Overview of Knee Pain
Knee pain symptoms are your first clue that something is wrong and you should get checked out by a doctor. The symptoms can lead to something that is mild or severe enough to need surgery.
Knee pain can develop because of age, past injuries or sporting activities. Depending on where you feel the pain, it could mean that the ligaments, cartilage or tendons surrounding the knee joint are affected.
Swelling can also be a clue that something is wrong with your knees. Swelling can be a sign of the onset of osteoarthritis, gout, inflammatory arthritis or an infection.
Understanding what the pain means and the associated symptoms plus which area of the knee is being affected can help you know which questions to ask your physician.
Location of Knee Pain Symptoms
Front of Knee
Pain in the front of the knee is felt in the kneecap area. Some of the symptoms are felt if you sit for long periods of time, walk down a set of stairs or kneel down.
Some of the disorders associated with the front of the knee are:
- Runner′s knee or chondromalacia
- Dislocation of the kneecap
- Unstable kneecap
- Prepatellar bursitis or housemaid’s knee
Back of Knee
Pain in the back of the knee is known as Baker′s Cyst. This condition occurs when fluid begins to build up in the back of the knee joint. Usually there are other issues with the knee and the retention of fluid becomes a secondary issue.
Inside of the Knee
If you are feeling pain in the inside of your knee, it might be associated with medial meniscal tears, MCL injuries or arthritis.
Outside of the Knee
The outside of the knee is susceptible to pain related to lateral meniscus tears, LCL injuries, IT band tendonitis or arthritis.