Ouch! What your knee pain might mean?

Successful treatment of any problem relating to the knee depends on the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan. Before ordering any necessary tests or scans, Mr Jonathan Webb will discuss your symptoms in depth and the location of your knee pain can be an important tool in diagnosing the problem, particularly if it involves a specific area of the knee:

1 Knee pain at the front

Known medically as anterior knee pain, the kneecap is a common place to experience discomfort. Conditions that can cause anterior knee pain include Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) or runner’s knee as the stress of running can cause irritation where the kneecap rests on the thighbone. The kneecap area is tender and you may feel a cracking sensation or the knee is about to ‘give out’.

2 Pain on the inner part of the knee

Medial knee pain is also very common if more pressure is put on the inner part of the joint rather than weight being distributed evenly throughout. Tears to the medial collateral ligament or the cartilage called the meniscus are also a common cause of pain on the inner side of the knee.

3 Pain on the outer part of the knee

Pain located on the outer side of the knee is less common and is usually the result of damage to the cartilage, tendons or ligaments that are positioned on the outside of the knee joint.

4 Pain behind the knee

Discomfort behind the knee can be the result of swelling from a knee injury. It is also often the result of arthritis that damages the bones and cartilage in the knee joint. Generally, arthritis is the result of ‘wear and tear’, known as osteoarthritis, or inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

5 Pain below the knee

If your knee pain is located just beneath the kneecap, it could be the caused by Patellar Tendonitis, often called Jumper’s Knee because it’s common in sports which involve frequent jumping, such as basketball. However, it is possible to develop patellar tendonitis even if you don’t participate in jumping sports – the patellar tendon works with the muscles in the thigh to extend your knee so you can run, jump and kick.

During your consultation with Mr Webb at either his Bristol or London knee clinics, he will discuss the location of your knee pain, but also how and when the pain developed and any other associated indications, such as popping noises or locking of the joint. Then any necessary scans can be ordered, before a treatment plan can be devised that tackles the cause of your knee pain.