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Severe knee, or knee tendonitis
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Knee tendonitis is an inflammatory process in the joint or tendon that causes the swelling and redness of the knee region at the outer level. Tendons look like thick fibrous ropes that connect bones and muscles. With knee tendonitis, weakness and pain can occur in the joint or tendon, as well as around them. Knee tendonitis is easy to confuse with stretching ligaments or tendons.
[Why does knee tendonitis occur?
Knee tendonitis is a consequence of the fact that a person does not protect himself and often gets injured. This occurs when the knee tendons experience repeated stress from overloads. Stress leads to tiny ruptures of tendons, which your body is trying to repair. But, since tendon ruptures are becoming more numerous, they cause pain due to inflammation and weakening of the tendon structure. In this case the pain of the tendon persists for several weeks or more.
The combination of factors leading to pain can contribute to the development of knee tendonitis, including:
- Intensity and frequency of physical activity.
- A sudden increase in the intensity of physical activity or an increase in the frequency of training, when a person receives an additional strain on the tendon.
- Tight stiff leg muscles. When the flexibility of the hip muscles (quadriceps) decreases, the hamstrings that are located behind the hips can increase the load on the knee tendons.
- Muscular imbalance. If any leg muscles are much stronger than others, stronger muscles can work for them and give more strain to your knee tendons. This uneven distribution can lead to tendonitis.
Who has the knee tendonitis?
Knee tendonitis may be a consequence of an injury that affects the condition of the tendon or ligament of the patella. Tendonitis plays a decisive role in how you use your leg muscles.
Knee tendonitis is the most common disease among athletes, provoked by frequent jumps, sports such as basketball and volleyball. For this reason, knee tendonitis is widely known as a "heavy knee".
Nevertheless, even people who do not participate in any sports can experience the symptoms of tendinitis.
For most people, knee tendonitis treatment begins with physical therapy to stretch and strengthen the muscles around the knee.
Symptoms of tendonitis
Pain is the first sign of knee overload and later tendinitis.
Pain, as a rule, tears your knee tendons between the patella of the region where the tendon supports the shin.
- Pain in the knee can:
- To be present only at the beginning of physical activity or after intensive training
- Progresses before you exacerbate the load
- In the end, for you the impossible tasks due to pain will be climbing the stairs or simply getting up from the chair
Complications of the knee tendonitis
If you try to work despite the pain, not paying attention to the warning signs that the body sends you, you can provoke strong ruptures of the knee tendons. Pain in the knees can worsen if the factors that affect knee tendonitis continue to work. Then you can go to the chronic overload condition.
Preparation for a meeting with a trauma doctor
If you have knee pain during or after physical activity, and this condition does not improve even after rest and ice packs, you need to meet with a trauma doctor. After the initial examination, your doctor can refer you to a specialist in sports medicine, or to a specialist with in-depth training in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system.
What can you do before a meeting with a doctor?
Recall and list any symptoms of knee pain that you had, and record how long they lasted.
Give the doctor information about all the diseases that you suffer, and all the drugs that you take ..
Recall a picture of your daily activities, including the duration and intensity of sports training or other exercises.
The doctor will also be interested to know if you have recently changed the frequency, intensity and methods of training.
Recall whether you recently had any injuries that could damage your knee joint.
Write down the questions you want to ask the doctor. Creating a list of questions in advance can help you save most of the time - yours and the doctor.
If you have additional questions during your visit to the clinic, do not hesitate to ask.
An indicative list of questions to the traumatologist
What do you think was the most likely cause of my knee pain?
Are there any other possible causes of pain?
Do I need any tests to confirm the diagnosis?
What kind of treatment do you recommend?
Will I have the opportunity after the treatment to return to my current sports?
How much time do I need to take a break in the sport?
What kind of training can I continue to do during treatment?
What precautions should I take?
What is the probability that I will need surgery?
How often will we meet to track progress in treatment?
What questions to expect from a doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. If you are ready to respond to them, it will save time to begin treatment. Here's what your doctor can ask for a survey:
- What are your symptoms?
- When did you first notice these symptoms?
- Are your pains worse?
- How serious is your knee pain? What is it: strong, weak?
- Does the knee pain bother you before, during or after your workouts - or is it a constant pain?
- Is the pain associated with edema of the knee, blocking movements in the knee, or is it unstable?
- What are your regular physical activities and sports training regime?
- Can you perform your exercises at the same level or is it difficult?
- Do you have any symptoms that affect the ability to perform ordinary tasks: climbing stairs, sitting on a chair, converging down the stairs?
- Have you tried self-treatment at home? If so, what has helped to alleviate the condition?
- Have you had any recent injuries that could lead your knee to its present state?
- What diseases are you diagnosed?
- What medicines do you currently take, including vitamins and supplements?
Tests and diagnostics of tendinitis
During the examination, your doctor can apply pressure on various parts of your knee to pinpoint where you are experiencing pain. Pain associated with knee tendonitis, as a rule, concentrates in the anterior part of the knee, just below the knee cap.
The doctor-diagnostician can also offer one or more of the following diagnostic tests:
X-ray. He can not always show the condition of the knee tendons, but still helps to eliminate other problems with bones that could cause knee pain.
Ultrasound. This survey method uses sound waves to create an image of your knee, accurately showing the place of rupture of the knee tendons.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create images that are more detailed than ultrasound images. MRI can show more subtle changes in the knee tendons.
When to see a doctor?
Consult your doctor if your pain:
- Does not stop or worsen
- Affects your ability to perform routine daily work
- It is accompanied by edema of the knee or redness - or both.
Methods of treatment and medicines against tendonitis
Doctors usually start with less invasive procedures before considering other options, such as surgery.
Medicines
Painkillers, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, can provide temporary relief of pain associated with knee tendonitis.
Therapy
Various physiotherapy methods can help reduce symptoms associated with knee tendonitis, including
Stretching exercises. Regular, stable stretching exercises can reduce muscle spasms and help lengthen muscles and tendons.
Exercises to strengthen. Weak muscles of the hip contribute to increased strain on the knee tendons. Exercises to strengthen the weak muscles of the hip will help to solve this problem, and at the same time reduce the symptoms of pain in the knee tendonitis.
Strap for knee tendons. The belt will put pressure on your knee tendons. In this way, it can help to distribute forces to areas lying near the tendon. This can help relieve the pain.
Ionophoresis. This therapy involves the spread of corticosteroids through the skin with the aid of weak electrical discharges.
Surgical and other procedures
If conservative treatment methods have not helped, the trauma doctor can offer other treatments such as:
Injections of corticosteroids. Guided by the results of ultrasound, injections of corticosteroids around the knee tendon. These doctors can help relieve pain in the knee. But these types of medications can also weaken tendons and make them more susceptible to rupture.
Injection of plasma enriched with platelets. Platelet-enriched plasma injections have been tested in patients with chronic pain of the knee tendons. Studies in this area are continuing. Experts assume that these injections contribute to new tissue formations and help cure a damaged tendon.
Surgery. If conservative approaches do not help after many months of treatment, in rare cases the doctor can offer a surgical intervention for the knee tendon. Some of these operations can be performed through small incisions around the knee.
Lifestyle and home remedies
If you know you have a knee tendonitis, consider the following approaches to relieve pain at home:
Painkillers. Medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen may provide temporary relief of pain associated with knee tendonitis.
Avoid activities that cause pain. This may mean a temporary switch to lighter sports. Do not try to work through pain, as this can damage the knee tendons.
Ice. Apply ice after physical activity, which causes pain. Put the ice in a plastic bag, wrap the package in a towel. Or try an ice massage.
Prophylaxis of tendonitis
To reduce the risk of knee tendonitis, follow these steps
Do not play sports games through pain. Once you notice that the exercises provoke pain in the knee, take a break and apply ice to the painful area while you rest. While your knee is resting, avoid actions that force you to strain your knee tendons.
Strengthen your muscles. Strong hip muscles are better able to cope with different types of physical stress, which can cause overload and as a result - tendonitis. Exercises that involve reducing the burden on the legs are especially useful.
Improve the technique of movement. If your sports method has flaws, you may be adjusting yourself to the problems associated with overloading the knee tendons.
Consider taking lessons from a specialist when you start practicing a new sport or using sports simulators.