Knee pain can arise from surprising conditions that seem unrelated to the knee joint. Our knee specialists at Cascade Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Center, P.C. have extensive experience in identifying problems and recommending personalized treatments to restore your knee health and function.
Here, we list surprising and common reasons for knee pain.
If your knee hurts without an apparent reason or injury, consider one of the following:
Your feet, knees, and hips form a functional unit. They work together to support your body, keep you balanced, and share the shock every time you take a step or move your upper body. In this functional unit, the health of one joint has a significant impact on another joint.
How your foot functions affects the alignment of your lower leg, which has a significant impact on your knee. If your foot doesn’t absorb its share of the shock or foot pain alters your gait, the rest of your leg goes out of alignment. As a result, the knee bears excessive stress, and pain develops.
Likewise, problems in your hip affect movement in the thigh bone (femur), which in turn disrupts the knee. If hip weakness or pain causes the thigh to rotate, the knee bears undue stress. This stress can lead to problems like runner’s knee and damaged cartilage.
The bottom line is that any injury or condition that affects your foot, ankle, or hip can lead to knee pain.
Just like the foot-knee-hip unit, all the bones, joints, and muscles in your body are arranged in a precise alignment (posture) that balances your body and supports movement with minimal stress.
Standing and walking with poor posture can cause misalignment that stresses your knees. The longer you stay active with improper posture, the higher the risk of knee inflammation, degeneration, and pain.
Shoes that provide the proper support protect your knee from injuries by improving your gait and supporting healthy alignment of the feet, ankles, legs, and knees.
As a general guideline, choose shoes that stabilize your foot, support the arch, and are appropriate for your activities. You can also consult with our foot experts to get personalized shoe recommendations.
An underactive and overactive thyroid gland can affect your knees, increasing the risk of a fluid buildup, pain, and osteoarthritis.
The interaction between thyroid hormones and knee health is complex, involving several potential actions.
For example, thyroid hormones play a role in maintaining the health of the knee’s cartilage. Autoimmune thyroid disease is often associated with other inflammatory conditions, including in the knee joint.
The following are four of the most common causes of knee pain:
Your knee has four ligaments that are commonly stretched or torn during athletic activities. Taking a direct blow to the knee is the most common cause of injuries to three of the four ligaments.
By comparison, the fourth ligament, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), is typically injured during movements such as:
Other structures in the knee get damaged frequently in the course of an ACL injury.
The meniscus, which is cartilage at the top of the shinbone, stabilizes the knee joint and absorbs shock. The cartilage can slowly wear down over the years. However, the meniscus often gets torn during twisting movements.
Osteoarthritis develops with aging, as repeated knee movement damages another type of cartilage in the knee joint: articular cartilage.
As the cartilage breaks down, it stops protecting the bone. The exposed bones become damaged, joint inflammation develops, and you experience knee pain and stiffness.
Osteoarthritis usually develops gradually, but suffering a knee injury can cause posttraumatic arthritis. Posttraumatic arthritis is a type of osteoarthritis that progresses at a faster pace.
Tendons connect muscles to bones, creating the force that moves the knee joint. Your knee tendons may become injured during athletic activities or after taking a fall.
However, tendon injuries most often develop through overuse, which occurs when inflammation (tendonitis) develops due to frequently repeating the same movement. Without treatment, tendonitis can weaken the tissues and lead to a torn tendon.
Schedule an appointment to determine the cause of your knee pain and receive treatment tailored to your needs. Call Cascade Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Center, P.C., or request an appointment online today.
