Maintaining an active lifestyle is fantastic, but when knee pain strikes, understanding the why and how becomes pivotal for the young and strong. As you snooze the alarm and mentally run to get ready for work, it seems like an eternity before you actually prepare your legs to walk through the day.
“Well, I just hit my thirties and I m barely 120 lbs, then why is my knee sore? Why does it age faster than the rest of me?”
Okay Breathe! It can be a dozen of different phenomenon, not really related to age. Age is just a number, not a measure of fragility. Here is a quick guide to understanding the knee, and tackling the pain it gives.
Anatomy of the Knee:
Knee is a synovial, hinge joint, comprising of the structures at the junction of femur(thigh bone) , tibia and fibula (leg bones) and Patella (knee cap). It has four main ligaments other than the musclar attachments that stabilize it, packed in a fluid filled cavity with two menisci (cartilage discs at the junction of long bones), that act like shock absorbers and a tough joint capsule wrapping it all to work as a single unit while we move ourselves all day.
Schematic Image: Knee Anatomy [5]
The Key to Injury Prevention: The Art of Effective Warm-up
We have been designed to be the most versatile of beings, with our range of movements and ability to adapt and evolve to meet our customized goals. Knee is the most stressed joint in our body as evident from its overuse and lack of acknowledgment in different sports. [1]
To avoid pain, one should be gentle in their movements. Knowledge of the limitations and range of movements of your limbs is important. You may design an effective workout plan to gradually improve performance and alleviate the symptoms of painful knees. Practicing focused neuromuscular exercises as supervised by your trainer will help you grow. [4]
Start off with a precise, well timed warm up routine. Slow, sustained flexion and extension helps to begin with, knowing exactly when to pace up. Wearing a supportive sleeve over the knees might give you extra stability for running your heart.
Manifestations of Knee injury:
Knee pain can result from both: injuries and medical conditions, and it may be simple fatigue.
A sudden twist may injure the cruciate ligaments in the center of the joint causing a sprain. Knee problems can manifest as clicking, popping, or locking sensations, along with reduced mobility or discomfort during walking, often followed by pain and swelling.
Knee pain can be localized to different areas of the knee, including the front, back, sides or deep within the joint.
The location of the pain plays a crucial role in determining the most effective treatment approach. Thankfully, most minor injuries, ligament sprains and meniscal tears are manageable conservatively at home.
The RICE Protocol:
RICE protocol helps alleviate pain and swelling of stressed out knees:
- Rest
- Ice pack application
- Compression stockings
- Elevation
It can be your call for the day following a 400meter sprint, gradually squeezing it to your weekend self care routine.[6]
Consultation for Knee Pain:
Warning signs that demand consultation and should not be missed in a painful knee are:
- Redness, increased vascularity and skin color changes.
- Swelling, that may or may not be reducible.
- Warm skin overlying the Knee joint.
- Restricted mobility, pain on movement causing you to think twice before you change position.
- Pain that keeps you awake at night.
- An obvious deformity of the knee.
PS: Delaying consultation will only worsen the injury, any direct blow or major trauma should be immediately reported to the healthcare team for timely management.
Further Reading:
From now on, never skip that 5minute warmup before you hit the road in your joggers! You are welcome to post your questions related to signs and symptoms of painful Knee joint. References for further reading about joint pain and arthritis are available at the end.
Sources:
- Kathleen Davis, Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M.D. (2023); How to prevent and treat knee injuries. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/299204
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Jackson JL, O’Malley PG, Kroenke K; Evaluation of acute knee pain in primary care. https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-139-7-200310070-00010
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Achenbach L, Krutsch V, Weber J, Nerlich M, Luig P, Loose O, Angele P, Krutsch W. Neuromuscular exercises prevent severe knee injury in adolescent team handball players. Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy. 2018 Jul;26:1901-8.
- Knee Troubles (2021). https://capitalchirodsm.com/knee-troubles/
- Medically Reviewed by Sanjay Ponkshe (2023)What Is the RICE Method for Injuries?https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/rice-method-injuries
