Amman -
Knee pain is one of the most common pains in people, as it affects all age groups for various reasons, so what is knee pain?
What are its symptoms, causes and methods of diagnosis?
How is it prevented?
What are the ways to treat it?
What is knee pain?
Dr. Kifah Abu Tarboush, a consultant orthopedic surgeon and general director of Prince Hamzah Hospital affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Health, said in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net that knee pain is one of the most common pain complaints among patients, and affects all ages and groups for many reasons, including what is simple in nature, The other is complex and intense.
He added that the pain may originate from the knee itself, or from another place in the body, but it extends to the knee, and it may be the result of a direct or indirect injury to the knee, such as injuries from athletes, for example, and it may be the result of a systemic or immune disease that affects the body, such as rheumatic diseases.
Symptoms of knee pain
Symptoms of knee pain differ from one patient to another, according to Dr. Abu Tarboush, and it depends on the location of the pain (upper, lower, front, back, medial or lateral side), in addition to the severity of the pain (acute, recent or old chronic), as well as the presence of a tumor, or fever. And redness, or stiffness and limited movement of the joint, which plays a role in the diagnosis.
He added that the complaint may coincide with weakness and inability to move and stand, or walking with pain, as it is one of the important measures in the evaluation, in addition to the deformation of the shape of the knee and its deviation from its axis for a long time, which may be an indication of the presence of a chronic disease problem such as advanced roughness or Rimatoids, in addition to the presence of some indicators such as severe pain, sudden inability to move, or a severe tumor that requires urgent medical examination.
Causes of knee pain
Dr. Abu Tarboush explained that the causes of knee pain may be due to injuries, as it could be bony injuries, and may cause fractures around the joint or on its surface. It needs surgical interventions to treat it, and in many cases a metal fixation with special plates and screws.
And there are some orthopedic injuries in the form of bruises, “and here we are satisfied with the treatment of rest and analgesics, while the other form of injuries can be on tissues such as ligaments and cartilage, and they are called sports injuries, such as cutting or tearing the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament, or cutting and tearing the collateral ligaments The knee, whether internal or external, or cutting or rupturing the meniscus cartilages within the medial or lateral joint, and it is possible to meet here more than one injury or cut related to dislocations or complex fractures.
mechanical causes
Dr. Abu Tarboush explained the mechanical causes of knee pain, such as the presence of floating bodies inside the joint, and cartilage is usually the source of these bodies, causing pain associated with movement.
Mechanical causes also include tibial band syndrome (side pain), patellar luxation (front or side pain), hip or foot pain that affects normal walking and causes generalized knee pain.
Knee pain infection
Knee pain may arise due to bacterial infection, as Abu Tarboush said, and it often affects children or adults with low immunity, and is classified as an emergency disease that requires urgent medical intervention.
Arthritis
Dr. Abu Tarboush considered that arthritis resulting from immune diseases, such as rheumatism, lupus fever, gout and other infections, could be a cause of knee pain, or joint pain in general, and could be a cause of destruction of the cartilage of the joint surface.
There are other reasons such as malignant or benign tumors for knee pain, not to mention the emergence of some cysts, whether in hard bone tissue or soft tissues, and also problems with the patella (patella joint) that can be a cause of this pain.
When is knee pain a message of danger?
Abu Tarboush emphasized that there are multiple risk factors for knee pain, such as advancing age. The older a person is, the greater the risk of developing roughness or cartilaginous bone degeneration. Obesity or weight gain negatively affects the durability of the joint and its cartilage, and practicing some types of sports may be a risk factor and a cause of rupture. Or cut one or some of the important ligaments to stabilize the knee joint.
Also among the factors are fractures and old joint injuries that are a cause of its future degeneration, as well as surgeries on the joint, weakness and softness of muscles and tendons or their stiffness and spasm, as well as congenital deformities of the knee or around it and other joints.
Prevention of knee pain
Dr. Abu Tarboush stressed that many knee pains can be prevented by practicing non-violent sports, strengthening the muscles surrounding the joint, with caution against sprains or any injuries, and maintaining an ideal weight, with the need to consult a doctor when any symptoms or symptoms occur. Complain and do not neglect his advice.
Surgical treatment of knee pain
Abu Tarboush explained that there are multiple and different surgical treatment methods for knee pain, all of which depend on the final diagnosis of the condition, such as treatment with local injections inside the joint, which are of different types and compositions, in addition to endoscopic surgery, which is usually a surgery for sports injuries, to restore torn ligaments and cartilage, as well as traditional surgery. And it is by opening the joint, to restore and fix fractures in particular, and to repair deformities and inclination in the axis of the limbs.
Dr. Abu Tarboush considered that the implantation of artificial joints has become common recently, and it may be partial or complete, and it is a useful surgery in advanced cases of joint stiffness and degeneration.
Rehabilitation treatment for knee pain
The physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Queen Rania Al-Abdullah Hospital in Jordan, Dr. Amjad Al-Hasanat, pointed out, in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net, that patients with knee pain are rehabilitated through several methods, including: physical therapy that uses natural physical means with limited side effects to treat Pain. Examples of these methods include heat therapy, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, therapeutic exercises, and others.
As for occupational therapy, he explained that it aims to help the patient who suffers from diseases and knee pain to carry out the various functions of daily life.
There are orthoses and splints, as they are used in different forms and in multiple ways, with the aim of limiting the movement of the knee joint in cases that require it, or to help redistribute the body weight in a proper manner on the parts of the joint, and other uses that reduce knee pain.
Is physical therapy suitable for all age groups?
Dr. Al-Hasanat indicated that the physiotherapy used for knee pain differs according to the cause and the age group of the patient. For example, it is not permissible to use devices that give deep heat, such as an ultrasound machine, to treat cases of knee pain in young people and adolescents, due to the possibility of heat affecting the growth sites in the knee. bones.
What are the caveats of knee rehabilitation treatment?
Al-Hasanat indicated that the therapeutic methods used in the rehabilitation of knee pain in general are considered safe and have few side effects, compared to other methods used. And others related to some pathological conditions associated with knee pain.
He pointed out that it is not permissible to use electrotherapy if a metal that conducts electricity has been previously implanted inside the joint, and it is not recommended to use splints that limit the range of motion of the joint without a valid reason for that, because it leads to a weakening of muscle strength and limited movement of the joint resulting from fibrosis in the joint capsule and tendons. and ligaments around the joint.
How long does it take to get rid of knee pain?
Dr. Al-Hasanat explained that the patient is considered to have completed the treatment period upon reaching a full range of motion of the knee, without pain and with normal muscle strength. The period required to achieve this goal may vary depending on several factors, including: the nature of the injury causing the pain, the age group of the patient, and the level of physical activity. the patient before the injury, and the method used for treatment.
He added that cruciate ligament injuries in athletes need from 6 months to a year for complete rehabilitation and return to sports activity, while pain resulting from mild to moderate cartilage erosion improves within a few weeks, with the need to maintain therapeutic exercises to reduce the recurrence of pain. .