Knee pain is one of the most common unpleasant sensations that every person has had at least once. The progression of diseases, due to which pain may appear, is due to the fact that the human knee consists of many structures, and every day they are all subjected to colossal loads. The damage can affect any of the ligaments or tendons, or specific sacs that fill with fluid, as well as the cartilage. This symptom can be a signal of diseases not only related to the knee, but also general diseases of the body or systems.
It is also necessary to distinguish with which movements pain occurs, for example, pain in the knee when bending is inherent in people leading an active lifestyle and often speaks of a violation of the structure of joints and bones. Such spasms appear mainly in the later stages of the course of the disease, when it is impossible to do without treatment with the help of surgical intervention. Often the knees ache and creak when squatting, this may indicate that the cartilage tissue is being erased (mainly seen in athletes due to constant running). Pain inside is due to various pathologies of the joint or the appearance of neoplasms. The appearance of pain after childbirth is due to the fact that during pregnancy the female body underwent many changes, which could lead to the development of certain diseases.
It is important to find out why the pain in the knee joint is expressed, since some diseases can be cured only with the help of operative intervention, and for some it will be enough to use traditional medicine.
Etiology
As mentioned above, there are many reasons why the knees hurt, and they are not always directly related to injuries, illnesses and bruises of the knee joint. The first group of factors are disorders that directly affect the knee joint, including:
- knee osteoarthritis is a disorder that most commonly affects people over the age of forty. The pathology usually affects both knees. The main symptom is pain and crunching during extension and squatting. The spasms are sharp and sharp. The degree of intensity decreases when lying down;
- getting blood into the joint cavity;
- meniscus damage can occur at any age, regardless of gender. Often only one knee is affected. This disease is characterized by the manifestation of a loud cracking and pain in the knee when bending or after running. In addition, a person loses the ability to move, because he feels unbearable pain at the slightest movement of the leg;
- arthritis - the disorder develops very quickly, the inflammatory process spreads to the knee joints of both legs. It is best to start treatment as soon as possible because the disease has spread to other joints;
- violation of the integrity of the ligaments due to a rupture, more often the internal ligament is tender to it, much less often this occurs on the side. In this case, there is swelling and limitation of motor functions;
- various inflammations of the tendons - the appearance of which is due to many reasons, for example, infectious diseases or the influence of bacteria, trauma or bruising, allergies to drugs or abnormalities in the structure of the body. In such disorders, knee pain from the inside is expressed;
- displacement or dislocation of the patella - occurs very rarely and mainly in children or athletes, after strenuous exertion or running;
- inflammatory process in the joint bag. In case of untimely treatment, complications may arise, which should only be eliminated with the help of medical intervention;
- pathological processes in the synovial membrane that covers the joint;
- the appearance of a cyst inside the knee joint leads to pain below the knee in the back;
- destruction of the integrity of the fatty tissue covering the joint. Externally, it manifests itself in the form of swelling of the injured knee;
- osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage tissue becomes thinner;
- various infectious diseases, the course of which can lead to arthritis. Knee pain is expressed when walking, as well as after squats;
- bone tuberculosis;
- pathologies of the spine cause a sensation of pain in the knee when walking;
- Metabolic disturbances or salt deposits in the knee often cause knee pain when squatting.
The second group of reasons consists of other influences from which the pain in the knee joint appears:
- excessively high body weight;
- external injuries or bruises of the knee joint;
- working conditions due to which a person is forced to stand for several hours at a time;
- intense physical activity - this is why this disorder is most often observed in professional athletes, for example, after running;
- poor posture during labor;
- wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes.
There are several reasons why a woman's knees hurt during pregnancy:
- an increase in body weight (in some cases up to twenty kilograms);
- lack of calcium and other minerals in the body;
- production of a specific hormone which softens ligament tissue.
After childbirth, all the unpleasant sensations should go away on their own, but if this does not happen, you should consult a doctor, as this can be a sign of the above diseases. After childbirth, a woman may have pain in her knees when she squats, stands up, and stretches out. This is due to the following reasons:
- intensive muscle work during childbirth;
- sudden, involuntary movement during the birth of a baby can cause dislocation;
- whether a woman had various ailments of the musculoskeletal system before childbirth;
- when breastfeeding a baby, fluid accumulates in the woman's body, which negatively affects the joints, it is because of this that the pain is felt when lifting and extending theknees.
Symptoms
In addition to the pronounced signs - pain of varying intensity and cracking when squatting, this manifestation has additional symptoms characteristic of the disease, which provoke pain in the knee when walking or other movements of the legs:
- sleep disturbances;
- increased body temperature;
- decreased or complete lack of appetite;
- stiffness of movements;
- increased pain when walking. There is a marked improvement in the sitting or lying position;
- noticeable swelling of the injured knee - can be observed from the inside;
- inability to transfer weight to a painful limb;
- deformation of the patella;
- change in the color of the skin of the knee;
- fever.
When the first signs are expressed, you should immediately contact a medical institution for diagnosis and the appointment of effective treatment.
Diagnostic
Since many disorders cause the knee to hurt when walking, running, squatting and standing up, the diagnosis should consist of:
- a detailed investigation of the patient for the appearance of the first symptoms, the intensity of the pain, the place of its appearance (from the outside or the inside), the possible causes (for example, when walking, after runningor during childbirth), which causes pain;
- palpation of the knee by the attending physician to get a more complete picture of the localization of pain, as well as to identify swelling;
- analysis of the patient's blood for general and biochemical research;
- x-ray - in which any pathology of the knee structure will be clearly visible;
- fluid withdrawal by puncture - carried out if the attending physician suspects bone tuberculosis;
- puncture of fluid from the knee joint;
- arthroscopy - performed in case of meniscus injury causing knee pain from the inside. This method is carried out not only for diagnosis, but also during treatment;
- measure the density of bone tissue;
- Ultrasound of the knee;
- MRI and CT examinations of the patient.
Processing
There is no one way to cure all illnesses and disorders. The method of treatment for each patient is prescribed individually and depends on the cause of the onset and severity of spasms, whether the knee hurts when walking, running, squatting or standing up. Methods of treatment that are prescribed to all female patients without exception, including women after childbirth:
- reduce the load on the lower extremities, so that no symptoms occur;
- the imposition of a fixation bandage on the injured knee;
- warm the knee with ointments or warming compresses. As prescribed by the doctor, cold compresses are used, but not more than fifteen minutes a day;
- anti-inflammatory drugs.
If necessary, treatment is carried out with surgical intervention.
In addition, there are alternative therapies that can reduce the onset of symptoms, but they can only be used after consulting a doctor. These pain treatments include:
- iodine mesh;
- a compress of your own urine;
- a mixture of raw potatoes with kerosene;
- apple cider vinegar lotions mixed with egg yolk;
- ointment from chopped potatoes with horseradish;
- an onion compress, for this you need to cut it in half and apply it in half to the outer and inner sides of the knee;
- cologne and dandelion solution;
- tinctures of elecampane root and alcohol;
- a compress of black elderberry, chamomile and pine cake;
- calendula lotion;
- a mixture of mustard and honey.
Folk remedies are not recommended for women during pregnancy and after childbirth, when the baby is breastfeeding.
Prophylaxis
To avoid knee pain when walking, running or squatting, you should:
- adhere to a healthy lifestyle;
- always watch your posture;
- keep your own normal body weight;
- warm up the muscles before training, so that knee spasms do not occur after running and exercising;
- only wear comfortable shoes;
- promptly treat all diseases that can lead to this disorder;
- undergo a routine examination in the clinic several times a year;
- practicing gymnastics if a person's lifestyle or working conditions are standing or sitting;
- avoid hypothermia;
- at the first symptoms, especially after childbirth or running, consult a doctor.