How are knee problems diagnosed?

Knee pain is a very common problem with varying root causes and is often accompanied by physical restriction. Knee pain may be caused by an accident, or overuse, or an underlying illness. The pain can be limited to a specific part of the knee, can affect theentire knee or both knees may be affected. The location and severity of the pain may vary depending on the root cause. If it is an infection or an inflammatory disease, the whole knee may get affected. A fracture or a torn ligament affects only a part of the knee.

Common symptoms are:

• Difficulty walking
• Limping
• Difficulty climbing or descending steps
• Stiffness
• Swelling

Proper diagnosis can be carried out by your orthopaedic doctor. The doctor will most likely inspect the knee for visible bruising, tenderness and swelling in the area. He will check how far the knee can still move without severe pain and probe the joint to draw further evaluations.He will also probe for specific symptoms.

1)Knee Makes Unusual Noises

A sudden popping noise at the time of injury usually indicates a ligament injury or sometimes indicates a cartilage tear. Persistent clicking or grinding when the knee moves is indicative of an ongoing knee problem affecting the joint surfaces.

2) Pain When Kneeling

Pain while kneeling indicates inflammation of the prepatellar bursa (fluid filled sac) at the front of the knee. Tension on the tendon just below the kneecap damages the bone, often resulting in a hard lump on the front of the shin.

3) Knee gets stuck (Locking)

Something gets wedged in the joint, hindering with the movement of the knee. You have to wiggle the knee around slowly and only after that the knee can be moved. This could be either due to a Meniscus Tearorcould be caused by sudden twisting or a jerk through the knee, or can come on gradually due to wear and tear.

4) Knee Gives Way

The knee buckles underneath and you areunable to control it andthe most common cause of this is a ligament injury, usually an ACL tear or sometimes a PCL injury.

5) Pain When Sitting for Long Periods

It is not alwaysactivity which aggravates knee pain. Sometimes prolonged inactivity e.g. sitting for long hours at the office desk may also worsen certain conditions.  Sitting for long hours may lead to tight muscles that may irritate the bone causing pain just below the knee.

6) Pain Going Down Stairs

This usually indicates a problem with the knee cap.

7) Swelling

The location and severity of the swelling helps to make an accurate knee pain diagnosis. If the swelling comes up immediately or within the first 48 hours of injury, it indicates a ligament or cartilage injury. If it comes on gradually with no specific cause, it usually indicates an underlying knee problem such as bursitis.

8) Stiffness

Knee stiffness may develop either due to an injury or due to a medical condition. Stiffness when you first wake up that settles once you start moving about is a classic feature of Osteoarthritis.

After the physical exam, the orthopedist might suggest further tests like x-ray, CT scan or MRI. These tests will help detect whether the bone has sustained an injury or has a degenerative disease. Further on, blood work might be prescribed if your doctor suspects an infection that may becausing uneasiness.

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