What Can Cause Knee Pain Without Injury?

The knee is one of the largest and complex joints in the body. Understanding the basic anatomy of your knees can help you identify the cause behind your knee pain. Tendons form a connection between the knee bones and muscles, which help in the movement of the knee joint. Ligaments join the knee bones to each other and provide stability to the legs.

Of course, there are times when you injure your knees, resulting in possible damage and pain. But you may start experiencing knee joint pain without any underlying injury, possibly due to the following causes:

1. Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA)

It is often caused by aging and the wear and tear of cartilage which is a protective tissue at the ends of bones that allows easy movement. Osteoarthritis occurs gradually and worsens over time. Among the most common forms of arthritis, it is mainly characterized by knee pain, stiffness, and inflammation.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. In people with RA, the immune system mistakenly attacks the soft lining around the joints causing pain, stiffness and/or inflammation. When it affects the knee joint, it causes knee pain and stiffness and can overtime restrict movement.

Gout

Gout is another form of arthritis that entails pain and redness. It is generally a result of your body producing too much uric acid. Although it mainly affects your big toe, it can also affect one or both of the knees or any other joint. Keeping your uric acid levels under check can give you knee joint pain relief. Source

2. Tendinitis

Commonly referred to as the "jumper's knee", tendinitis involves a dull ache in the knee that increases with use. Taking stairs, walking, or climbing is particularly difficult for people with tendinitis. Often rest is prescribed in such cases, though severe cases may require medical intervention.

3. Bursitis

Each of your knees has a bursa sac that's filled with fluid which helps ease friction between tissues like bone, muscle, and tendons. Bursitis is when the bursa sac gets infected or inflamed, generally due to repeated pressure or overuse of knees. Bursitis often results in pain, redness, and stiffness. Using knee-pads helps cushion the joint and offers knee joint pain relief.

4. Baker's Cyst

A baker's cyst, also known as a popliteal cyst, is a fluid-filled sac that forms behind the knee. It causes pain, swelling, and can restrict movement. It can develop in people with chronic joint conditions, and sometimes there's no apparent cause. With a baker's cyst, it is best to avoid any activity that can cause further pain.

5. Chondromalacia

Commonly referred to as "runner's knee", chondromalacia occurs when the cartilage under the knee-cap is damaged due to overuse or injury. It is prevalent among young, athletic individuals, but can also develop in people with knee arthritis.

6. Obesity

Obesity can be a contributing factor to knee pain. For every pound that you are overweight, your knee has to absorb an extra four pounds of pressure whenever you walk, run or climb. Shedding some kilos may prove beneficial in providing knee joint pain relief. Source

Treatment Options

Correlating your symptoms with the causes will help you find the right treatment option for knee joint pain relief.

Chronic knee pain has a specific type of treatment, depending on the cause. After careful diagnosis, your doctor may suggest:

• Physical Therapy
• Surgery
• Injection
• Medications like Combiflam Plus tablet
• Topical ointments like Combiflam spray

Some lifestyle changes can sometimes help relieve symptoms and prevent knee-pain from recurring. You can try:

• Low-impact exercising
• Losing weight
• Adequate rest and sleep
• Wearing proper, comfortable footwear
• Cold compress

Summary

Knee pain usually goes away on its own and isn't caused by a severe complication. However, it is important to see a doctor if you're experiencing severe knee pain that doesn't seem to go away, have a fever in addition to redness and swelling, unable to extend or flex your knee or any other unexplained symptom visit doctor and take advice.

I have a strong interest in writing articles and blogs related to fitness, health diseases. In my free time, I love to play chess and listening to music.