Some of the symptoms of common knee injuries are swelling, soreness and stiffness.  I’m sure most of us have experienced one or more of these symptoms.  Knee injury diagnosos should be left to the professionals.  If you suffer from any sort of knee pain do not try to diagnose it yourself but see your doctor.

Why are our knees so prone to injury especially to knee ligament injuries?

Knees are prone to injury for several reasons: they are extremely complicated being made up of tendons, cartilage, bone and ligaments, they take a lot pounding by our body and by what we do.  They are load bearing and are subject to damage from falls and knocks.

Some of the symptoms and causes of the more common knee injuries are listed below.

Symptom:  The knee is swollen, sore to touch and painful when moved.
Cause:  Possible torn cartilage or torn ligaments or the ligament or cartilage under the knee cap has softened.

Symptom:   Acute pain at the back of the knee and it hurts to stretch your leg.
Cause:  Possible torn hamstring.

Symptom:  The knee is sore all the time, the knee joint is hard to move and the knee is unstable when weight is put on it. 
Cause:  Possible torn meniscus.  The meniscus is the cushioning cartilage at the ends of the bones in the knee joint.

Symptom:  A dull ache in the knee accompanied by swelling.
Cause:  Possible damage to the articular cartilage.  Sometimes this is caused by a bodily injury or plain old wear and tear.

Symptom:  Instability of the knee which may tend to give way when weight is placed on it, the knee makes a "popping" sound, swelling of the knee and soreness when standing that may actually prevent you from doing so.
Cause:  Possible anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury or Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury.  ACL knee injury is more common.  Out of interest, this is the common injury we hear a lot about in dogs.

Symptom:  The knee changes in shape.
Cause:   Possible fracture inside the knee or torn ligaments.

Symptom:  Swelling of the knee, pain in the knee joint, the knee is unstable when weight is put on it and reduced mobility.
Cause:  Hyperextension of the knee joint. A common injury in many sports that involve jumping and turning where the knee joint is forced to extend past it’s usual straightened position.  This can occur due to heavy bodily contact or simply by landing awkwardly.

Symptom: Long term pain, stiffness and swelling of the knee joint.  These symptoms are often worse in the colder months.
Cause:  Possible osteoarthritis.

Symptom:  Swelling at the back of the knee.
Cause:  Possible Bakers Cyst.

Symptom:  Soreness and swelling and the kneecap is painful to touch and you are aged somewhere between 12 and 18 years.
Cause:  Possible Osgood-Schlatter Disease.  Many males are affected by this when they have growth spurts in their teenage years.

Symptom:  Acute pain between the shinbone and the kneecap when participating in strenuous activities like running or jumping with the pain persisting after the activity.
Cause:  Possible Tendinitis, an injury to the tendon that joins the kneecap to the shinbone and usually caused by excessive strenuous activities.

Symptom:  Pain in the knee and a grinding feeling when the knee joint is moved.  The knee sometimes locks up.
Cause:  Possible torn cartilage.

Although these are quite common knee injuries, it does not mean they should be ignored.  If you suffer from any of these symtoms then I recommend you consult your medical practitioner to get treatment for knee pain.

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Knee injuries are on of the most common injuries.  Here is information on common knee injuries and how to avoid them.

Despite its size and appearance the knee joint is structurally not very strong and is therefore prone to many injuries.
The knee’s main function is to act as a hinge and to absorb shock when doing things such as running, walking, kicking etc.  It is the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the knee that actually hold the knee together and give it stability.

A common knee injury is knee sprain and can occur if the knee is wrenched or twisted or subjected to a severe blow.  Unfortunately ligaments are not overly flexible although they are quite strong and are subject to tearing.  In extreme circumstances the ligaments may actually pull completely away from the bone.

Another common knee injury is a torn cartilage.  This can occur when the knee is weight bearing and then subjected to a sudden twist or movement.  Wear and tear over a long period of time can also damage the cartilage.  Arthritis is a common precursor to knee pain as it can damage the cartilage and cause considerable pain.

One of the biggest causes of knee injuries is overuse.  Runners are prone to this sort of problem because of the stresses they put on their knees.  As mentioned earlier one of the functions of the knee is to act like a shock absorber.  Overuse can cause the shock absorber to wear away and break down.  Because this is a gradual process it is often not diagnosed until it is quite serious.  Runners know this as "runner’s knee". 

Overuse of muscle tendons can cause tendonitis.  The pain of tendonitis is caused by irritation of the tendons.

Another knee problem is called Iliotibal Band Syndrome.  The iliotibial band is a thick band of tissue that runs from the hip to the outer side of the tibia or shin bone ending just below the knee joint.  This band of fibrous tissue is crucial in providing stability to the knee joint, especially when running. 

Normally this band glides over the bone smoothly supplying support to the knee.  However, if the Iliotibal Band is inflamed, repetitive movement like running or cycling can cause this tissue to not glide smoothly and result in pain when the joint is moved.
 
Most injuries can take a considerable amount of time to heal. This can be from weeks to months and may require knee injury therapy.

There are simple ways to reduce or prevent these sorts of knee injuries.  Here are a few:

    a/ Warm up and stretch before vigorous exercise and ensure you take time to cool down and stretch after exercising.
    b/ Build up your exercise routine gradually.  Start by exercising lightly and slowly increase the intensity.
    c/ Ensure your knees and feet are in alignment while exercising.
    d/ Strengthen your leg muscles so they can provide more stability and support for your knee.
    e/ Wear suitable shoes that provide stability and cushioning.
     f/ Don’t exercise on hard surfaces.
    g/ If cycling ensure the seat is correctly set up for you legs and pedals.

If pain lasts for more than 72 hours then it is advisable to seek medical advice.

Written by Kerry Northey

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