Knee pain can occur as a result of an injury, such as torn ligaments or cartilage.
Many people believe that the pain is always caused by a lesion or tumor mass. In reality, symptoms are often not determined by the rupture or degeneration of any of the knee components.
If both knee joints are affected by osteoarthritis, the less degenerated knee can cause more pain.
There are conditions, such as arthritis, gout, and infections that can cause knee pain.
Knee pain often cannot be cured by natural remedies.
Physiotherapy can be a very effective treatment method because it can compensate for muscular imbalances throughout the leg.
The predominance of some muscles over others can provoke knee pain without injury.
In addition, nutrition is fundamental. There are various scientific studies today that show a link between some foods and inflammation of joints (Kiecolt-Glaser – 2010).
Contents
10 causes of knee pain on the inside
1) Dislocation of the knee joint
Dislocation or dislocation of the knee joint is a medical emergency because the lower limb is at risk.
It is a rare injury that occurs as a result of a particularly severe force on the knee.
In a knee dislocation, the lower leg shifts with respect to the thigh, and the orientation of the shin no longer coincides with that of the femur.
Often there is a rupture of the knee ligaments, but also of the arteries and nerves.
If artery injuries are not treated, the lower part of the leg remains without blood supply.
In this case, amputation may occur.
Nerve lesions do not pose a threat to life, but they lead to loss of strength and sensitivity.
This injury can be caused in a car or sports accident.
Signs and symptoms
Knee dislocations are very painful and result in a visible deformation of the knee.
Many dislocations spontaneously reappear.
Patients report hearing a muffled noise during the injury.
Treatment
The doctor must immediately relocate the knee, i.e. return the bones to their natural position.
After that, the patient remains in the hospital for observation, where a series of tests are performed that examine the injury of arteries and nerves.
If there is such an injury, surgical care must be provided.
2) Injury or strain of the inner ligament
The pain on the inside of the knee can be caused by a strain or the tear of the inner collateral ligament.
The cause may be trauma to the outside of the knee joint or excessive rotational motion.
This injury usually leads to immediate pain or swelling.
3) Meniscus damage
The meniscus is a cartilage that protects the knee joint.
Damage to the inner meniscus can cause pain on the inside of the knee.
4) Bursitis
This disorder is often undiagnosed, but is relatively common.
Inflammation of the anserine bursa is an inflammation of the bursa, which lies between the shin and three visions on the inside of the knee joint.
In bursitis, the bursa is full of fluid and thus swollen. Consequently, pressure is exerted on the adjacent knee structures.
As a rule, bursitis occurs as a result of overloading or when the bursa is exposed to friction.
It often occurs in:
- athletes – especially runners,
- in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis.
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
Pain that increases slowly and occurs about 5 cm below the knee joint.
The intensity of pain increases when:
- Sport
- Stairs.
5) Foreign bodies
In the case of an injury, sometimes a piece of meniscus or cartilage detaches and moves freely in the joint space.
This does not necessarily lead to problems, but if the foreign body gets into the range of motion of the knee joint, an extension or flexion inhibition (blockage) may occur in the last phase of movement.
6) Hip or foot pain
If the hip or foot hurts, the affected person usually limps to relieve the painful joints of body weight.
This unnatural gait can overuse the knee.
In some cases, the hip or foot problems can cause prolonged pain in the knee.
7) Foot deformity
Problems with a foot position change a person’s gait.
This can result in knee pain.
Foot position problems include:
- Flatfoot
- Overpronation of the foot (excessive inward edging).
Another common problem is the internal rotation and adduction of the hip (displacement to the inside of the knee) when walking.
This can lead to various disorders, such as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFSS) or ilio-tibial ligament syndrome (ITBS), also known as runner’s knee.
Of fundamental importance are therefore physiotherapy and strengthening of the following hip muscles:
- hip spreader (thigh cord tensioner and middle gluteal muscle),
- extensor of the hip joint (gluteal muscles),
- External rotators (piriformis, etc.).
8) Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, the discomfort is caused by joint wear.
Osteoarthritis occurs because the cartilage in the knee joint wears out over time due to the stress.
Night pain is an indication of osteoarthritis, even if it is not the only cause.
Typical symptoms are:
pain, - restriction of movement,
- Swelling.
Moisture intensifies the complaints.
9) Septic or bacterial arthritis
It can happen that the knee joint becomes infected, causing swelling, pain and redness.
As a rule, the appearance of pain occurs without previous trauma. Those who suffer from septic arthritis usually have a fever.
10) Plica syndrome
In plica syndrome, the symptoms are caused by tissue residues in the knee joint from early childhood development.
Synovial folds (plicae) are membranes that divide the knee joint into separate areas during embryonic development.
These membranes regress from the second three-month fetal development phase.
In adults, the tissue is called the “fold of the inner synovial membrane” or plica.
In some people, the plica fold is slightly larger and can cause inflammation.
What is plica syndrome of the knee joint?
The tissue fold on the inside of the knee joint is called the “medial plica” and is the synovial tissue that becomes most easily inflamed.
The diagnosis is made by a clinical examination and possibly a knee joint endoscopy (arthroscopy).
Plica syndrome can be confused with a meniscus injury. An MRI is not always helpful in diagnosing plica syndrome.
The treatment provides for sparing and anti-inflammatory drugs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
As a rule, these measures are already sufficient to relieve the inflammation.
Sometimes a cortisone injection into the knee joint can be beneficial.
If the symptoms cannot be alleviated by conservative treatment, the plica can be surgically removed (arthroscopy).
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