Knee Pain – Potential Causes

 

Causes for knee pain are often associated with heavy stress on the knee joint. The knee is particularly stressed during sports activities, such as while running, playing soccer or skiing.

 

Knee pain appears if the stress is unusual or too great, or if one of the many components of the knee joint is injured, inflamed or irritated, such as bones, cartilage, menisci, cruciate ligaments, collateral ligaments and the knee cap. 

 

The following causes are possible for knee pain:

 

Meniscal tear

 

A meniscal tear essentially comes about due to an acute injury during sports or due to chronic wear and tear. 

 

Cruciate ligament rupture

 

Whoever sustains a cruciate ligament rupture also notices it. Those affected often hear a clicking sound which is reminiscent of a rope snapping.

 

Cartilage injury

 

Damage to the cartilage can occur in two ways: as an acute cartilage injury or as chronic wear and tear disease.

 

Knee arthrosis

 

If the cartilage is damaged due to chronic wear and tear, we speak of knee joint arthrosis.

 

Knee cap dislocation (patella luxation)

 

Girls and young women are almost exclusively affected by patellar dislocation. Doctors call it this when the knee cap springs out of its guide – and flicks back again.

 

Bruises, contortions and fractures

 

Osgood-Schlatter disease

 

This knee disease is often triggered by training too hard or because children are running around and romping outside too much.

 

Osteochondritis dissecans (OD)

 

In addition to the Osgood-Schlatter disease there is a second disease which can occur in physically active children. Knee pain is triggered by a vascular disorder in the knee joint.

 

Baker's cyst

 

Cysts can form in the popliteal cavity in boys and girls entirely without external causes.

 

Femoropatellar pain syndrome

 

It is mostly girls and young women who complain about knee pain in the front area of the knee. The surprising fact is that there are no pathological changes seen in the x-ray images in these cases.

 

Chondromalacia patellae

 

Adolescent girls are frequently affected by knee pain which is triggered by chondromalacia patellae, the causes for it are diverse. Hormones, which circulate in the body, stretch the connective tissue and make it softer.

 

Additional Reading:  Knee Stress.

Additional Reading:  Meniscus Function