What causes knee pain?
There are various causes of knee pain, but we can divide them into traumatic and non-traumatic causes.
A. Traumatic causes of knee pain
These are more common that non-traumatic causes, especially in athletes and active people but also in obese and sedentary individuals with an excessive load on their articulations. These are the more common causes of traumatic knee pain:
◘ Musculoskeletal injuries: Muscle pain is a common cause of knee pain when it is associated with the quadriceps, the most important muscle in the thig. This muscle is attached to the patella, and tearing of this muscle near the patella may lead to knee pain located in the anterior part of the knee.
◘ Fractures: Any bone that is associated with the articulation of the knee may suffer a fracture from a sudden contusion. The femur, tibia and the patella may be subject to excessive pressure resulting in fractures and acute knee pain that compromises walking and other functions performed by this articulation.
◘ Stress fractures and repetitive movements: Another important source of knee pain is stress fractures and repetitive movements, which is especially the case in athletes and active individuals. Repetitive movements, primarily when associated with heavy loads and contusions, may lead to microscopic fractures that slowly impair the normal function of the articulation and lead to chronic knee pain.
◘ Obesity: Obese individuals often suffer from knee pain, and the mechanism of disease is similar to what happens in stress fractures. Carrying excessive load in the articulation of the knees leads to wear down of the articulation and may also trigger a form of degenerative arthritis called osteoarthritis of the knee.
◘ Ligament tears: This cause is especially common in athletes. The most commonly involved ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament, but there is a posterior cruciate ligament and lateral ligaments that may be torn as well. Each one of them leads to a distinct type of pain and different findings in the physical exam.
