The knee is the largest joint in the body, and one of the most easily injured. It is made up of four main things: bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. The most common knee injuries include fractures, tear of soft tissues, dislocation, and sprains. Knee pain when bending is a common problem.
Athletes who play basketball, soccer or football suffer from this type of knee injuries more often. The pain of an injured knee can put you back more than anything else when it comes with sharp pain. Severe knee pain won’t go on its own without medication and treatment. While knee pain when bending can strike suddenly and it can be caused by any knee illness and injuries.
Knee Pain when Bending, Causes and Relief
There are different causes of knee pain when bending. Generally, they all result from a problem with one or more of the structures in or around the knee. Knee pain can happen with weight bearing or non-weight bearing knee bending. Knee pain tends to be worse when there is weight going through the knees when bending. In this article, you’ll get to know different causes of knee pain when bending, causes and relief.
Housemaids Knee
Housemaid’s knee is a common cause of swelling and knee pain when bending in people who spend their most time kneeling. Prepatellar bursa sits at the front of the knee between the kneecap and overlying skin. Housemaids knee is caused by inflammation of a prepatellar bursa. When the prepatellar bursa gets irritated by pressure or friction, it produces extra fluid to protect the knee joint. This extra fluid cause swelling in front of the knee and pain when bending. This problem is known as prepatellar bursitis or housemaids knee.
Causes may include frequent kneeling down the knee. A sudden fall or direct blow can cause injury to the knee. Inflammation within a bursa can cause pain in front of knee and problem bending the knee. If you have gout then there are higher chances of developing prepatellar bursa.
The most common symptoms of housemaids knee are front knee pain when bending and straightening the knee. It may cause pain and redness over the front of the knee. Swelling can make difficult for the knee to bend, walk and kneel down. If housemaids knee is caused by infection, you may have a high fever.
Treatment option for prepatellar bursitis may include:
- Anti-inflammatory medication can help reduce swelling and pain.
- Stretching can help to take the pressure off the bursa result in a reduction of pain and swelling from housemaids knee.
- Resting the knee with the technique of PRICE (protect, rest, ice, compression, elevation) can help speed up recovery.
- Using the thick foam and knee pads for kneeling or knee sleeves can help prevent this problem from coming back.
- If housemaids knee does not go away with these treatments, then surgical treatment may be necessary to remove the bursa.
Knee Sprains
There are 4 major ligaments that help control the stability of the knee. Ligaments support the knee and keep the joint and bones in the correct position. A knee sprain injury meaning you have injured one of your ligaments around the knee. A knee sprain occurs when one or more ligaments in your knee are suddenly torn or stretched. A sprained knee is painful. Having a sprained knee means the structure within the knee joint has been injured.
Knee sprains can be caused by various injuries. Athletic activities, automobile accidents, fractures and dislocation of the knee are common injuries that cause knee sprain. Sprains can be caused by a direct hit to the sides, front or back of the knee. Any activity that forces the knee out of its natural position can cause knee sprain. Falling onto your knees while they are bent can also cause knee sprain injury.
The most common symptoms of knee sprain are pain and swelling. Most people with sprained knee experience weakness, bruising, popping, stiffness, buckling, and instability of the joint.
Treatment depends on the type and cause of your knee sprain. Anti-inflammation help decreases swelling pain and fever. Support devices as braces and splint may be needed. Surgery and physical therapy may be needed if other treatment does not work. Similarly, the RICE method is also effective to prevent this injury. If the ligament is torn you may need surgery to cure that. Also, exercises such as leg lifting, thigh strengthening, raising up on your toes and bending your knees can help prevent this problem quickly.
Chondromalacia
Chondromalacia patella is the softening and breakdown of the tissue on the underside of the kneecap. This condition is common among young, athletes and adults who have arthritis of the knee. Pain results when the knee and the thigh bone rub together. Chondromalacia can also affect any joint but the most common location is the underside of the kneecap. It commonly occurs in females. The pain occurs in the front or inside the knee. It can typically worse after prolonged sitting with the knees bent.
Chondromalacia often occurs when the undersurface of the kneecap gets rub with the thigh bone. This contact cause swelling and pain in the front and behind the knee. Improper kneecap movement may result in a direct blow or trauma to your kneecap. The abnormal kneecap may increase tightness and weakness to the muscle. Physical activity or repeated stress that involves the knee too much can cause chondromalacia patella.
Symptoms for Chondromalacia
Symptoms include dull, aching pain behind and below the kneecap. You may feel a sensation of grinding or cracking when extending or bending your knee. The pain can get worse if you go up or downstairs. In some cases, the painful knee can appear swollen and puffy. Pain can get worse after sitting for a prolonged time period. Your knee can feel stiff and painful when you stand up after a long period of time.
Treatment for Chondromalacia
Treatment includes RICE technique which helps reduction of pain your knee and swelling. Resting, stabilizing and icing can help to reduce wear and tear on your knee cartilage. Using knee tape or brace to keep the kneecap align properly. Avoiding high-impact exercises, kneeling and squatting may also relieve pain. Physical therapy helps to strengthen the muscles. Muscle balance will help prevent knee misalignment. A surgical procedure may fix the problem if other treatments do not work.
