Knee Pain is caused by reasons that are usually not related to any underlying conditions. Some common causes are heavy physical activity or lack of knee use. Some other reasons are sprain or strain or sitting on knees for a prolonged period among others. 

• Sprained knee ligaments– Any kind of injury to a knee ligament can cause knee pain. An unnatural twist to the knee joint is the common cause of a Sprained knee. The Sprained knee can cause aches, coupled with swelling and make simple activities like running or jumping difficult.

• Inflammation– Tendonitis or inflammation of the tendon can occur after overuse of the tendon or knee joint. Certain activities like excessive running, jumping, cycling or sports like basketball or athletics can strain the tendon in the knee joint.

• Infection in the bones on the knee- Osteomyelitis is a kind of bone infection that is caused by some specific germs or bacteria. This infection can commence after bone surgery.

• Baker cyst– A baker cyst is a build-up of joint fluid below the knee. It creates a cyst below the knee. Baker cyst commonly occurs in patients with knee arthritis, a tear in meniscal cartilage knee or Cartilage injuries.
  

• Fracture– Sometimes knee injury causes fracture in the kneecap and other bones that promotes knee pain and swelling. 

• Osteoarthritis: This type of arthritis can be the cause of knee pain after the age of 50. It may often lead to knee joint pain, stiffness and swelling. 

There can be several other minor causes of knee pain like a dislocated joint, bursitis or simple muscle strain among others.

To understand the core reason of this problem, you need to know about the tissue named cartilage. The tissue has the duty of smooth and effortless movement of our joints. When this tissue tears off, we tend to witness this problem.

The cushioning of the bone ends and then it leads to cracking sound and stiffness. Though it is an aging factor, and use of the joints leads to this but some people tend to witness it in young age as well.

Knee pain is common and the severity of pain can depend on its underlying cause. Some common symptoms ng and Stiffness around the knee

• Weakness in the knee
• Disbalance or shakiness in the knee joint 
• Difficulty to keep the knee straight 

Some tests to detect knee pain are:

• X-Ray– A doctor can commonly suggest having an X-ray at the beginning. It can be used to identify any kind of bone fracture or degenerative joint disease.

• Computerised tomography (CT) scan– CT combines X-ray images taken from different angles. It makes cross-sectional images from different angles of a body to diagnose bone issues or subtle fractures. There is a special kind of CT Scan to detect gout in an inflamed knee.

• Ultrasound– Ultrasound technology is used to take real-time images of soft tissue structures from inside and around the joint.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-  MRI  takes images from within the knee to identify injuries to soft tissues in the knee. It identifies problems in ligaments, tendons, cartilage and other muscles of the knee.

The treatment of knee pain can be different for everyone. It can rely on the cause of the pain. But, some common medications for knee pain are:

• Medicine– A doctor can prescribe some medicines to relieve knee pain. Some specific medicines are suggested to treat the underlying condition that causes knee pain. 

• Physiotherapy– Strengthening knee muscles and joints can make it more stable. For this reason, doctors can suggest going for physiotherapy to strengthen the muscles. Moreover, it heals the specific condition that inflicts knee pain. Even if someone is a sports person or physically active person, they need physiotherapy to correct the movements that may affect the knees over time. Furthermore, exercises enhance the flexibility and balance of the knee which is helpful for the body. 

• Injections– In some cases, the doctors suggest a particular kind of injection for treating the knee pain depending on its cause. The injections that are used to treat some specific conditions are Corticosteroids, Hyaluronic acid, or Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). However, they must only be taken with the recommendation from a qualified medical practitioner. 

• Surgery– In some cases of a knee injury, the doctors suggest surgery.  But, one must discuss the possible side effects and impacts of the surgery in detail with a doctor. 

The treatment plan for knee pain is customised for every patient based on their age, gender, medical history and cause of the pain. However, there are some common exercises that a physiotherapist may teach you to strengthen the surrounding areas of the knee joint. Some of them are:

• Straight Leg Raise– This exercise improves the strength of the quadriceps and supports knee health. In this exercise, the person lies down with the back on the mat over the floor. Then they bend one knee and keep it anchored to the floor. Consequently,  they Straighten the other leg and lift it to the same height as the other knee and keep it for some time. Consequently, they bring them down.  The physiotherapist gives details on the number of required repetitions of the exercise. 

• The bridge– When lying on the floor, the person bends both of their knees and keeps the feet at about hip-width apart. Then, they engage the glutes to lift the hips height and make a bridge kind of figure. It will feel like the hamstrings and glutes working. Consequently,  they lift the toes and anchor the heels to the floor. Then they lower the hips back and repeat as per directed by the physiotherapist.

• Prone straight leg raise- In this exercise, the person rolls on their stomach and keeps the leg straight. Then they squeeze the glutes and lift one leg towards the ceiling and hold the position for 3 to 5 seconds. Consequently,  the repetition is directed by the physiotherapist.  

• Step-ups– In this exercise, the person stands up straight on the lowest step of any staircase. The required height of the staircase is suggested by the physiotherapist.  Then they tighten up the abs and level up the pelvis, bending one knee and slowly lowering the opposite toes to the floor. Gradually, they rise back into a standing position on the step.

If you are looking for the best physiotherapist to treat knee pain, you can get the best treatment at Dynafisio. Dynafisio is a leading physiotherapy clinic in Gurgaon equipped with the latest medical infrastructure and qualified practitioners.