Healthy knees
If you’re into sports or lead an active lifestyle, and suddenly feel discomfort in your knees during physical activity. This could be a sign of an early-stage condition. The sooner you identify the issues, the faster they can be treated.
Knee pain
Knee joint pain is a very common issue. It often occurs suddenly during physical activities or due to injuries.
There’s a common misconception that it’s a symptom mainly seen in elderly people. In reality, knee pain often bothers younger individuals, especially those involved in sports.
Patients often endure knee pain for years and try self-treatment before consulting a doctor, usually when the pain severely limits their mobility and becomes unbearable.
By this time, irreversible changes often occur within the joint, often requiring costly medical or surgical treatments. Joint function is disrupted, and mobility becomes limited.
It’s important to protect the joints from injuries and to obtain timely information about the condition of the knee joints.
Why are knees always at risk?
The knee joint is one of the largest and most complex joints in the human body. It enables human movement processes like walking, running, and jumping. It’s one of the most heavily loaded joints, bearing the full weight of the human body during walking.
Many modern sports involve aggressive impact on the knee joints. Knee joints are most often injured during:
- Running
- Jumping
- Strength exercises
- Some contact sports
- Skiing
Even without obvious injuries, there is microtrauma to joint structures (most often menisci), for example, when running on asphalt or any other hard surface, leading to degenerative changes in joint structures.
What does pain signal?
The joint is highly multifunctional: it flexes and extends the leg, rotates the shin, springs during jumps, and absorbs body shocks.
The onset of knee pain may be associated with:
- Traumatic damage to joint structures and bones — the knee has many components, making this the most common issue.
- Inflammatory infectious changes in joint structures.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Presence of benign and malignant neoplasms.
- Metabolic disorder in gouty arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis of joint cartilage.
What orthopedic aids might be needed?
Orthotic treatment is one way to treat knee problems. Braces are special devices that stabilize the knee, support some weight, protect the joints, and keep your moving. They’re helpful for healing after injuries and avoiding strain from sports. Your orthopedic surgeon will choose the best brace based on your needs, considering how active you are and the condition of your knees.