Knee Pain Specialist

What is knee pain?

Knee pain is a feeling of discomfort at or near your knee joint that often hinders mobility and your quality of life. It might result from an injury, chronic disease, or infection. Symptoms of knee pain include:

• Decreased mobility
• Limited range of motion
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Weakness
• Instability
• Discoloration
• Warmth
• Inability to fully straighten your knee
• Popping or crunching sounds

Knee pain might develop suddenly after an injury, or slowly over time. It can be mild or severe. At the first sign of severe knee pain or discomfort that lingers more than a few days, see the specialists at Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Centers for an evaluation.

What causes knee pain?

A wide array of injuries and diseases can contribute to knee pain. Examples include:

• A sport or work-related injury
• Being overweight
• Sprains and strains
• Osteoporosis
• Arthritis
• Infections
• Cysts
• Bursitis or tendinitis
• Patella (kneecap) dislocation
• Fractures
• Torn ligaments or cartilage (ACL or meniscus tear)

To diagnose the cause of knee pain, your orthopaedic specialist reviews your symptoms and medical history and examines your knee. They use blood or imaging tests, such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans, to determine the type and severity of the injury.

How is knee pain treated?

Your personalized knee pain treatment depends on the severity of your injury. Your doctor might recommend one or more of the following.

At-home care

At-home treatments include ice, rest, elevation, and wearing a brace when necessary to minimize discomfort while you heal and prevent re-injury.

Medications/injections

Your doctor might recommend over-the-counter pain relievers, prescription medicines, or steroid injections to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain while a knee injury heals. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are a form of regenerative medicine that uses platelets from your blood to heal knee injuries and relieve pain naturally. 

Physical therapy

The on-site physical therapists at Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Centers help you strengthen and stretch your knee joint to accelerate healing and prevent future injuries. Your orthopaedic surgeon might recommend physical therapy alone, or in conjunction with knee surgery.

Surgery

Knee surgery is sometimes the best way to fully restore your knee joint. Your orthopaedic surgeon might recommend arthroscopic knee surgery or open surgery for a partial or total knee replacement. Your surgeon may use computer-assisted surgery (CAS) technology, allowing them to view two- and three-dimensional images in real-time on a monitor when replacing your knee joint.

Osteotomies move the bony attachment of your patella tendon to a better position and release tight tissue on the outside of the patella to prevent dislocation. 

Cartilage restoration

During cartilage restoration, your surgeon takes a sample of healthy cartilage from your knee, cultivates it in a lab for several weeks, and re-implants the cartilage into your knee joint. Physical therapy is necessary after surgery to optimize your results.

Don’t live with debilitating knee pain when you don’t have to. Schedule an appointment with Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Centers over the phone or online today.