Knee Pain Specialist

Why do I have knee pain?

Knee pain happens for a few main reasons, including chronic disease and physical trauma. Some examples of each include:

Knee trauma

Knee trauma, which often happens during sports, is a very common cause of knee pain. The trauma can happen with direct impact, repetitive damage over time, or both. 

Two of the ligaments most commonly injured inside the knee are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which cross each other in your knee. 

The meniscus — a shock-absorbing crescent-shaped section of cartilage inside your knee — is another frequent site of knee injuries and pain. Half of ACL injuries also involve the meniscus, PCL, or other structures in the knee. 

Chronic disease

Osteoarthritis — a disease in which your bone-cushioning cartilage breaks down — is by far the leading reason for disease-related knee pain. This joint disease causes bone to meet bone, which leads to pain and difficulty moving. 

Other conditions, such as bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative meniscus tears, can affect knee movement and cause pain as well.  

The best way to be certain of the cause of your knee pain — and the appropriate treatment — is a comprehensive assessment at Martin Orthopedics. 

What should I do for knee pain after an injury?

If you experience a knee injury, immediately stop the activity and rest your knee. Some mild knee injuries may respond to the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) protocol at home. 

But, if your knee pain goes along with serious swelling, difficulty standing, or an unstable feeling, you need medical care as soon as possible.  

If your knee pain continues for a long time, but you can't recall a specific accident or injury, you could have a chronic issue like arthritis, which also requires treatment sooner rather than later. 

How is knee pain treated?

Martin Orthopedics generally prescribes non-surgical knee pain treatments, including activity modification, bracing, rest, at-home exercises, and physical therapy. 

If severe knee pain persists, you may need minimally invasive treatments such as intra-articular cortisone injections to diminish inflammation and pain or regenerative medicine treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or stem cells to heal your damaged tissue from the inside out.  

In some cases, you may need surgery for severe knee pain. The Martin Orthopedics team performs arthroscopy, a minimally invasive surgery, to diagnose and treat some causes of knee pain, for example, meniscus repair or removal. 

For cartilage loss, whether related to arthritis or injury, you may need joint preservation surgery, which stimulates fresh cartilage growth where you need it.

In more severe cases of knee pain, particularly if coupled with major joint damage, you could need knee replacement surgery.

To learn more about knee pain treatment options, call Martin Orthopedics or click the online scheduling link.