If you have recently been experiencing knee pain and you have not been doing anything that would cause an injury, then you may be perplexed as to why it is hurting too much and where the source of your pain is coming from.
Fear not, there are answers as to why you may be going through this soreness that isn’t equal to a specific knee injury.
Today we will go into the various reasons why you are having seemingly random knee pain as well as what you can do to mitigate this from happening in the future.
We wouldn’t be able to do your knee pain justice if we don’t delve into the various knee injuries that you can also get, just in case there is a slim chance that an injury has occurred previously but you haven’t put two and two together just yet.
What Knee Pain Symptoms Do You Have?
The location of your knee pain as well as the severity of it will vary depending on how it occurred.
Here are some symptoms that can come along with knee pain:
- Redness with it being warm to the touch.
- Weakness in the knee or it feels unstable.
- Swelling and stiffness.
- Crunching or popping noises whenever you move.
- Unable to fully straighten the knee when standing or sitting.
If you are experiencing severe knee pain that is not going away with the normal rest and/or analgesics then it could be time to call a doctor.
You should see a doctor if you:
- Can’t bear weight on your knee or it gives out when you try and stand up.
- Have marked knee swelling.
- Are aware of a deformity in your knee that wasn’t there before.
- Cannot flex or extend the knee.
- Are experiencing severe pain without injury.
- Have a fever that is not breaking.
It is essential that you monitor how you feel.
Do not dismiss it or ignore it as you may start to experience constant pain, which can lead to chronic knee pain. You should visit a doctor and have your problem diagnosed as it may be more severe than you’d expect. And if the condition gets bad enough, you may promptly be required to visit a clinic like Carefirst rehab, which specializes in physical rehabilitation.
The progressive treatment techniques used in institutions of the like may aid recovery from pain and the lack of knee mobility. Such forms of therapy and rehabilitation can thereby enhance coordination, balance, endurance, speed and strength, which can improve your quality of life as a result.
Causes of Your Knee Pain
Below are some causes of your knee pain without injury that you may not be aware of.
The severity of the pain will depend on each person, minor knee pain to some can be severe knee pain to others, it is reliant on their pain threshold.
Some of these may require you to go for physical therapy to help your knee joints become more fluid and help alleviate your joint pain, but a doctor will assess you and let you know if that is a possibility or if medication is the right path.
Making sure you have rest days when you do any form of physical activity is important as well, you cannot be expected to always be up and about, it doesn’t give your body time to rest and repair itself, so prioritise these days too and be aware of what your limits are.
Arthritis Pain
There are more than 100 types of arthritis out there, but there are some that will cause knee problems such as:
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is very debilitating for people to deal with. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that will go after any one of your joints and your knees are no exception.
It is classed as a chronic disease, however, it can come and go, so people will go through flares off and on.
Osteoarthritis
This is a very common type of arthritis and is classed as a wear-and-tear condition as over time your knee cartilage will degenerate because you will be using them for everyday activities which can put a strain on them as you age.
Gout
This arthritis occurs when uric acid crystals build up in your joints. It is normally associated with the big toe, but it can make its way up to your knee.
Septic Arthritis
Your knee joint can become infected which can lead to a lot of pain and swelling. This type of arthritis can come with a fever and can cause extensive damage to the knee cartilage.
It is important that you seek medical attention right away if you have knee pain with swelling and redness as you could have septic arthritis and will need to have that looked into to get the necessary aid.
Mechanical Issues in The Knees
Your knee joint may be affected due to a mechanical problem, these are:
Dislocated Kneecap
This happens when the triangular bone that covers your patella slips out of place, normally to the side of your knee.
Sometimes it can remain displaced and it is visible to the eye.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
When the tough band of tissue which extends from the outside of your hip to the outside of your knee gets too tight, it rubs against the outer portion of your thighbone.
Hip or Foot Pain
Experiencing this type of pain can have a knock-on effect on your body as you will be walking differently which will affect your knee causing it to feel more stress which can lead to pain.
Loose Body
Sometimes if you have a past injury or degeneration of bone or cartilage it can break off and float into the space between your joints.
At first, this might not cause you any problems, however, if the loose body interferes with the knee joint movement it gives a feeling of a pencil caught in a door hinge.
Other Problems That Can Cause Knee Pain
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a term that refers to pain occurring between the kneecap and underlying thigh bone.
It is a very common thing among athletes and young adults, as well as older adults who can develop the condition if they have arthritis in their kneecap.
If you have been feeling pain in your knee and you are a sporty person who has not had an injury, then this could be the cause of your pain.
You will still need to see someone to get it diagnosed instead of just guessing.
Common Knee Injuries
It is important to talk about what injuries can cause knee pain as well, as you may have been injured but had a delay in feeling pain.
ACL Injury
This type of injury is a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is one of four ligaments that connect your shinbone to your thigh bone.
It is very common in soccer and basketball players, or any support that requires the player to quickly change their direction.
Knee Bursitis
There are a few injuries that will cause inflammation in the bursae, which is the small sac of fluid that cushions the outside of the knee joint so the ligaments and tendons glide smoothly.
Fractures
The bones in your knee can be broken during falls and accidents (like in a car). People who have osteoarthritis can also have this injury just by stepping wrong.
Patellar tendonitis
With tendonitis, you will get irritation and inflammation on one or more tendons. Cyclists, skiers, and runners will develop this kind of tendonitis.
Physical Therapy
As mentioned before, those with any of these injuries or issues may be referred to a physical therapist to assess their issue and see what needs to change.
They may be put on physiotherapy treatment in hawthorn or elsewhere, as well as wear knee braces to help with relieving pain, however, there may come a time when surgical repair is needed, but that will be decided after a thorough assessment and tests.
For the time being, beyond the exercises and physical therapy, the concerned professional may also suggest a course of an OTC medicine or a THC supplement like Moonrocks (What are THC Moonrocks? Find out here) to ease the pain, if the person is unable to bear it anymore.
Massage Therapy
In addition to the methods, we’ve talked about earlier, including massage therapy in your overall plan for managing knee pain can bring you many benefits. You see, massage therapy can really help ease muscle tension and get your blood flowing better around your sore knee, which can be especially helpful if you’ve got a knee pain.
A massage therapist can work on the muscles and tissues around your knee, which can help reduce swelling, make it easier to move your knee, and relieve some of the pain you might be feeling. Plus, getting a massage therapy in Draper or nearby can help you relax and reduce stress, which can be really good for your overall healing and how you feel.
If you combine massage therapy with physical therapy, it can be like having a full package to help with your knee pain. It takes care of both the physical side of things and helps you feel better emotionally too. So, it’s a good idea to chat with a healthcare professional to figure out the right mix of treatments for your specific situation. That way, you can get the best results and start feeling better and moving around more comfortably.
Conclusion
What can cause knee pain without injury? It seems quite a lot can cause you to feel pain in your knee without the occurrence of a specific injury.
If you are worried about the knee pain that you have been experiencing, it is very vital that you go to a doctor to have it looked at and see if you need to go on a course of painkillers.
Ignoring it will not make the problem better and you may find that you do more harm than good if you try and manage it yourself.
Later on in life, you may develop more issues that could result in you finding it hard to stand for some periods or even walk, so it is smart to do the right thing and get it checked out just to rule out any serious or life-altering issues.
You want to be able to use your knees for as long as possible without being confined to a chair all because younger you thought it would go away in time.