Knee Pain Specialist

Why do I have knee pain? 

Knee pain is a particularly common problem, not least because most activities in life put pressure on these large, weight-bearing joints. Standing, walking, kneeling, running, and jumping all put your knees under great strain every day, and that's before you factor in playing sports or working out.

Conditions that are common causes of knee pain include:

Arthritis 

There are many kinds of arthritis, but the most common are osteoarthritis, a result of joint wear-and-tear over the years, and the autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis.

Meniscus tears 

The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in your knee shaped like the letter C. This cartilage helps the knees support your weight, stabilizes the joint, allows you to turn your knee, and helps prevent the bones inside your knee from rubbing against one another.

Tears to the meniscus typically occur during awkward twisting movements or when you stop suddenly.

ACL tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four ligaments attaching your femur (thigh bone) to your tibia (shin bone) in your knee joint. ACL tears are common injuries where your knee slides forward too far and becomes unstable.

Runner's knee

Runner's knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome can result from overuse, misalignment, trauma, or weak muscles. You might develop pain in or behind your kneecap that becomes more severe when you walk, run, or kneel.

Bursitis

Knee bursitis is inflammation of the bursae (small fluid-filled sacs) in your knee joint. These bursae provide cushioning and protection for the bones and connective tissues in your joints, but can sometimes become inflamed themselves, typically from overuse.

You could also experience pain in your knees that's radiating from your back, hips, or ankles.

What treatments are available for knee pain?

Initially, your provider at Integrity Orthopedics uses non-surgical approaches to relieve your knee pain and improve joint function. These conservative treatments include:

Applying ice and elevating your knee.

• Anti-inflammatory medication

• Rest and activity modification

• Physical therapies

• Wearing a knee brace

• Using arch supports

• Viscosupplementation (hyaluronic acid injections)

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

• Regenerative medicine injections

• Steroid injections

Pain that isn't responding to these treatments might benefit from genicular radiofrequency ablation. This minimally invasive procedure uses radiofrequency energy to destroy the genicular nerve in your knee so it can't transmit pain signals to your brain.

Surgery might be required to treat knee pain when no other methods are working.

Your surgeon at Integrity Orthopedics uses minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques where possible and performs a variety of knee surgeries, including ACL reconstruction, meniscus repairs, and total or partial knee replacements.

Find relief from your persistent knee pain by calling Integrity Orthopedics today or book an appointment online.