Knee pain FAQs
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This video gives an overview of the common causes of knee pain, how you can help yourself, and advice on when to seek further help.
Click here to visit our "Looking after yourself" page.
Click here for information on how to seek further help, including how to be referred to your local CIC MSK service.
Below are some of the most common conditions causing knee pain:
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Cartilage (meniscus) injury/tear
- Anterior knee pain
- Knee ligament injury (including ACL and PCL tears)
- Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome
- Patellar tendinopathy
The main cause of knee pain in adults over 45 is osteoarthritis, while in those under 45 it is injury.
In both cases it is most commonly mild and self-limiting, and self-management will often help you.
- Simple strain
- Usually comes about after a minor injury, over activity or unusual activity, involving the knee. This should settle with self-management.
- Can usually be prevented by warming up carefully before exercise, stretching to cool down afterwards, increasing activity levels slowly over time and ensuring you have supportive footwear.
- Self-management options are often effective. Resuming activity with lower impact activities such as swimming and cycling will help strengthen muscles while avoiding recurrence.
- Patellar dislocation or instability – Patella dislocation is usually obvious as the knee cap will become stuck to the side of knee. Pain will be severe and require an assessment at accident and emergency. Instability is however more common. In this situation the patellar feels as though it might dislocate but doesn’t and resumes its normal position. This is commoner in individuals who are female and hyperflexible. This condition is best managed by exercise advice from a physiotherapist.
- Bursitis, or “housemaid’s knee”
- This is caused by repetitive friction of the knee, from activities such as kneeling, resulting in a build-up of fluid over the knee, leading to pain and swelling at the front of the knee.
- Usually responds well to self-management advice. Pain usually improves before the swelling, which can take longer to completely disappear.
- If it becomes red or hot ,more painful or you feel unwell, clinician advice should be sought in case of potential infection
There are some simple strategies you can use to manage your symptoms
- Exercise – Regular aerobic exercise such as walking or jogging, and muscle-strengthening can help.
- Painkillers – taking regular doses of painkillers like ibuprofen, paracetamol, or a combination, are often helpful. Alternatively, you may prefer to use ‘rub on’ (topical) versions instead. Speak to your pharmacist for further information
- Ice – This can be very useful to reduce pain and swelling. Take care not to sustain an ice burn by wrapping the ice in a damp cloth and only using for short periods
- Weight management – If you are overweight, aiming to get yourself down to a healthy weight can help your condition.
- Appliances – You can reduce the stress on the affected joint by using a walking stick, wearing supportive footwear or a supportive strapping
Visit our Looking after yourself page for lots of helpful advice, including exercises you can try.
You should contact your GP surgery and ask to see a First Contact Physiotherapist (FCP) or a GP, or refer yourself to your local MSK service if that’s an option, if your condition has not settled after 6 weeks of self-management, or your condition flares up or you have any pain or new symptoms that you do not recognise as being “normal” for your condition.
To find out how to be referred to your local NHS Circle MSK service, click here.
You should contact your GP surgery urgently if:
- You've had a significant injury causing difficulty with weight bearing on the knee.
- There is joint swelling, redness or heat or the pain coincides with a fever or rash.
- The pain is in both knees or affecting other joints as well.