Bone joint problems are common in all ages but they are more common in older people. Whether it is age related or injury related, you need to see an orthopedic doctor for knee pain when the pain gets too much. Here is everything you need to know about different types of knee problems.
Knee Sprain
Knee sprains occur more commonly in people and it is not a medical emergency. Though you might feel slight pain and will have some restrictions in moving your knee as desired, it still doesn’t need a lot of care and looking after.
A knee sprain usually occurs when you twist your knee really bad and a ligament or muscle pops out of place. The ligaments or muscles don’t rip or break but they are temporarily knocked out of place. This can be fixed with physical therapy and hot and cold compresses to the affected area.
Tendonitis
Some activities can also lead to the inflammation or swelling of tendons of the knee. This can be a very painful experience and you will not be able to move your leg too much. This happens due to activities like swimming, cycling or even running. One wrong maneuver of the knee and something can poke in your tendon and allow it to bruise and swell.
This is also not an immediate medical emergency but you will need to take it easy for some time and compress the area with hold or cold water and do some very light physical therapy or exercise.
Torn Ligaments
Torn ligaments or cartilage is probably a more severe version of a knee sprain. If you twist your knee too much to the point where your knee is in a lot of pain and you can’t walk or move it immediately, then it is probable that you might have torn a ligament or cartilage.
The tendon, ligament or cartilage takes some time to heal and it usually rarely needs any type of surgery. Some rest and physical therapy is enough and you will heal your torn cartilage in no time at all.
Arthritis
Arthritis or osteoarthritis is a very common age-related bone problem. This is the result of the cartilage and tendons of the bone wearing away and your bones start to become very weak and brittle. Any small impact can cause your bone to break or pop out of place. This is a very serious condition and in some cases, there might be extensive surgical procedures involved. You will also need bone replenishment supplements and diet modifications so that you can somewhat combat this disease, although it makes very little difference and you need to live with it carefully for the rest of your life.
Knee Bursitis
Bursae are the small sacs of fluid which support and cushion your knee cap from many impacts. Sometimes, some activities or maneuvering of the knee can cause swelling or inflammation in these sacs. This will cause the whole knee area to swell and your movement will be restricted too.
You will also feel a very slight grinding sensation when you try to bend your knees. This is because the sacs which are responsible for gliding the bones across each other are swelled and it is causing a lot of friction during movement.
Knee Fractures
A knee fracture is a very common type of knee problem which occurs either with age or due to an impact. A fracture is when your bone breaks in half from a very vital point. In the case of a knee, it can be your knee cap or your knee joints. The fracture can even shatter your bone or it can primarily fissure it. Either way, it is quite painful and you need immediate medical attention.
A cast will be put on your knee and you will be restricted from moving around at all for a few weeks up to some months. The time of being stationary really depends on your injury and how it is being sustained.
Now that you know what different knee problems and pains are, you will know exactly how to combat them and prevent the pain and injuries from getting worse. The best advice is to visit a knee specialist Woodbridge as soon as you sense a problem.