Pain in the knee joint: causes, treatment, why knees hurt, what to do about it, how and with what to treat them. Types of pain

Article publication date: 06/06/2013

Article updated date: 03/29/2019

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the human body, which constantly bears a heavy load. And at the same time, he is very vulnerable: he often suffers from injuries and various diseases. Almost every person is familiar with knee pain, and each of us can imagine how painful it is to experience the feeling of limited mobility in the legs and difficulty walking. Many diseases of the knee joint have similar symptoms, but the causes of development for each pathology are different. And besides common diseases, there are little-known ones that only a qualified specialist can correctly recognize.

Knee pain may indicate the onset of a variety of diseases.

Nature and causes of diseases of the knee joints

Any joint disease can be of the following nature:

inflammatory (infectious and non-infectious inflammation);

dystrophic (disturbance of metabolic processes in articular or periarticular tissues);

traumatic (acute or chronic injury).

Various combinations of the above processes are possible. For example, an inflammatory process caused dystrophic disorders, or a disease of a dystrophic nature was complicated by inflammation. In such cases, it is not always easy to determine what exactly caused the disease, but the success of treatment largely depends on the correct identification of the cause.

The vast majority of knee joint diseases belong to one of two groups:

arthritis is an inflammatory process of various nature, also called gonarthritis;
arthrosis – degeneration of cartilage tissue and intra-articular structures (ligaments, menisci, etc.).

The following pathologies are more rarely diagnosed:

meniscopathy - dystrophic damage to the meniscus of the knee with the formation of cysts (pathological cavities in tissues or organs with a wall and contents), calcifications (stones), tears, sprains, deformations and other changes;
luxation of the patella is a disease of a dystrophic (less often traumatic) nature associated with weakness or damage to the ligaments (instability of the patella);
dysplasia of the femoral condyles, in which the groove between them thickens, which also leads to instability of the patella;
bursitis – inflammation of the periarticular capsule without damage to intra-articular structures;
tendonitis – inflammation of the ligaments;
chondromatosis - partial transformation of the synovial membrane into cartilaginous tissue with the formation of dense benign structures (nodules) in it - chondromas;
Becker's cyst inflammatory lesion tendon sheaths calf muscles in the area of the knee joint;
Plick's syndrome - twisting or thickening of the ligaments;
tendinopathy (periarthritis) of the tendons of the periarticular muscles (for example, the biceps femoris muscle);
Koenig's disease (osteochondritis dissecans) - the formation of a limited area of necrosis and detachment of articular cartilage from the underlying bone in the area of the internal femoral condyle;
Osgood–Schlatter disease – chondropathy in the tuberosity area tibia, damage to the tendon attachment site under the kneecap;
Hoffa's disease (lipoarthritis) - inflammatory damage to the fatty tissue of the pterygoid folds of the knee;
iliotibial tract syndrome - non-infectious inflammation of the synovial bursa of the iliotibial aponeurosis (broad tendon) in the area of the lateral condyle of the knee joint;
intra-articular bodies - most often pieces of cartilage and bone tissue (articular “mouse”).

Do not delay a visit to a traumatologist if you experience lingering pain, painful clicking, swelling or limited movement

Common symptoms of knee diseases

Inflammatory, dystrophic and traumatic lesions of the knee joint have many common manifestations: long-lasting pain that intensifies when bending the leg, clicking, difficulty walking and supporting the affected limb, and sometimes visible swelling or deformation of the knee.

Inflammatory diseases (arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, etc.) are most often characterized by swelling of the knee: either the entire knee or some particular part of it. With severe inflammation, there is usually a high body temperature and other symptoms characteristic of inflammatory processes. In addition, signs of the inflammatory process are determined by a general blood test. Such pathologies often begin acutely, against the background of a healthy state of the body.

Dystrophic lesions (arthrosis, osteoarthrosis, meniscopathies, tendinopathy, etc.) usually have hereditary or congenital prerequisites (defects in the development of the joint, disturbances in the structure of cartilage tissue, tendons, etc.) and always develop gradually. Sometimes they occur against the background of a general metabolic disorder or chronic joint pathologies. Often occur due to the fact that the knee bears too much load, disproportionate to its capabilities.

Dystrophic diseases of the knee joints tend to be chronic with increasing symptoms. They last for years with periods of exacerbations and remissions. If dystrophic disease of the knee joints is diagnosed, long-term and most likely permanent treatment will be required.

Post-traumatic diseases can also be inflammatory or dystrophic in nature, but always arise as a result of injuries: either acute or chronic (small and often repeated injuries).

In every third case, knee pain is a symptom of gonarthrosis

Arthrosis and arthritis

We have already talked about the most common diseases, arthrosis and arthritis, on our website. You can read the articles:

Today we will take a closer look at other, less common pathologies.

Bursitis and tendinitis of the knee joint

Symptoms and differences

These names include inflammation of the joint or tendon capsule (bursitis), as well as inflammation of the tendons and ligaments themselves (tendinitis). These diseases often occur due to injuries or other damage to the musculoskeletal system. Tendinitis can develop due to improper formation of the knee tendons, as well as due to their weakness. Middle-aged men are more likely to suffer from bursitis and tendinitis.

Bursitis often occurs as a complication of arthritis, when an infection from the joint cavity penetrates directly into the joint capsule. And sometimes, on the contrary, bursitis becomes the cause of arthritis. The symptoms of bursitis differ from the symptoms of arthritis in that the pain in the knee with bursitis is more pronounced, constant and occurs without movement in the joint, as pus or inflammatory fluid stretches the capsule and affects its nerve endings. The more fluid accumulates, the more pain increases.

Small tendon capsule bursitis is sometimes called a cyst (eg, Becker's cyst). The pain in this case is usually not as severe as with bursitis of the knee joint capsule, but can be acute and occurs at a specific point. A “bump” can be felt under the skin at the site of the lesion.

Tendonitis also causes pain in a specific area. Painful sensations are aggravated by contraction of the muscles associated with the affected tendon, as well as by flexion and extension of the knee. The pain usually radiates to the muscles of the thigh or lower leg.

Treatment

When treating bursitis and tendonitis, general anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out, and the affected limb is provided with rest. To reduce pain, punctures (punctures) of the joint capsule are performed to remove fluid and administer antibiotics. In severe cases and chronic cases, especially if the disease affects the patient’s quality of life, surgery is performed.

For mild or chronic forms of the disease, you can alleviate your condition using traditional medicine. Here are some popular recipes.

Cut off a few Kalanchoe leaves and place them in the refrigerator or other dark, cool place for a day. After a day, squeeze the juice out of the leaves and make compresses from it on the area of inflammation. In the first days, compresses must be changed frequently (5-6 times a day). In subsequent periods, it is enough to apply compresses at night.
For chronic bursitis, compresses made from fresh burdock and cabbage leaves are helpful. Lubricate the sore spot with vegetable oil or cream and apply to it inside cabbage or burdock leaf. Wrap your knee cling film and tie with warm cloth. After 1-2 months of such treatment, less fluid will form and the inflammatory manifestations will subside.

Meniscopathy, chondropathy, tendinopathy

Symptoms

This group of diseases includes dystrophic and post-traumatic non-inflammatory lesions of the tissues of the knee joint. They often accompany arthrosis, but can also occur independently. On initial stages As they develop, these pathologies sometimes cause only minor discomfort, and for this reason, patients often turn to the doctor for the first time already in the later stages of the disease. How do these diseases differ from arthrosis? In fact, in a narrower localization - damage to either cartilage, or meniscus, or a tendon, ligament or other structure of the joint. Various types Such diseases are often found in athletes.

According to the clinical course, these pathologies are usually accompanied by pain when flexing and extending the leg, when walking, difficulty in other movements, and sometimes joint instability, when when you step on the sore leg, it involuntarily bends. A crunching sound often occurs in the affected joint.

It is usually impossible to make an accurate diagnosis for such pathologies based on clinical manifestations; for clarification, an examination is required: X-ray of the affected area, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, sometimes arthroscopy.

Treatment

Treatment of knee lesions of a dystrophic nature is aimed, first of all, at eliminating the cause. Therapeutic measures are ineffective in many cases, and in order to restore the patient's ability to walk freely or improve the quality of life, surgery is usually performed. First of all, it is indicated for those who suffer from excruciating pain.

And to help your body recover faster, you can use several proven folk recipes.

Pour 50 grams of elecampane root with 125 grams of vodka. Place in a dark place and leave for 2 weeks. After this, use a rubbing product. After some time, relief will come.
Brew 5-6 tablespoons of ordinary oatmeal with water so that you get a thick porridge. Cool the porridge so that it does not burn the skin. Then apply it to a layer of cotton cloth and wrap it around the sore joint. Wrap the bandage on top with cling film and tie it with warm material. Keep until completely cool. This warming compress can be done at night. Beneficial features Oatmeal is stored for 24 hours, so do not prepare the medicine for future use.

The older a woman gets, the more time she devotes to caring for herself. In pursuit of perfect figure and smooth facial skin, the fair sex often forgets about their knees. But they are no worse than wrinkles on the face and can reveal a woman’s true age. In addition, sagging and flabby knees with unkempt, rough skin have an unsightly appearance.

Knee problems are age-related and depend on the structure of the leg. Both of them cause a lot of inconvenience in Everyday life. The most important of them is the inability to demonstrate Beautiful legs. Often a woman is forced to wear trousers and long skirts.

So, let's take a closer look at all the shortcomings of this part of the body and ways to make your knees beautiful.

Why do knees get old?

Knees do not always look equally well-groomed and beautiful, even among women of the same age.

Ugly knees are due to:

The structure of the joint.
Overweight.
Knee shapes.
Age-related changes (saggy, flabby, wrinkled).
Lack of proper care (rough, dry skin).

Beautiful knees

Deformation of the knee joint brings discomfort to a woman’s life. This not only makes the gait unsightly, but spoils the appearance of the leg as a whole.

How to change the look of your knees

Changing anything is difficult. The problem of ugly knees is the prerogative of plastic surgeons. Correction of this pathology is a long and complex process. Includes physiotherapy, knee massage, use orthopedic means, surgical intervention. Moreover, treatment should be carried out using all of the listed procedures in combination.

Fat deposits in the knee area- a big problem for women. The fact is that fat is distributed unevenly in the body. Accumulations of fat in the knee area are formed for various reasons:

lack of growth hormone - somatotropin. The processes of fat breakdown and lymphatic drainage slow down;
lack of chromium and zinc, which affect all types of metabolism - protein, carbohydrate, fat;
lack of water in the body;
genetic and hormonal reasons for full knees, but no excess weight.

Liposuction is considered the most effective procedure for removing excess fat from the knees. But the deficiency can be overcome at home, without surgical intervention.

Before starting a set of procedures for losing weight on your knees, you need to understand that the knee is a joint and it does not have muscle mass. Therefore, in order to get slim beautiful knees general weight loss of the whole body is necessary. As a rule, losing weight consists of two stages.

Changes in diet

Healthy foods

This is the most important point, on which the result will depend. Don’t think that an immediate food restriction will quickly affect the shape of your knees. Extreme diets put a serious strain on the body. A psychological barrier arises in refusing certain products. Not everyone is able to withstand complex diets, so there is a risk of weight gain again.

It is necessary to gradually introduce measures such as:

refusal of flour products;
avoid fried foods in your diet;
remove fatty foods from the menu: sauces, mayonnaise, butter, lard;
give up semi-finished products - no sausages, dumplings, sausages;
do not abuse sweets.

Exercises for losing weight on your knees

Knee exercises

Physical exercises for beautiful knees are the safest and effective method make them slim. Not so long ago, a weight loss technique called callanetics became popular (example in the photo). Its essence boils down to the fact that with a minimum of movements, maximum energy is spent. This is a balanced set of exercises that combines elements of yoga, aerobics, and gymnastics. This system is also aimed at strengthening muscles and burning fat.

Here are a couple of exercises as an example:

Rest your palms on the back of the chair. Try to rise as high as possible on your toes. In this case, the knees should be bent and slightly turned out. The shoulders are relaxed and the back is straight. You need to raise your head, tighten your buttocks and push your pelvis forward as far as possible. Stay in this position for a minute and return to initial position. Next, on bent legs with your heels connected together, lower yourself by 3 centimeters and, without protruding your buttocks, balance for 1 minute. Repeat the exercise three times.
Place the bent right leg on the back of the chair, holding it with both hands. Straighten your right leg as far as possible and count with the straight leg up to 50. Repeat the same with your left leg. In this exercise, it is important not to do anything forcefully; you don’t have to force your leg to straighten, it will do it itself when the tendon stretches.

No less popular nordic walking. This is an excellent solution for burning unnecessary deposits in the knee area. The essence of this method is to quickly step over ski poles, but without the skis themselves. The procedure is especially effective in the fresh air.

Set of exercises

There are a large number of common exercises that can be performed at any convenient time:

Place your feet together, bend your knees slightly. Lean forward and rest your hands on your knees. Fulfill rotational movements first one way, then the other. Do 4 sets of 15 reps. Then repeat the same movements with legs wide apart.
Extend your leg forward at a right angle. At the same time, you can hold on to the support. Bend and straighten your knee at least 20 times. You can try to perform this exercise while standing on your toes and moving your leg further back and to the side.
Stand a short distance from the wall, lean on it with the palm of your left hand. Grasp yourself by your right ankle. Straighten your leg, pulling it towards you. Hold on for 15 seconds. This muscle stretching exercise will improve blood circulation and restore mobility to your knees.

Photo: Exercises for beautiful knees

Sit on the edge of the bed and lean legs bent to the floor Then you gradually need to straighten your leg one at a time and return it to its original position. Repeat this 50 times with each leg.
Stand on your toes and walk in place, gradually accelerating. This must be done within 5 minutes.
Lie on your back, bring your feet together. Slowly spread your knees without turning your feet. Repeat the exercise 50 times.
It is advisable to do it on a slippery floor or in socks. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on your sides. Rotate your legs using your toes and heels about 40 times.
Stand up straight, lower your arms along your body. Bend your leg and slowly lift it towards your stomach. Repeat with the other leg. Perform 30 lifts.
Lie on your back, bend your legs, put your hands behind your head. In a calm mode, spread your knees for at least five minutes.

The whole set of exercises will not take more than 20 minutes. Do it strictly every day, without missing classes.

Liposuction - to do or not

Beautiful women's knees

How many knees, so many opinions. Some people don’t like sharp knees at all, while others strive to make them look that way. Therefore, it is worth figuring out when sharp knees are an advantage and when they are a disadvantage.

It will look ugly if a girl has a sharp knee on a very thin leg. The sight of a bony protruding knee is, of course, repulsive. But on a slender, well-groomed leg, a sharp knee is considered the standard of beauty.

You can achieve the desired result in the following ways:

proper nutrition;
liposuction;
physical exercise.

Everything is clear with nutrition. But liposuction is a controversial procedure. On the one hand, this is a great way to quickly get rid of the fat that disfigures your legs and the ability to tighten sagging skin in this part of the leg and emphasize the desired contour of the knee.

On the other hand, the procedure has a lot of disadvantages:

There are many contraindications, including obesity;
high cost. The operation costs from 16,000 or more thousand rubles. Not everyone can afford to spend that amount on their knees;
the effect may be short-term if a metabolic disorder is detected;
possible complications after surgery - impaired skin pigmentation in the operated area, fat embolism of blood vessels, swelling, pain, uneven skin texture.

Before going for liposuction, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons. Is the amount spent worth a 3-month rehabilitation with unpredictable consequences? It's up to you to decide.

Age-related changes are characterized by loss of skin elasticity

Adult woman's knees

In this area, collagen fibers have a more elongated shape, so the skin in these areas undergoes rapid overstretching. How many disorders do wrinkles above the knees cause in women? body fat, not related to overweight that hang over the kneecap.

Currently, the problem of wrinkled and flabby knees is completely solvable. The defect can be corrected at home and using therapeutic cosmetology, which includes several effective procedures for sagging knees:

hardware technique based on radio wave lifting and vacuum massage;
injection technique includes mesotherapy, contouring and biorevitalization;
a thread lift made of absorbable material creates a powerful subcutaneous frame;
surgical lifting is a rare procedure that does not provide a 100% effect.

Most quick way Dry your knees by jumping rope, working out on a stepper, and running. That is, intense physical activity is simply necessary:

Stand in front of a chair, crossing your arms with dumbbells on your shoulders, stretch your arms forward and lower yourself until your buttocks lightly touch the chair. Rise up and repeat with the same amplitude. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
Stand up straight, transfer your weight to your heels. Extend your arms and lean forward slightly, then sit down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then rise a little and lower again. Perform three sets of 20 times.
Stand on the toe of one leg and lower and rise 20 times. Switch legs It is important to work each knee exactly 20 times so as not to cause asymmetry.

Sloppy appearance of knees

Ugly and beautiful knees

The fact that even incomplete legs can be ruined by knees with saggy skin, wrinkles, and an ugly square shape was discussed above. From there it is clear that the less fat in the knee area, the more elegant and neat they look.

Most women take care of their own appearance pay attention to the skin on the face, neck, and décolleté. But the skin of the knees requires no less care. It is more susceptible to dryness and roughness. Exercise is only half the battle. Soft, delicate skin on the knees will give your legs a well-groomed look. You can use a variety of store-bought creams and scrubs for your knees.

Or you can use traditional medicine methods. Using recipes from traditional healers, the skin on the knees can be whitened, moisturized, exfoliated, and made into wraps.

Recipes from the folk medicine cabinet

The best folk recipes come to us from our grandmothers.

Before whitening and softening the skin, it must be cleaned of dead cells. The best scrub for this is made from 2 tbsp. l. coarse salt mixed with 2 tbsp. l. honey, add 0.5 tsp. castor oil. Massage your knees with this mixture for 5 minutes. Rinse off and apply with rich cream.
Kefir wrap. Connect 2 tbsp. l. kefir and 2 tsp. eucalyptus oil. Rub into the skin, cover with cling film and a towel on top. Leave for about 20 minutes. If you repeat this procedure at least twice a week, the skin on your knees will become soft and smooth.
1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil is mixed with 100 grams of lemon juice. Apply to the skin of the knees, leave for 20 minutes and rinse with water.

Remedy for swollen knees:

Grind 1 head of garlic, 1 lemon and half a celery root in a meat grinder. Eat 1 tsp every morning. this mixture. By using this composition for at least a month, you can completely forget about the presence of salt in the joints and swelling in the knees.

If a woman wants to have beautiful healthy knees, she must be clearly aware that this is Full time job, consisting of a set of procedures. It is a combination of exercises, a balanced diet and cosmetic procedures that will help achieve the desired and reliable result.

Useful video:

The knee consists of complex system ligaments, tendons, cartilage and muscles, acting as the main hinge between the earth and the body.

He goes to his knees huge pressure, especially when compared with other joints. This is why knees need care, but... Many of us do nothing but hurt our knees.

How?

First, let's take a quick look at the structure of the knee joint. The knee joint is one of the largest joints. It consists of the tibia, femur, fibula, and patella. The joint is able to bend back and forth and rotate left and right.

The image shows that the knee consists of 2 bones, the ends of which are covered with cartilage and menisci - special “gaskets” that act as shock absorbers. To reduce friction, a fluid is released in the joint, which acts as a lubricant.

The first and very common problem is thinning, tear and tear of the meniscus.
Thinning of the meniscus occurs no matter how you move. However, certain factors speed up this process. These are: insufficient fluid intake, leading to fluid deficiency in the joint and, as a result, increased friction; incorrect posture, leading to increased load on the meniscus; improper functioning of the muscles and, as a result, improper functioning of the entire knee joint. Thinning of the meniscus cannot be treated, since the meniscus is not a regenerating tissue. This damage leads to unpleasant sensations in knee joint and the risk of complications due to reduced depreciation in the knee.
Meniscus tear- incomplete rupture of the meniscus, which occurs due to injury or severe thinning of the meniscus. Everything is simple here - the “shock absorber” cannot withstand the load. A meniscus tear is when the meniscus splits into several pieces. In both cases, the loose parts of the meniscus begin to damage the surrounding tissue, especially when pedaling. As a result, the entire knee joint suffers. These defects can be eliminated exclusively by surgery - in case of a tear, a piece of the meniscus is cut out and the edges of the remaining piece are aligned; in the case of a meniscus tear, it is completely removed with the possibility of replacing it with an artificial one. The pain from these injuries can be acute, immediately after the injury, or chronic - the knee can hurt with loads, without loads, the knee can jam (if parts of the meniscus get into the intercondylar space).

Arthrosis- one of the most common problems. The causes of this disease are still unclear, but it is known that with constant microtrauma, the likelihood of arthrosis increases very sharply. Osteoarthritis is a degeneration, breakdown of joint cartilage. Symptoms of arthrosis include a crunch in the knee, discomfort, and a reaction to the weather (aching pain). Once arthrosis begins, it is unlikely to stop; it can only be stopped for a while. Factors in the appearance of arthrosis are overload (such as pedaling, which is not typical for our body) and also, partly, poor nutrition. Treatment of arthrosis (its stop) is drug therapy coupled with physiotherapy - magnetic waves, ultrasound, gelatin, calcium, removal of salts from the body.
Chondropathy- destruction of cartilage that occurs during stress. Knee chondropathy occurs as long as the knee is not working properly or is overloaded. Chondropathy most often affects the patella - inner part patella ("runner's knee"). When the cartilage thins, the insides of the joint begin to come into contact with the bones, which causes unpleasant, painful sensations, as well as destruction of the knee. Risk factors include overload and improper functioning of the joint, which may be caused by an abnormal skeleton or improperly working muscles. The consequences of chondropathy can only be treated surgically, and chondropathy itself is treated by unloading the joint - reducing loads, using bandages, stretching muscles.

Now let's look at the 8 most common ways to destroy your knees...

Knee injuries

Knee injuries are inevitable in our lives. They are diagnosed very often and not only in athletes, but also in people who are not involved in professional sports.

The following types of knee injuries are distinguished:

1. Bruise. Typically the mildest injury is the knee joint. Occurs due to direct blow in front or side of the joint. Most often, a knee bruise is diagnosed after a person falls or when he hits something with his knee.

2. Tears and damage to the internal and lateral menisci. They arise as a result of a sharp lateral movement of the knee with a fixed foot. Meniscus tears and injuries are most often observed in athletes and in most cases require immediate surgical intervention.

3. Sprains (tears) and ligament tears. They occur in the event of a direct impact on the knee joint of great traumatic force. Ligaments can rupture (or tear) during falls from a height, car accidents, or playing sports (in particular hockey, wrestling).

4. Knee dislocations and patella but occur quite rarely, just as ligament ruptures occur due to serious injuries knee

5. Intra-articular fractures femur, tibia or patella. Patellar fractures occur mostly in older people as a result of a fall.

6. Cartilage damage very often accompanies a knee bruise, joint dislocation or intra-articular fracture.

Running and cycling

If you run or ride a bike incorrectly, then you are at risk of softening the cartilage tissue, as well as losing its elasticity. This disease is called “runner's knee” - chondromalacia of the patella and inflammation of the iliotibial tract. Women are most susceptible to the disease. The risk of developing the disease increases if you run frequently. inclined surface, bending the foot inward.

Runner's knee causes severe pain that can be relieved with pain-relieving ointments. But if you are faced with a disease, leave it without it for at least six months.

If you ride a bike frequently, you also put prolonged and unnatural stress on your knees. The result is the same as when running.

Obesity

Every extra 500g your knees feel is like 2.5kg of force. Imagine what your joints experience with an extra 5 kg of weight? This is a real test.

Excess weight kills knee joints
In the knee joint, between the two bones, there is a layer - hyaline cartilage. It ensures the sliding of articular surfaces. 1 kg excess weight increases the load on the cartilage surface several times. The cartilage becomes loose, and foci of inflammation form on it.

Thus, you shorten the lifespan of your knees. There is only one way out - try to lose weight or suffer in mature age or old age with hellish pain and incapacity of the knees.

Dehydration

Insufficient water during physical activity causes the joint capsule to secrete less synovial fluid, which is a lubricant that prevents friction between bones.

Your joints lose water before you even become thirsty. That is, when physical activity, you should drink water as often as possible, especially during running, cycling and aerobic exercise.

Excessive loads

A sudden increase in the intensity or duration of physical activity can cause injury.

For example, you may have an inflamed tendon or pain in your kneecap. At excessive load You also need excessive rest; follow your training and rest regime.

Ignoring the knee muscles

The knee muscles need to be stretched. Just be careful.

Light clothing for the cold season

You can get cold knees. It is a fact.

As well as the fact that many girls and women ignore it and even in the cold season wear thin nylon tights rather than fleece leggings. Hypothermia of the knee and any other joint can lead to inflammation of the joint capsule, which will remind you of your frivolity for a long time after that.

Performing dangerous exercises in gym

When working out in the gym, try to avoid difficult exercises, especially if you have just started training or your body is not ready for such tension and technique.

Adviсe:

Sore knees require special exercise
Exercising for knee pain only increases the load on the joints and provokes the destruction of cartilage. To reduce the stress on your knees, you need to replace vertical physical activity, such as running, with swimming, a sport that is safe for your knees.

Shouldn'talways wear flat shoes
If you wear shoes with flat soles, the load on the knee joints is redistributed, and your legs take on an X-shape. Cartilage is destroyed and osteoarthritis develops.

It's better to chooseshoes with stable heels 3-4 cm high
The heel area must be large, otherwise you may lose your balance. And in shoes with flat soles you need to put in orthopedic insoles with arch supports that support the arch of the foot.

You can't mscrub the floors on your knees
There are synovial bursae in the knee joint. During physical activity on the knees, the synovial bursa becomes inflamed, synovial fluid is released from it and pain occurs.

It is better to wash floors with a mop
To protect your knees, use a height-adjustable mop to clean your floors. If you have to kneel frequently while cleaning, you should use knee pads. They will soften the load on the knee joints and protect the synovial bursa.
Based on materials from www.1tv.ru, www.7mednews.ru, www.jv.ru

PS. Even if your knees haven't bothered you yet, do a little test. Stick small pieces of paper in the center of the kneecap and on the ankle - in the middle of the fold line. Put on shorts or short pants, stand in front of a mirror, feet hip-width apart, and look carefully at yourself.
Where is the knee located relative to the ankle joint, the hips - in the same plane with them or to the side?
Squat down with your knees slightly bent. Where are they located? Is it right above the foot, or has the knee run inward?
Maybe ankle joint led inside? A thumb does it look outward on the foot? This is just one of the possible violations.

On the left is correct, on the right is one of the violation options

To control your joints, stand in front of a mirror at least once a day with your feet as wide as your feet, and do at least 20 shallow squats, keeping your heels on the floor.

The knee should stay above the foot and not go inward. If the knee goes inward, all the elastic tissues in this area are under constant tension: the internal ligaments are stretched, and the external ones are compressed. In addition, this flattens the foot and increases instability of the knee joint.

As you do squats, count how many of them you do correctly and record the results in your diary. Once you can do 80% of your squats without errors, start doing shallow squats on one leg - 20 times on the right and on the left.

When these squats become even and correct, your knees will not face problems in the near future; o)

Be healthy!

The image on the right shows fusion of the joint space.

The knee joint is one of the largest and most complex. It is subjected to enormous stress every day, so it is not surprising that from time to time it stops functioning normally. If, and the pain is almost constant, then it is necessary. Such a pathological condition may be a signal of the development of one of the joint deforming joints. Naturally, you need to learn to distinguish between situations when a visit to the doctor is very necessary. But lack of or self-therapy can lead to complications.

Structure of the knee joint

To better understand why knees hurt, you need to understand their anatomy. So, the joint consists of the femur, tibia and patella. The two largest bones each have two protrusions: the internal and external condyles.

All surfaces that come into contact with each other are covered with hyaline cartilage. Thanks to it, the mobility of the knee joint and its shock-absorbing properties are ensured. Around this bone connection there is a kind of capsule, lined with a synovial layer on the inside. It is filled, thanks to which the joint is nourished and its mobility is ensured.

The knee joint is made up of more than just bones. All its elements are united by cruciate and collateral ligaments, thigh muscles, tendons. The kneecap is attached to other elements through its own ligament. In order for the knee to move, 6 bursae are needed. Nutrition and innervation of the presented joint is carried out through nerves and blood vessels, which are located in soft tissues, surrounding the joint.

Pain in the knee joint: causes

If your knee begins to hurt, swelling appears, mobility is limited, and the discomfort is quite severe, you should immediately consult a doctor. If the destructive process has already begun, then it will be impossible to completely cure the knee. However, it will be possible to stop or slow down its progression.

So, we can identify the following causes of pain in the knee joint:

. This disease is more often diagnosed in women who are overweight and over 40 years old. Discomfort is felt when climbing stairs or straightening your legs. The pathological process affects tendons, ligaments and muscles, and the joint capsule. , swelling appears on the limb;
. This disease is characterized by the formation of small nodules of cartilage tissue, which are located in the shell of the joint capsule. In this case, dehydration of the joint appears, its mobility is limited, and a crunching sound is heard when moving. Since soft tissues are pinched, the patient experiences severe pain;
. Here the cartilage undergoes degenerative changes: it simply dies. The reasons for this pathological condition are commonplace: knee injury, features of certain professions. At the same time, the knee hurts very much, the discomfort becomes more pronounced with any movement. A crunching or cracking sound can be heard very clearly in the left or right knee. A person practically cannot stand on the affected limb;
bone tumor. Knee pain appears due to the growth of a neoplasm, which compresses soft tissue with nerves and blood vessels;
. This is a small hernia that can occur in young people and children from 3 to 7 years old. It is so small that it cannot always be diagnosed during examination. It does not pose a threat to human health and does not cause discomfort. However, if it grows, the joint may hurt, especially when straightening the leg. If the hernia is large, then surgery is performed to remove it;

These reasons are the main ones, but not the only ones. Therefore, it is necessary to consider other factors that cause knee pain.

Diseases of other organs as a cause of pain in the knee

Some pathologies that are not related to the knee joint can cause pain in it:

Fibromyalgia. Discomfort is localized in the muscles and soft tissues, but can radiate to joints located nearby. The inflammatory process does not develop. In addition to aching pain in the knee joint, a person feels stiffness in movements, fatigue, he may experience cramps.
or . The pain syndrome in this case spreads to the entire leg.
. It is pinched by the vertebrae of the lumbosacral spine. Strong pulsating.

What systemic pathologies can cause knee pain? In addition to the reasons that have already been described above, there are other factors that contribute to the development of pain:

. The presented disease occurs due to a violation of the metabolism of uric acid in the body. It is poorly removed from it, turns into, which accumulate in the joints. In this case, the knee may also hurt. Moreover, the pain is very sharp, sharp. More often, pathology occurs in men who abuse it or eat improperly. The skin in the affected area becomes red, and at night the knee joint hurts more. The duration of the attack ranges from a couple of days to several weeks;
. The pathology is associated with low bone density due to its improper formation. The pain in the knee joint is dull and aching, and it is not so easy to remove it. Bones with this pathology are highly susceptible to fractures;
. This is a systemic pathology characterized by inflammation connective tissue. It begins its active development when the body’s protective functions decrease. It manifests itself as a feeling of stiffness that a person can feel after a long stay at rest;

osteomyelitis. The presented bacterial pathology causes quite severe pain of a drilling nature. The skin in the area of the affected joint turns red, and the discomfort intensifies with any movement. The danger of this disease is that its consequence is the onset of bone marrow death;
infectious diseases. They are characterized by pain in the knee joint, which disappears after a course of treatment;
Paget's disease. In this case, the bone tissue is formed incorrectly, so the spine begins to deform. With this pathology, it is the tubular bones that are affected, which subsequently become very fragile. Recognizing this disease is quite difficult, since symptoms may not appear. The only thing that can indicate the presence of pathology is that the affected knee hurts at night, and there is a feeling of warmth at the site of the lesion.

If knee pain was caused by a systemic disease or skeletal pathology, it is not always possible to completely get rid of it. However, treatment must be carried out so that the disease does not develop further or at least slows down its course.

Trauma as a cause of pain

Pathological processes in this case can develop both immediately after the injury and some time after it. The following knee joint injuries can be distinguished:

Separation, tear or. These injuries lead to the appearance of joint “pushing” syndrome. In addition, the person feels severe pain, develops hemarthrosis joint that becomes unstable.
. Here the intensity of the pain syndrome is low. There are no serious consequences after the injury. Swelling, as well as hematoma, usually disappear on their own after one to two weeks.
. Leads to him swipe in the anterior region of the knee joint. After the acute period of pathology has passed, pain usually bothers the patient while climbing stairs, which is quite difficult to do. There is slight swelling in the knee joint area.
Fracture. It appears when dropped from high altitude or strong impact. The pain is severe, sharp, swelling appears in the affected area, and the skin turns pale. The victim cannot stand on his injured leg on his own. During a fracture, crunching and cracking is heard, and the bone can break through the skin.
Tendon rupture. This injury is uncommon, but it leads first to acute and then to aching pain. left or right knee intensifies.
. In this case, some of the constituent parts of the joint may come out of it.

Trauma may cause chronic diseases. For more information about this, watch the video:

Most pathologies of the knee joint have similar symptoms, so it can be quite difficult to recognize them. That is why you should not self-medicate, as you can make the situation even worse.

Who is at risk

Some people experience knee pain, crunching, and swelling in the affected area more often than others. The risk group includes those people who:

Presence of primary pathologies.
Genetic predisposition.
Constant sports overload of the knee.
Excessive body weight.
Injury.
There was surgery on the knee joint.
Not enough good development muscular apparatus of the knee joint.

In addition, women, as well as elderly and older people, are more susceptible to knee diseases.

In what cases should you consult a doctor?

If a person feels that his knees hurt, then he urgently needs to consult a specialist in this case:

The patient has been experiencing aching pain for more than two months, which does not allow him to sleep peacefully at night.
If the pain syndrome is different high intensity, appears suddenly.
A crunching sound is heard in the knee joint when walking.
My knees hurt every day, at certain times, under certain conditions.
The knee joint feels unstable from time to time.
If additional pathological signs are present: skin rash, fever, elevated temperature.
Aching pain appeared, which was accompanied by deformation of the joints and limitation of their mobility.
Pain syndrome becomes a constant companion of a person.
Signs of an inflammatory process appeared: skin redness, swelling, and local temperature in the affected area increased.

These signs alone are enough to make a decision to see a doctor. By delaying the visit, the patient increases the duration and complexity of therapy, and also allows the pathology to develop further.

Types of pain

Why knees hurt, most of the reasons for the development of the pathological condition are already clear. But character pain may be different. For example, depending on the disease that caused it, pain can be of the following nature:

sharp, sharp. It is caused by a rupture of the meniscus or ligaments, the acute phase of bursitis;
dull, pulling. It can be triggered by bursitis or synovitis;
aching. This type of pain is characteristic of arthrosis, gonarthrosis;
pulsating. A person feels it when the meniscus is injured or due to a lesion;

burning. It is characteristic of pinched sciatic nerve, as well as bone tuberculosis ;
stabbing. It is caused by a cyst of the synovial bursa. And stabbing pain is characteristic of osteoporosis, an old injury to the menisci;
drilling. It is caused by osteomyelitis;
periodic. It appears when the patient develops inflammation of the tendons or muscles;
shooting. It is caused by pinched nerve endings.

Diagnosis of pathology and first aid

Many people complain that their knees hurt, but they don’t know what to do. But when it is felt, it is necessary to undergo an examination and begin treatment.

Diagnostics involves the use of the following procedures:

Laboratory tests of blood and urine.
Blood chemistry.
Bone marrow puncture and...
Smears for the presence of bacterial microflora.
. This procedure is used both as a diagnosis and as a treatment for pain in the joint. It is easy to do and does not require a long rehabilitation period.
Radiography.
or CT.

Knee pain: first aid

If a person feels aching or nagging pain in the leg in the knee area, first of all, he must ensure that the limb is rested. involves taking anti-inflammatory drugs - Analgin, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen.

You can relieve pain using a cold compress. It is used as a method of pain relief when the cause of pain is injury. The limb is immobilized and placed on a hill. When there are wounds in the articulation area, they should be treated with an antiseptic. These measures are not complete treatment. They should be taken only before visiting the doctor.

Knee pain: drug treatment

So, what to do if you hear a crunching sound in the joint and feel severe discomfort? First you need to find out why these symptoms appear. One of the stages of therapy is drug treatment. So, for pain in the knee joint, you can quickly relieve severe symptoms with the help of the following medications:

antibiotics (when discomfort is caused by a viral infection);
- Ibuprofen, Aspirin.

Some pathologies need to be treated with surgery. If present, it must be removed. The cyst can also be treated through surgery or hydrocortisone blockade.

It is not possible to quickly get rid of the pathology. You need to treat your knee this way for at least two months. In addition, you really need to find effective means, which have good reviews.

The following recipes may be useful:

In half a liter of boiling water you should add 2 large spoons of cinquefoil grass, after which you need to let it brew. You should drink the product twice a day, 100 ml. You can apply a decoction to a sore knee cinquefoil as a compress at night.
A decoction of oats will help get rid of pain. To prepare it, you need to take a liter of water and a glass of grain. The mixture is boiled and then left overnight to infuse. You need to drink 2 glasses of liquid per day, dividing it into several parts. It takes 2 weeks to treat joints in this way.
To relieve discomfort and improve blood circulation in the affected area, you can apply a compress of grated potatoes and horseradish, taken in equal proportions. It will help you get rid of pain quickly. Apply a compress to the sore knee and cover with a clean cloth. It should be washed off after 15 minutes. To relieve unpleasant symptoms, only 10 procedures are enough.
A mustard compress applied to a sore leg at night has also received good reviews. To prepare it, take a tablespoon of mustard and mix it with the same amount of honey and soda. By the morning, the compress will help relieve severe discomfort.
If your knee joints hurt, you can use hot pepper tincture for rubbing. Half a liter jar should be filled with chopped peppers, and then pour alcohol to the very top of the container. You need to infuse the product for a week.

You can self-massage your knee at home. How to do this, watch the video:

If you already know why the unpleasant sensations appeared, then you can select appropriate traditional methods of therapy that will help relieve them. But before doing this, you should consult your doctor.

Prevention of pathology

In order for your knee joints to remain healthy and function well for a long time, you must follow simple recommendations from doctors:

Reduce the load on the joint.
It is rational to combine rest and work.
Treat any infectious diseases in the body in a timely manner.
Avoid hypothermia of the extremities.
After 35 years, it is advisable to start taking chondroprotectors.
During sports, it is necessary to protect the joints with special orthopedic devices to fix the joint.
It is important to normalize your weight.
Nutrition plays an important role in skeletal health. It is better to reduce the consumption of animal saturated fats, white bread, and sweets. You should introduce more fiber, vegetable oils, vegetables and fruits into your diet. Proper nutrition will not only help relieve discomfort, but also improve the functionality of the joints.

Traumatologist Vitaly Kazakevich talks about the rehabilitation of an injured knee: