You’re doing your work like normal and suddenly you bend your knee and… ouch! Does it hurt a lot? Well, if you want to know the reasons why your knee hurts a lot when you bend it and if you need to visit an orthopedic surgeon, then keep on reading.
Anatomy Of The Knee
The knee is one of the most vital joints of the body. It’s present in the center of your leg and essentially the union of two important bones, the femur and the tibia.
The knee also helps in leg movement, bending, and other actions. It’s essential for running and walking and it also helps to keep your vital leg ligaments in check, especially the ACL, LCL, and MCL.
The front of the knee is bullous and it’s the knee cap that helps to keep the joint protected. The knee is also surrounded by many ligaments, muscles, cartilage, and neighboring nerves. Your knee also houses some of the most important nerves, so it’s a sensation hotspot.
There can be times when the knee gets injured or it is used beyond its limit. This can lead to a lot of problems, the primary one being pain in the knee and even behind it. This can be very hard to deal with because walking is also compromised and you just can’t seem to work with your knee when it’s in pain.
The most frustrating part is not knowing what causes the pain, as there are many possible reasons.
Reasons Why A Knee Can Hurt
Here are some of the reasons why your knee can hurt when you bend it.
Osteoarthritis
This is one of the most common causes of knee pain, especially when you bend it because osteoarthritis directly targets the important joints in your body. Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of bones and over time, your bones can get weak and this can cause immense pain in your joints.
This can happen to your knees as well and whenever you try to bend your knees or squat, then you’ll feel dull and shooting pinches of pain radiating from your knees, all the way up and down your legs.
Tendonitis
Your knees have lots of tendons surrounding them. The tendons are kind of like ropes of cartilage that bind and fuse the muscle to the bone. Sometimes, these tendons can get inflamed and they can swell over time.
This can cause a lot of pain in the knee area because the muscles are getting loose and the bones are not intact anymore. This is why it can lead to a lot of pain, which can be unbearable at times.
Knee Bursitis
Joints have fluid-filled sacs that are individually known as Bursae. These sacs help to cushion the knee when you move and bend it. Sometimes, these sacs can get inflamed or they can lose their ability to prevent friction in the knee joint and this can lead to a lot of pain in the knee. This condition is known as bursitis.
This is immediately noticeable when you try to bend or straighten your knee. It’s very uncomfortable and it can also affect your walking and daily activity. So, if you feel like your knees are in a lot of pain, then you might want to see a doctor right away.
Overuse Of The Knee
If you’re a sports fan and love to engage your body in lots of activities, then overuse will be very common. Even though your knee might not be injured per se, it will still be very painful and your knee might also get strained from time to time, especially if you don’t give your body the rest it needs.
This is why it’s recommended that your knee rest after a rigorous sports session because constantly overusing your knee can lead to other disorders and even dislocation in worse-case scenarios. So, it’s recommended that you take care of your knee from the get-go.
Overuse can cause any joint to hurt. Apart from the knee, shoulders can also hurt in people who use their elbow a lot, especially athletes. In that case, you must visit an elbow specialist Woodbridge.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)
The iliotibial band is a very important fascia that runs from the outside of the leg up to your hip. The IT band isn’t only important for the knee, but it also helps the hips rotate, sway, and move normally.
Sometimes, overuse of the knee can cause the IT band to get damaged and injured and it can cause pain in the knees, especially when you rotate it or bend it. Iliotibial band syndrome is treatable but you do need to see a doctor to be certain that your IT band is the main reason behind the pain.
Patellofemoral Syndrome
Also known as jumper’s knee or runner’s knee, patellofemoral syndrome is a knee injury that can put your knee in a lot of pain. The main area that is affected by this disorder is the kneecap or the front of the knee.
This can occur in jumpers and runners, who overuse their knee to no end and impact damage can cause the knee to be in immense pain. This is a very common disorder, and adequate rest can make things a hundred times better.
Meniscus Tears
The area between the shin bone and the thigh bone is essentially the meniscus cartilage and it is a vital part of your knee. Sometimes, the soft cartilage can get torn, especially if you extend your knee beyond its limit.
This can ultimately lead to a lot of pain in the knee and even behind it. Meniscus tears can also occur if you’re in a bad accident and your leg is affected a lot. It can heal by itself if the tear is small, but you might need serious medical attention if the tear is huge.
Sprained Knee
This is also another injury that’s related to overuse of the knee. Knee sprains, like wrist sprains, are very common to occur, especially if you’re a runner or sprinter. Your knees are heavily involved when you’re running and one wrong slip can lead to a sprain that can limit your movement.
The effect extends to your knee. Knee sprains are one of the fastest-healing injuries and a couple of days’ worth of rest will do the trick. However, the sprain can still hurt a lot, especially if you’re not giving your knee the rest it needs.
Dislocation Of The Knee
Last but not least, knee injuries can also cause a lot of pain in it. The most common one is dislocation of the knee. The knee is a joint that can be dislocated if the pressure or impact of the injury is too much. The deformation can also be physical, so if you’re not resting your knee or giving it medical attention, then the consequences might be dire.
This is why you need to immediately rest, especially if your knee is dislocated. You don’t want to put any more stress on it, because things will only get worse.
Conclusion
These reasons are probably the most occurring problems that are causing your knee to hurt. However, the best things to do in this case is to see an orthopedic doctor for knee pain Woodbridge.
