What is the anatomy of the knee?
To better understand knee pain, it’s helpful to take a look at the anatomy of this joint. Your knee is made of:
- Bones: three to be exact — the femur, the patella, and the tibia
- Cartilage: the ends of your bones are covered in cartilage that help the bones glide across one another
- Meniscus: two wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage in each knee that act as shock absorbers
- Ligaments: connect bones to bones
- Tendons: tendons connect your bones to your muscles
As you can see, the knee is an important joint, and a problem in any one of these areas can cause knee pain.
What are common causes of knee pain?
Your knee undergoes an incredible amount of stress in its duties to support your body and provide mobility, making knee pain a common problem. The primary culprits of knee pain are:
Acute injury
A sudden twist or torque in your knee, commonly associated with sports, can cause damage to your soft tissue, leading to knee pain.
Degeneration
Whether due to age or arthritis, the cartilage in your knee wears down, causing your bones to rub together painfully.
Tendon tears or ligament injuries
Whether small or large, tears in these connective tissues can cause significant knee pain (think ACL tears or tendonitis).
Fracture or dislocation
A direct trauma to your knee can cause a fracture, which leads to knee pain. Dislocation is when the bones in your knee are out of place.
How is knee pain treated?
Our medical staff turns to these treatments to relieve your knee pain:
Joint Fluid Therapy
In order to avoid surgery, our Certified Nurse Practitioner offers Supartz natural knee therapy to decrease inflammation and ease the pain associated with degenerative disorders in your knee. Supartz is made up of a highly purified sodium hyaluronate, which is also called hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan. Hyaluronan is a natural substance found in the cartilage and synovial fluid of your joints, which acts as a lubricant and provides shock absorption. This therapy replenishes this natural substance.
Rehabilitation
Family Health Physical Medicine has a physical therapist on staff who guides you through strength exercises to build up the muscle around your knee, taking the pressure of the joint to prevent re-injury.
