Causes of pain under the knee behind or in front, treatment of pain syndrome. So, as we found out, pain under the knee in the back can occur for a variety of reasons, which include. What foods will speed up the healing process?

The knee joint consists of kneecap, which is located in front. It is connected to the quadriceps muscle by a tendon, the continuation of which is the patellar ligament. The cruciate and collateral ligaments are also present. Between the femoral and tibia There are cartilages - menisci, internal and external.

Thanks to this structure, we can easily move - walk, run, jump, sit down and stand up. But sometimes pain under the knee disrupts the usual rhythm of life. Why this happens and what to do with such symptoms, every person has wondered at least once.

Knee pain is caused by problems in any part of the joint.

Pain does not arise just like that; it accompanies any disturbances in the functioning of organs. If your leg hurts under the knee behind or in front, then this is a clear symptom that the knee needs treatment. The cause of pain under the knee can be infection, inflammation, disruption of the integrity of the ligaments due to overload or injury, as well as neoplasms, including malignant ones.

You can guess what caused the pain syndrome after a visual examination of the leg, based on the nature of the pain, associated symptoms, but the exact cause of pain under the knee and the final diagnosis will be announced by an orthopedic doctor only after thorough examination.

Diagnosis based on the nature of pain

Each illness or injury is characterized by “its own” pain - it can be aching, pulling, sharp, sudden, occur at night or bother you all day, remind you of itself only when moving or when resting. The doctor will definitely ask about what pain is troubling the patient; this is one of the factors on which suspicion of a particular illness is based.

Nagging pain

Pain, which gives the feeling that something is pulling in the knee, is inherent in inflammation.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This disease causes inflammation in the joints and surrounding tissues. It leads to decreased joint mobility and gives complications to other organs - heart, liver, kidneys, intestines. Arthritis requires treatment, otherwise the patient may become disabled.

Except nagging pain under the knee at the back and in the joint itself there is stiffness in the morning, weakness, weight loss. The joint swells and the temperature of the skin around it rises.

Important! In the absence of treatment or when the measures taken are not enough, the patient's life expectancy is reduced by several years.

Bursitis, tendinitis

With these diagnoses, pain behind the knee is caused by inflammation of the tendons or their bursae. They occur with strong and prolonged physical stress on the joint, as well as injuries, even minor ones.

At the same time, fluid accumulates in the cavities of the tendon bursae, which leads to limited mobility of the knee. Patients also note redness of the skin in the painful area, swelling, and the joint may feel warmer to the touch than usual.

It's a dull pain

When the leg behind the knee hurts and the patient describes his sensations as “the leg aches,” this suggests suspicion of injury or a tumor in the knee joint.

Baker's cyst

When the synovium becomes inflamed, excess fluid accumulates in the tendon bursa. This leads to the formation of a cyst. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, this disease does not pose a threat to health, although it requires surgical intervention.
It can be recognized by induration, swelling and aching pain under the knee at the back. The pain is not severe, tolerable, but constant.

Meniscal cyst

If there is pain under the knee at the back, then after diagnosis a diagnosis of “meniscus cyst” may be made. Its appearance is associated with constant joint injuries, for example, in professional athletes, and nutritional disorders of the knee cartilage.

Even the smallest cysts cause severe pain. But they cannot be identified by palpation or visual inspection. Therefore, if there is pain in the legs behind the knees, which has been bothering you for some time, you need to undergo a diagnosis.

Meniscus tear

A torn meniscus causes pain in the legs behind the knees, and a person may feel like their legs are buckling. The root causes of rupture are injuries, destruction of the meniscus due to disruption of its nutrition.

There are many types of meniscus tears, each of them is accompanied by severe pain and can only be treated surgically.

Sharp, sharp pain

Vein thrombosis is accompanied by pain under the knee.

Acute, sudden pain under the knee most often signals diseases of the nerves and blood vessels of the limb. A tumor and inflammation of the tibial nerve makes itself felt by severe pain, impaired skin sensitivity, and decreased muscle tone.

Sometimes the walls of the artery located under the knee become dissected and a bulge forms in the back of the knee - an aneurysm. At the same time, there is a “pulling” under the knee, but sometimes a sharp pain appears, and pulsation is observed when palpated.

Another reason why the leg hurts under the knee is thrombosis. It occurs in the popliteal vein and, although rarely diagnosed, poses a threat to the patient’s health. This type of thrombosis is difficult to detect due to the similarity of symptoms to a pinched nerve, and in the meantime complications may arise.

Pain when walking, bending the knee

If the cause of pain under the knee is a purulent process, it is necessary surgical intervention.

Causes of pain under the knee such as purulent-inflammatory diseases knee joint and adjacent tissues cannot but be taken seriously.

They arise when an infection spreads, which “lives” in microcracks in the feet and legs. Once in the lymph nodes, microorganisms cause lymphadenitis, in particular its purulent form. The result of lymphadenitis is an abscess in the popliteal fossa.

Since the lymph nodes are located deep in the tissues of the limb, it is not always possible to palpate the lump; there may be no swelling or redness. The main symptom is sharp pain under the knee in the back when walking, bending the leg, nagging pain also under the knee in the back at rest.

Treatment

Treatment of pain behind the knee involves preliminary diagnosis and identification of the cause of the symptom. To find out why it hurts under the knee, you first need to contact a therapist or orthopedist, and if necessary, they will refer you to a surgeon, neurologist or other specialists.

The doctor selects methods for treating the knee joint.

If it is determined that the cause of the pain behind the knees is one of the inflammatory diseases, then medications such as NSAIDs, glucocorticosteroids, and chondroprotectors are used for therapy. For bursitis, wearing a knee brace or bandage is sometimes prescribed, physiotherapy and rest for the joint are prescribed. Treatment of the causes of nagging pain under the knee at the back can also be folk - herbs, honey, alcohol tinctures are used for the same purposes as medicines - relieving inflammation and pain.

Neoplasms (Baker's cyst, for example) or ruptures of ligaments and menisci require surgical intervention. But in some cases, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, fixation with a knee brace or splint, and limitation of physical activity make it possible not to have surgery and maintain the ability to move freely.

Vascular diseases that cause pain behind the knee joint are treated only surgically. Nerve tumors, aneurysm or thrombosis cannot be cured with medication or alternative medicine. These diseases are dangerous, so you cannot delay the operation.

The only solution for purulent lymphadenitis or abscess is opening and draining the abscess. After the operation, antibiotics, compresses, and physiotherapy are indicated.

Conclusion

If there is pain behind the knee, the reasons need to be determined urgently, because some diseases pose a danger to the health and even the life of the patient. Treatment for pain under the knee is offered by traditional medicine, and folk, but you need to act only when the diagnosis has already been accurately established and any actions should be coordinated with doctors.

Knee joints are the most important part of the human musculoskeletal system. Their health determines how freely a person moves, whether he experiences discomfort when walking, and whether his quality of life worsens. Most often, patients complain of pain associated with osteoarthritis or arthritis, but pain in the legs below the knees is also extremely common. . These pains are no less significant and dangerous than pain in the joints themselves. Mild discomfort can turn into really severe pain, which is difficult to tolerate and significantly complicates the patient’s walking and mobility.

Why do my legs hurt under my knees?

The peculiarity of popliteal pain is that its causes are not so easy to recognize at first glance. In order to understand why the leg hurts behind the knee, you need to understand the structure of the knee joint and the popliteal fossa located behind it. The knee joint itself is usually not involved in such pain.

in the upper and lower parts the popliteal fossa is surrounded by the femoral and ankle tendons and muscles;
the bottom of the popliteal fossa is the posterior surface of the articular capsule, covered with ligaments, as well as the posterior surface of the femur;
exactly in the center of the popliteal fossa is the popliteal vein, artery, and neurovascular bundle, surrounded by subcutaneous fat;
Important lymph nodes are located in the popliteal space, preventing infection from entering the body from the external space.

Thus, pain in the popliteal fossa may be associated with the most various factors, affecting the above-described structural elements.

The complexity of diagnosis requires mandatory computed tomography and x-ray examination, in order to exclude accompanying illnesses and put accurate diagnosis. In some cases, popliteal pain is associated with osteochondrosis or impingement of the lumbar vertebrae. In this situation, the pain will radiate (reflect), but in reality its cause will not be associated with pathological processes in the popliteal fossa.

In order to identify immediate pathological processes, it is necessary to contact an experienced and qualified doctor.

Diseases of the knee joints

For conservative treatment For Becker cysts, doctors prescribe injections of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), glucocorticosteroids (Prednisolone), which relieve inflammation, as well as elastic orthopedic pads for the knees.

Meniscus cyst . Pain at the back of the knee when walking or bending can be associated with meniscal cysts, which are located in the back of the knee, behind the outer and inner collateral ligaments of the knee. They cannot be seen during visual inspection, unlike Becker's cysts. To determine the exact source pain must definitely pass comprehensive examination.
Meniscus tear . If pain occurs after sudden movement, injury or mechanical damage joint, it is quite possible that the discomfort is associated with a tear in the posterior part of the meniscus. Also, a meniscus rupture sometimes becomes a consequence of arthrosis, when the cause of the rupture is destruction cartilage tissue. In this case, it is not always possible to use conservative therapy eliminate pain behind the knee - treatment performed surgically.

There are three stages of complexity of meniscal damage, which differ in symptoms from each other

Tendon diseases

Pain behind the knee can also be associated with damage to the tendons, tendon bursae and ligaments. Soft fabrics The popliteal fossa is easily overstrained during significant physical activity, and due to swelling or inflammation can cause severe discomfort at the patient. Even microtraumas can lead to inflammation of the tendons, which in turn causes pain behind the knee.

The most common causes of discomfort are inflammatory bursitis and tendonitis. The diseases are accompanied by nagging pain, which is usually preceded by prolonged physical activity.

In order to cure bursitis or tendinitis, you should consult a doctor who will provide the patient with complete rest;
it is necessary to limit the mobility of the joint, for which a plaster cast is often applied to the knee;
To eliminate the inflammatory process, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, as well as hormonal drugs based on glucocorticosteroids;
normalization of physical activity is an important factor in recovery.

Purulent-inflammatory processes

If for some reason the patient has problems in the ankle area infected wounds, and subsequently pain appears in the popliteal region, the likelihood of a popliteal abscess increases. An infection penetrates into the popliteal lymph nodes, as a result of which the lymph nodes become inflamed and increase in size. Purulent lymphadenitis often leads to an abscess of the popliteal fossa, which causes sharp pains. To eliminate the disease, you should contact surgeons who will surgically open the abscess.

swelling of the knee on the right indicates an inflammatory process

Nervous and vascular diseases

Inflammation of the tibial nerve. An important tibial nerve runs along the bottom of the popliteal fossa, which can become inflamed for a variety of reasons. If the patient has swelling or inflammation of the popliteal nerve, intense and sharp pain occurs when walking and bending the knee, spreading to the foot. The patient's tendon reflexes change, and the tone of the ankle muscles changes. Surgery is used to treat nerve inflammation.
Popliteal artery aneurysm . Drawing and throbbing pain in the back of the knee joint may be associated with a popliteal artery aneurysm. In this case, a slight pulsating compaction can be felt under the knee. The cause of the pain is a dissection of the walls of the artery, which begins to bulge outward. To treat an aneurysm, you should urgently contact surgeons, delaying the timing surgical treatment may lead to extensive bleeding.
Thrombosis of the popliteal vein. This pathology is quite rare. However, it can also be the root cause of pain behind the knee. Typically, deep vein thrombosis of the leg and knee is difficult to recognize, since visual examination does not give any results. In some cases, the disease is diagnosed after its onset serious complications(thromboembolism). It is very important to make a diagnosis in time, since medical error if diagnosed in this case, it can be fatal to the patient's health. Diagnostic method, allowing timely detection of the presence of thrombosis - ultrasound or Doppler examination of blood vessels. If the blood clots are extensive, and conservative therapy no longer allows them to be eliminated, surgical treatment is used.

Timely treatment and diagnosis

There are often cases when doctors mistake serious damage to blood vessels and nerves for radiating pain arising as a result of damage sciatic nerve. The most important task of the doctor in this situation becomes detailed primary diagnosis. The doctor collects anamnesis, examines the medical history of the individual patient and prescribes a comprehensive examination, which includes various techniques to recognize the exact cause of popliteal pain. All therapeutic measures should begin only after the final diagnosis and identification of the lesion. Only in this case will they be truly effective.

Under no circumstances should you self-medicate: this can lead to adverse consequences for the patient’s health.

All medications and procedures must be prescribed by the attending physician. In order to relieve pain and reduce unpleasant symptoms, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nimesulide, Ibuprofen, Ketorol, Ketonal, Movalis, OKI, and so on) are most often prescribed. Conservative therapy includes physical limitation joint mobility. Often, patients need to wear orthoses or elastic bandages, and also significantly reduce the level of physical activity. If the disease is a consequence of osteoarthritis and destruction of cartilage tissue, chondroprotectors may be prescribed as concomitant therapy.

Why do my legs hurt under my knees?
«

The knee joint is the most important part of the human musculoskeletal system. Freedom of movement and quality of life in general largely depend on his condition. Knee pain is often associated with diseases such as arthritis or osteoarthritis. Quite often, pain also occurs under the knees. Sometimes mild discomfort develops into significant pain, which significantly reduces the patient’s mobility.

Popliteal pain has one characteristic feature– they can be quite difficult to recognize. To understand why such sensations may occur, you need to understand the anatomy of the joint itself and the fossa located behind it. Often the appearance of pain has no connection specifically with the knee joint.

The popliteal fossa is surrounded above and below by tendons and muscles.
The bottom of the fossa is located in the posterior part of the joint capsule; on top it is covered with ligaments.
In the central region of the fossa there is an artery and a vein. Also in this place there is a neurovascular bundle.
In this area there are lymph nodes that prevent infection of the human body.

Therefore, pain in this area can be caused by a variety of factors that lead to damage to the listed structural elements. To detect pathology, it is extremely important to immediately contact a qualified specialist.

Causes of knee pain

Joint diseases

Baker's cyst.

This pathology is usually characterized by severe pain and slight swelling of the fossa. Covers the inner area of the joint synovial membrane producing liquid. If inflammation of this membrane occurs, there is an excessive release of fluid, which leads to compression and swelling of this membrane.

With this disease in the area back wall a compaction forms in the joint capsule, which causes painful sensations. If you press on the cyst, its size decreases slightly. This formation is most noticeable with straight limbs. Reveal this pathology at the beginning of its occurrence it can be problematic because it is small in size and does not cause discomfort.

For the purpose of conservative treatment of the pathology, the doctor may prescribe injections of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as glucocorticosteroids, which help eliminate inflammation. In addition, special pads can be used for the knees.

Meniscal cyst.

With this pathology, pain is observed at the back of the knee, which intensifies during movement and when trying to bend the leg. They cannot be noticed during an external examination, so a comprehensive study is required.

Meniscus tear.

If pain occurs after a sudden movement or traumatic injury joint, the cause may be a tear in the posterior region of the meniscus. Sometimes such a problem is the result of arthrosis - a meniscus tear occurs due to the destruction of cartilage tissue. In this situation, pain cannot always be eliminated conservatively, and surgery is performed.

Tendon diseases

Often pain in the back or side of the knee occurs due to damage to the integrity of the ligaments and tendons. With increased loads, soft tissue damage often occurs, which causes discomfort.

Quite often the cause of pain is bursitis or tendonitis of an inflammatory nature. These pathologies are accompanied by pulling sensations that are the result of excess stress.

To get rid of this pathology, it is very important to consult a doctor at the beginning of its development. The specialist must provide the person with peace of mind. In addition, it will certainly limit the mobility of the joint - as a rule, a plaster cast is applied for this. To relieve inflammation, it is necessary to use hormonal drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The most important factor, affecting fast recovery, the optimal loads are considered.

Vascular and nervous pathologies

Aneurysm of the popliteal artery.

With the development of this pathology, a nagging pain of a pulsating nature is observed. Upon palpation, a small compaction can be detected. Cause of this disease consists of dissection of the artery, in which it begins to protrude outward. It is very important to get help from a surgeon immediately - delay can cause serious bleeding.

Inflammation of the tibial nerve.

It is located at the bottom of the popliteal fossa. Sometimes, under the influence of various factors, inflammation can occur. If this happens, the person experiences severe pain while moving, as well as when bending the knee, and similar sensations are felt throughout the entire foot. Changes in tendon reflexes are often observed. The ankle muscles may also change their tone. In such a situation, surgery is indicated.

Thrombosis of the popliteal vein.

This disease is diagnosed very rarely, but sometimes it still leads to pain in the back of the knee. It can be quite difficult to identify this disease, because during the examination pathological changes cannot be detected.

Sometimes pathology is detected after the development of complications, which seriously threatens a person’s health and life. This is why it is so important to carry out early ultrasonography vessels. If large blood clots are detected, surgery is indicated.

Purulent-inflammatory processes

If there were infected wounds in the area of a person’s ankle that resulted in pain, the risk of developing an abscess increases.

The lymph nodes located under the knees become infected, which causes inflammation and an increase in their size. It is these processes that lead to sharp pain. If such a problem occurs, you need to contact a surgeon - with the help of an operation he will open the abscess.

Diagnostics

All diagnostic procedures, which are aimed at identifying the cause of pain in the knee joint, are quite standard. Diagnostics usually consists of the following measures:

Visual inspection.
Study of anamnesis.
Clarification of the nature of pain.
Conducting testing, which consists of bending and extending the leg.
Performing an X-ray examination.
Carrying out an ultrasound of the joint.
Carrying out angiography.
General blood analysis.
Carrying out magnetic resonance and computed tomography.
Blood chemistry.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to perform a puncture of the articular cavity. In general, the choice of one or another diagnostic measures directly depends on the type of damage, and a comprehensive study is usually carried out.

Help with knee pain

The choice of treatment tactics is carried out based on the cause of pain. If the knee hurts after an injury, and the pain is severe, the person needs to be hospitalized. In this case, the leg should be immobilized and medications to eliminate pain.

After this, a treatment method is chosen. This is influenced by the type and size of damage, possible risks, Availability chronic diseases. Very often, surgical intervention is performed - arthroscopy or endoprosthetics.

If pain is observed, but there was no traumatic injury, and the condition is not acute, treatment tactics are as follows:

First of all, eliminate swelling and inflammatory processes– for this purpose bandages and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, antibacterial drugs, cold compresses.
Glucosamine treatment can be used to restore cartilage tissue. Chondroitin sulfate may also be prescribed.
Physiotherapeutic measures are usually used to strengthen muscles.
To reduce the load on the legs, special pads or instep supports can be used.
For arthritis, intra-articular adrenergic steroids are prescribed.
Physical therapy is used to strengthen certain muscle groups.
Rehabilitation measures are of no small importance for normalizing the patient’s condition.

Almost all pathologies that cause pain behind the knee can be completely cured at an early stage. The only exception is Baker's cyst - in this case it is necessary to perform puncturing or even undergo surgery.

Prevention

In order to prevent pathologies of the knee joint, certain rules should be followed - this will avoid the appearance of pain.

Professional athletes must be able to correctly distribute the load on the joint. In addition, you must adhere to special diet, which includes products that help strengthen ligaments and cartilage.

It is important to control body weight, because heavy weight leads to increased loads on joints, causing their deformation. The consequence of this is pain.

If therapy for the knee joint has already ended, preventing recurrent pain involves taking rehabilitation measures. In particular, the joint must be developed, the knee must be supported with elastic bandage, accept medications, which strengthen ligaments and tendons. Medicines for strengthening blood vessels and bones are no less important.

All preventive actions to prevent pain in the legs consists of implementing the following measures:

When engaging in traumatic sports, it is recommended to use specialized protective equipment.
If a person’s occupation must constantly make the same movements with their legs, which can cause destruction of the elements of the knee, it is important to take breaks during work. It is also advisable to periodically warm up.
If the knee was damaged by a bruise, you need to immobilize the joint and limit activity. Sometimes a few days are enough for the knee to fully recover.
It is very important to prevent hypothermia of the joints, because this is one of the factors that provokes the appearance of pain.
If a person is forced to continuously sit in a sitting position for more than six hours, it is necessary to take correct position. It should be taken into account that bending the knees or crossing the legs harms the joints. It is necessary to straighten and unbend your legs from time to time.
It is very important to strengthen the thigh muscles - for this you need to do squats and lunges. An exercise called “bicycle” is very useful.

Pain under the knee can significantly impair a person’s quality of life. To prevent this from happening, it is important to prevent pathologies of the knee joints. If pain under the knee does appear, you need to understand that the reason may lie in the most various diseases. Therefore, it is important to immediately consult a doctor who can diagnose the pathology. At an early stage of the disease, conservative therapy is usually sufficient, while in advanced situations surgical intervention may be necessary.

The knee joint is the most important part of the human musculoskeletal system. Freedom of movement and quality of life in general largely depend on his condition. Often associated with diseases such as arthritis or osteoarthritis. Quite often, pain also occurs under the knees. Sometimes mild discomfort develops into significant pain, which significantly reduces the patient’s mobility.

Features of the structure of the knee joint

Popliteal pain has one characteristic feature - it can be quite difficult to recognize. To understand why such sensations may occur, you need to understand the anatomy of the joint itself and the fossa located behind it. Often the appearance of pain has no connection specifically with.

The popliteal fossa is surrounded above and below by tendons and muscles.
The bottom of the fossa is located in the posterior part of the joint capsule; on top it is covered with ligaments.
In the central region of the fossa there is an artery and a vein. Also in this place there is a neurovascular bundle.
In this area there are lymph nodes that prevent infection of the human body.

Consequently, pain in this area can be caused by a variety of factors that lead to damage to the listed structural elements. To detect pathology, it is extremely important to immediately contact a qualified specialist.

Causes of knee pain

Joint diseases

Baker's cyst.

This pathology is usually characterized by severe pain and slight swelling of the fossa. The inner area of the joint is covered by the synovial membrane, which produces fluid. If inflammation of this membrane occurs, there is an excessive release of fluid, which leads to compression and swelling of this membrane.

With this disease, a compaction forms in the area of the posterior wall of the joint capsule, which causes pain. If you press on the cyst, its size decreases slightly. This formation is most noticeable with straight limbs. It can be problematic to identify this pathology at the beginning of its occurrence, since it is small in size and does not cause discomfort.

Meniscal cyst.

Meniscus tear.

If pain occurs after a sudden movement or traumatic injury to the joint, the cause may be a tear in the posterior area of the meniscus. Sometimes such a problem is the result of arthrosis - a meniscus tear occurs due to the destruction of cartilage tissue. In this situation, pain cannot always be eliminated conservatively, and surgery is performed.

Tendon diseases

Often pain in the back or side of the knee occurs due to damage to the integrity of the ligaments and tendons. With increased loads, soft tissue damage often occurs, which causes discomfort.

Quite often the cause of pain is bursitis or tendonitis of an inflammatory nature. These pathologies are accompanied by pulling sensations that are the result of excess stress.

To get rid of this pathology, it is very important to consult a doctor at the beginning of its development. The specialist must provide the person with peace of mind. In addition, it will certainly limit the mobility of the joint - as a rule, a plaster cast is applied for this. To relieve inflammation, it is necessary to use hormonal drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Optimal loads are considered the most important factor influencing rapid recovery.

Vascular and nervous pathologies

Aneurysm of the popliteal artery.

With the development of this pathology, a nagging pain of a pulsating nature is observed. Upon palpation, a small compaction can be detected. The cause of this disease is a dissection of the artery, in which it begins to protrude outward. It is very important to get help from a surgeon immediately - delay can cause serious bleeding.

Inflammation of the tibial nerve.

Thrombosis of the popliteal vein.

This disease is diagnosed very rarely, but sometimes it still leads to pain in the back of the knee. It can be quite difficult to identify this disease, since pathological changes cannot be detected during the examination.

Sometimes pathology is detected after the development of complications, which seriously threatens a person’s health and life. Therefore, it is so important to conduct an ultrasound examination of blood vessels at an early stage. If large blood clots are detected, surgery is indicated.

Purulent-inflammatory processes

If there were infected wounds in the area of a person’s ankle that resulted in pain, the risk of developing an abscess increases.

Diagnostics

All diagnostic procedures that are aimed at identifying the cause of pain in the knee joint are fairly standard. Diagnostics usually consists of the following measures:

Visual inspection.
Study of anamnesis.
Clarification of the nature of pain.
Conducting testing, which consists of bending and extending the leg.
Performing an X-ray examination.
Carrying out an ultrasound of the joint.
Carrying out angiography.
General blood analysis.
Carrying out magnetic resonance and computed tomography.
Blood chemistry.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to perform a puncture of the articular cavity. In general, the choice of certain diagnostic measures directly depends on the type of damage, and a comprehensive study is usually carried out.

Help with knee pain

After this, a treatment method is chosen. This is influenced by the type and size of damage, possible risks, and the presence of chronic diseases. Very often, surgical intervention is performed - arthroscopy or endoprosthetics.

If pain is observed, but there was no traumatic injury, and the condition is not acute, treatment tactics are as follows:

First of all, swelling and inflammatory processes are eliminated - bandaging, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibacterial drugs, and cold compresses are used for this.
Glucosamine treatment can be used to restore cartilage tissue. Chondroitin sulfate may also be prescribed.
Physiotherapeutic measures are usually used to strengthen muscles.
To reduce the load on the legs, special pads or instep supports can be used.
For arthritis, intra-articular adrenergic steroids are prescribed.
Physical therapy is used to strengthen certain muscle groups.
Rehabilitation measures are of no small importance for normalizing the patient’s condition.

Prevention

In order to prevent pathologies of the knee joint, certain rules should be followed - this will avoid the appearance of pain.

Professional athletes must be able to correctly distribute the load on the joint. In addition, you need to adhere to a special diet, which includes foods that help strengthen ligaments and cartilage.

It is important to control body weight, because heavy weight leads to increased stress on the joints, causing their deformation. The consequence of this is pain.

If therapy for the knee joint has already ended, preventing recurrent pain involves taking rehabilitation measures. In particular, the joint must be developed, the knee must be supported with an elastic bandage, and medications that strengthen the ligaments and tendons must be taken. Medicines for strengthening blood vessels and bones are no less important.

All preventive measures to prevent pain in the legs consist of the following measures:

When engaging in traumatic sports, it is recommended to use specialized protective equipment.
If a person’s occupation must constantly make the same movements with their legs, which can cause destruction of the elements of the knee, it is important to take breaks during work. It is also advisable to periodically warm up.
If the knee was damaged by a bruise, you need to immobilize the joint and limit activity. Sometimes a few days are enough for the knee to fully recover.
It is very important to prevent hypothermia of the joints, because this is one of the factors that provokes the appearance of pain.
If a person is forced to continuously sit in a sitting position for more than six hours, it is necessary to take the correct position. It should be taken into account that bending the knees or crossing the legs harms the joints. It is necessary to straighten and unbend your legs from time to time.
It is very important to strengthen the thigh muscles - for this you need to do squats and lunges. An exercise called “bicycle” is very useful.

Pain under the knee can significantly impair a person’s quality of life. To prevent this from happening, it is important to prevent pathologies of the knee joints. If pain under the knee does appear, you need to understand that the cause may lie in a variety of diseases. Therefore, it is important to immediately consult a doctor who can diagnose the pathology. At an early stage of the disease, conservative therapy is usually sufficient, while in advanced situations surgical intervention may be necessary.

The knee joint is a complex structure, and any changes in this organ can seriously affect a person’s health. Pain under the knee behind or in front, occurring both at rest and during physical activity, can talk about the development of the most various diseases. Why does pain syndrome appear and how to cope with the situation?

Causes of knee pain

The knee joint contains many important muscles, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels. Any damage in this area can significantly complicate the life of a person accustomed to leading an active lifestyle. Pain under the knee can be localized both in the back and in the front, depending on the cause that led to the discomfort. In some diseases, discomfort occurs only when walking, bending or straightening the leg. In other situations, pain is a constant companion, and many people do not even try to seek help from a doctor, getting used to the constant discomfort in the knee area.

If you experience unreasonable pain behind or in front of your knee, consult a doctor!

Pain behind the knee: causes and consequences

U healthy people This condition occurs without any connection with any diseases. Pain at the back of the knee can be caused by excessive stress on the joint after a long walk or workout in the gym. In this case, the person feels a moderate nagging pain behind the knee, spreading to calf muscles. The treatment is simple: rest and minimal stress on the legs. The best prevention Such conditions will be caused by periodic exercise. Regular load on lower limbs It will allow the muscles to get used to it and stop reacting with pain to every long walk.

A completely different picture emerges if the pain under the knee is caused by any pathological condition. The cause may be injury, tumor or inflammatory diseases of the knee joint. In order to understand the situation and take the necessary measures, you should know the main factors causing pain behind the knee:

knee injuries;
pathologies of blood vessels and nerves;
cysts;
tumors;
inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases.

Tendon injuries

Tendonitis is a disease that is quite common among professional athletes. In this case, inflammation of the tendons develops in the knee area, above or below it, which inevitably leads to nagging pain. Even in people who are far from sports, any injury to the knee can cause the development pain syndrome and swelling. Treatment consists of resting the injured limb. Good effect gives elastic bandaging of the knee, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy.

Diseases of blood vessels and nerves

The cause of severe sharp pain under the knee may be inflammation of the tibial nerve. While walking, the pain radiates to the foot and toes. Also, a person clearly feels the muscles of the lower leg being pulled - this makes itself felt by the damage to the nerve along its entire length. In some cases, the pain may extend above or below the knee. This condition should be treated by a doctor. In most cases, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain. Massage and physiotherapy are recommended.

Many patients note that they not only have pain under the knee, but also a certain formation behind the joint can be clearly felt. At the same time, the leg pulls quite strongly even at rest. A similar condition can be caused by an aneurysm of the popliteal artery - quite dangerous disease threatening the development of bleeding. Treatment of an aneurysm consists of its urgent removal in a surgical hospital.

If you notice a pulsating swelling under the knee, consult a doctor immediately!

Cysts and tumors

Another common condition, in which the leg hurts under the knee - the formation of cysts or tumors. Some of them are benign, others are prone to malignancy and metastasis. For accurate diagnosis X-ray and ultrasound examination of the knee joint is required. According to indications, a puncture is prescribed to determine the composition of the synovial fluid and determine the exact picture of the disease.

Baker's popliteal cyst is a pathology in which pain is localized posterior to the joint and significantly intensifies when the limb is flexed. The patient's movements are severely limited due to swelling of the joint. Distinctive feature Baker's cyst is its complete disappearance when the limb is flexed and appears when it is extended. Treatment of the disease consists of removal of the cyst with mandatory revision of the cavity of the knee joint.

A tumor under the knee is a reason to immediately visit a doctor!

Arthrosis

Arthrosis is the name given to degenerative lesions of the joint, in which its gradual destruction occurs. This state is common reason pain in the knee area. Unpleasant sensations increase when the limb is flexed. Arthrosis is treated by a rheumatologist or surgeon. Physiotherapy, physiotherapy and the use of chondroprotectors can stop the progression of the disease for some time. IN severe cases endoprosthetics is indicated - an operation to completely or partially replace the knee joint.

A situation in which there is pain behind the knee in front is usually associated with one or another pathological process. Among the causes of pain, you should pay attention to the following conditions:

injuries;
chondropathy (damage to the cartilage tissue of the joint);
osteoarthritis;
diseases of the spine.

Pain in the front of the knee as a result of injury appears suddenly. As a rule, the victim knows exactly when the injury occurred and associates his condition with a recent knee injury. The pain syndrome can be localized both above and below the joint, intensifying with movement and with changes in body position. For diagnosis, an x-ray of the affected area is performed. Rest, cold on the knee area, bandaging and physical therapy allow the patient to quickly get back on his feet and return to an active life.

With the development of arthritis ( inflammatory disease joint), pain is accompanied by severe swelling. The patient complains of increased pain both when flexing and extending the limb. Why is this happening? The thing is that with arthritis, synovial fluid accumulates in the cavity of the affected joint, and this leads to a significant limitation of its mobility. Treatment of the disease will depend on the cause of the pain. The use of anti-inflammatory drugs on the recommendation of a doctor significantly improves the patient’s condition and short time relieves pain and swelling in the affected joint.

With many diseases, there is pain under the knee, not only in the joint area, but also somewhat higher. When ligaments are sprained and cartilage damaged, discomfort can spread to the entire area of the affected organ. Pain above the knee can also indicate pathology hip joint or spine. With vasculitis (defeat blood vessels) or inflammation of the nerves, the pain syndrome can also spread both above the knee and well below it. To accurately diagnose the disease, the doctor conducts some mandatory studies: radiography, ultrasound, joint puncture. According to indications it is prescribed CT scan and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

Knowing why it hurts under the knee, you can not only decide on treatment, but also take measures to prevent such a condition. When the first symptoms appear, you should visit a surgeon. You should not rely only on your own feelings. Pain threshold Every person is different, and the intensity of pain does not always correspond to the severity of the disease. Only timely diagnosis and treatment started on time makes it possible to live without pain. Take care of the health of your feet!