The knee is is made to bend only in one direction-with the knee facing straight forward. When the foot rolls in too much (over-pronates), however, the leg rotates in toward the opposite leg. This causes the knee to function while pointing inward. In this position each step you take will put stress on the knee. If your knee pain is due to your foot mechanics, orthotics can be a very effective way to relieve your symptoms.
Teens frequently have knee pain, and one of the most common causes is a condition in which the name sounds more serious than the disorder -- Osgood-Schlatter Disease. This ailment is characterized by tenderness over the bump at the top of the tibia (shin bone) a few inches below the patella (knee cap). The pain is usually made worse by exercise, jumping and using steps. In about 50 percent of cases both knees are involved.
Cause of Knee Pain
It is important to understand the referral patterns of these two ligaments. The medial collateral ligament refers pain down the leg to the big toe and the lateral collateral ligament refers pain to the lateral foot. The ligaments inside the knee are called the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. These ligaments help stabilize the knee preventing excessive forward and backward movement.
Mechanical Alignment and Stability Problems with the Kneecap
The kneecap is a small piece of bone the under-surface of which is shaped like a shallow valley and covered with a thick layer of articular cartilage. This articulates with a similarly shaped groove at the lower end of the femur. The shape of the bones varies considerably and the kneecap can only be kept in the correct position by a delicate balance of the strong muscles at the front of the knee. One of the commonest causes of problems with the kneecap is when the balance is disturbed. The most severe form of this condition is when the kneecap actually dislocates out of its groove and then has to be physically put back into position. This condition is easy to recognise.
Torn cartilage (a meniscus tear) -- pain felt on the inside or outside of the knee joint
Torn ligament (ACL tear) -- leads to pain and instability of the knee
Strain or sprain -- minor injuries to the ligaments caused by sudden or unnatural twisting
Treatment of Knee Pain
Medication
Physical therapy
Arthroscopy (cleaning the joint)
Knee joint fluid supplements
TREATMENT - Physical therapy is essential to the treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of many of the conditions that affect the knee joint and its surrounding supporting structures. Physical therapy for knee pain often includes ice and elevation and muscle toning exercises.
Activity limitations - To speed recovery and protect against future knee damage, activities that impact or jar the joint cartilage or twist the supporting ligaments should be avoided temporarily. Activities that involve repetetive bending (particularly beyond 45 to 50 degrees or half-way) should be attempted with caution.
Non Surgical Knee Pain Treatment
The patella is covered on its back side with the thickest layer of articular cartilage of all the joints in the body. Erosion of this cartilage is called "chondromalacia patellae." On x-ray it is seen as a decrease in the amount of cartilage underneath the kneecap. It may be caused by trauma or occur spontaneously. If the patella is fractured, pain may still persist after the fracture heals. Prolotherapy, a non surgical alternative to knee surgery is excellent at relieving all of these pains.
