Is My Knee Pain Joint or Muscle Pain Related?

Knee pain and knee injuries continue to hold their ground at the top of the list when it comes to reasons why people visit the doctor for muscle or bone pain.  It is one of the most heavily used joints in our body, sustaining considerable pressure everyday.  Athletes are especially prone to knee injuries with reports showing that nearly half of all participants in athletics throughout the country experience knee pain or injury each year.

Joint or Muscle Pain

There are many different causes of knee pain, including twists, tears, swelling, and breaks.  Major bones and tendons work together in our knees and even the slightest change to the balance or stress placed on these working parts can cause pain and injury. To answer the question of whether knee pain is related to joints or muscles depends on the type of injury or pain.  It could be a combination of both.  Here are some tips to help you figure out what might be causing your knee pain:

• Pain above the knee could be caused by strain to the quadriceps and/or quad tendons.
• Hamstring or calf muscle tendons that are damaged or strained when bending the knee can cause pain to the inside or middle of the knee.
• The patellar tendon connects the kneecap to the top of the leg.  When aggravated, the pain is felt just below the kneecap.
• When the kneecap itself experiences too much compression, it can cause major pain.
• Bone chips can sometimes break off and get stuck in the knee joint causing pain and swelling.
• The iliotibial (IT) band runs from the hip to the shin.  It is made up of tough tissue, but can still become sore when irritated or overused and cause pain in the knee area.
• Kneecaps can become dislocated, sliding out of position from time to time and causing excruciating pain and swelling.
• Meniscus is a tough cartilage that works as a shock absorber between the shinbone and thighbone.  It can tear if the knee is twisted or turned the wrong way.
• There are 4 ligaments that connect your shinbone to your thighbone.  A torn anterior cruciate ligament (or ACL) is one of the most common knee injuries for athletes.

Common knee injuries

These are just a few examples of some of the more common knee injuries seen at Arrowhead Health Centers.  Each type of injury or knee pain may require a specific treatment based on which ligaments or muscles were affected.  These treatments can range from physical therapy to surgery.  It’s important to have your knee pain diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Give Arrowhead Health Centers a call today at 623-334-4000, option 9 and let’s set up a time for you to come in and see one of our specialists.  You don’t have to live with pain in your knees…let’s find a solution today.