responsible for knee pain, including:
Mechanical Issues - A few mechanical problems causing knee pain are as follows:
- Dislocated kneecap
- Pain in the hip or foot
- Degeneration of bone or cartilage
- Iliotibial band syndrome
Injuries - A knee injury adversely impacts the ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bones that form the joint. Here are a few common knee injuries triggering knee pain:
- Fractures
- ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries
- Patellar tendinitis
- Torn meniscus
- Knee bursitis
Arthritis - The following variants of arthritis are most likely to affect the knee.
- Gout
- Septic arthritis
- Pseudogout
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Apart from these, athletes and young adults are prone to Patellofemoral pain syndrome, which occurs between the thighbone and kneecap. In such a condition, the kneecap fails to accurately track in its groove. This condition is also common among older adults due to arthritis in the kneecap.
In addition, the symptoms of the pain behind your knees depend on the cause. For instance, a tender calf triggers severe conditions like deep vein thrombosis, which require urgent medical attention.
Moreover, individuals suffering from osteoarthritis undergo discomfort when bearing weight. In such conditions, the knee becomes stiff if sitting for a longer time or moving out of the bed in the morning. Besides, individuals with PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) injury feel pain behind the knees, especially when kneeling, walking or running. Regardless, a few of the symptoms of knee pain include -
- Stiffness and swelling
- Crunching and popping noises
- Instability or weakness
- Warmth or redness to touch
- Inability to straighten your knee
Individuals can include a few exercises to relieve knee pain under professional guidance to do away with these conditions.