Knee Instability

A human beings knee is made up of a lot of entwined ligaments and tendons, and a rupture or a tear anywhere along this line can lead to a serious case of knee instability. This is a medical condition that needs to be looked into immediately, as knee instability and pain can seriously hamper the movement of an individual, apart from the obvious discomfort of the pain.

Medical science has advanced enough for doctors to be able to accurately ascertain what the exact cause behind knee pain is, and the rehabilitation of such problems can be carried out simply and quickly as well. This of course depends on the severity of the condition.

Knee Instability Causes
Before we delve into the exact causes of a knee injury, let's understand the various ligaments that support the knee joint. There are 4 such ligaments that support the knee joint in addition to the menisci and the condyles, and these are the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL). Significant contributions are also made to the knee joint by the posteromedial and posterolateral capsular components and the iliotibial tract.

The primary reason for knee instability will always be traced back to some sort of trauma or condition such as Iliotibial Band Syndrome, either direct or indirect, to the knee. This can occur as a result of a direct force impacting the knee, or even as a result of the knee slowly taking damage over time due to a simple act like walking. Athletes and sportsmen are more likely to face this problem as they have to routinely undergo some rigorous training regimes, and ultimately this begins to take a toll on the knee joints. A sudden movement sometimes results in a very painful twist in the knee that leads to ligament damage such as medial collateral ligament sprain, and this occurs most commonly due to sudden jumping or deceleration.

The most common cause of knee instability though is the sudden twisting of the knee. There are a variety of reasons that lead to this situation, the most obvious being some strenuous physical activity. Other events like turning too fast or twisting to get out of a car can also lead to such a scenario, and it is simply impossible to predict what action can lead to such an occurrence. It goes without saying that the pain is just excruciating, and one is left with a distinct sensation that the knee is just going to fall off or give way. In extreme cases, arthroscopic knee surgery or knee replacement surgery is the only option available.

Knee Instability Treatment
The true extent of the damage can only be assessed by a qualified and experienced medical expert, and once this has been assessed, the suitable mode of treatment can be suggested. There are several grades into which an injury can be placed, and the higher the grade, the longer the knee will take to heal. The assessment begins with many knee instability tests to try and determine how much damage is actually done, and this begins with a clear description of the way the injury was sustained. If there is a distinct 'popping' noise heard then the damage is certainly pretty high, and any other observations by the patient can also come in handy.

The patient's lifestyle habits and routine is also assessed thoroughly in order to determine what could be the exact cause of the knee instability, and what corrective and rehabilitative measures can be taken. The age and the previous medical history is also studied in detail to obtain some more clues, and a plain radiography of the knee is also vital. Read on knee support braces.

Once the causes and the extent of the knee instability have been determined, a suitable course of action for treatment can be set upon. As soon as the diagnosis is complete the rehabilitative process begins and this may take a few weeks to a several months. This process aims at restoring the complete range of motion for the patient without putting any stress on the graft. A number of knee instability exercises are demonstrated to the patient and some other exercises and movements that are prohibited are told to him.

In some cases the restructuring of the ligaments is also necessary, and on an average it is fair to assume that the total time period for recovery from knee instability while doing recommended knee exercises is anything between 5-7 months. Advances in science are constantly being made as well, and new ways of preventing such knee damage have also been made available in the public domain.

Patellar Reflex

Knee jerk is a layman's term for what in medical science is called patellar reflex. If this does not click anything, let me give you an example. Whenever you might have gone to a doctor for a problem, which may have a connection with sensory faculties, the doctor must have tapped a bit under your knee with a tendon hammer. Now do you remember? Yes, exactly. The sensation and the reflex which comes from that, not realized by us, is analyzed by the doctor. Now this is actually a type of deep tendon reflex and is a stretch reflex. The text to come will tell you more about patellar tendon reflex.

Patellar Reflex Test
This test is done with the help of a tendon hammer. The doctor while doing this test, strikes the patellar tendon hammer a bit below the knee cap (patella), which stretches the quadriceps muscles in the thighs. Basically, this is the test to see how is the sensory response to the tapping by the tendon hammer. The main aim of testing is to analyze if the nervous system is in good shape or not. Simply put, after the doctor taps the tendon, the leg is extended and then it comes to rest. If the reflex is not upto the mark or is not there at all, it is referred to as Westphal's sign. On the contrary, if there is multiple oscillation in response to the tap, that could indicate a cerebellar disease. It all happens because of the patellar reflex arc from stimulus to response. A reflex arc is a neural pathway which mediates a reflex action. In a patellar reflex, nerve root is the carrier of an impulse by the motor neuron along its axon.

Patellar Reflex Somatic or Autonomic
Patellar reflex is a somatic reflex arc, which affects the muscles. It is a stretch reflex when a muscle or tendon is struck or hit. The jolt leads the muscle to contract, which in turn inhibits the muscle contraction as a result of being struck. These somatic reflexes are fundamentally spinal reflexes, mediated by the spinal cord. The catch here is even the message reaches the spinal cord and the brain together, the response is reflexed by the trigger without waiting for the brain to analyze the situation. It is a withdrawal reflex, also called as flexor through the somatic nervous system. In a patellar reflex, nerve root is the carrier of an impulse by the motor neuron along its axon. The impulse then travels through the spinal nerve to the quadriceps muscles. Finally, acetylcholine is released, which causes contraction of muscle. Read more on nervous system function.

Patellar Reflex after Exercise
Apparently, mild exercise does have a slight impact in the patellar tendon reflex. The reflex time appears to be shorter after mild exercise. But no connection was established between the time for reflex and neuromuscular excitability. There is another dimension to this, the impact of your mental state on the patellar reflex. That is patellar reflex and mental distraction. There are few tests to check if the 2 are connected. It depends from person to person but one thing is sure that the more the mental activity the more noticeable the response. Read more on peripheral nervous system.

Patellar tendon reflex test and analysis in short is done when damage to motor nerve or spinal cord has to be confirmed or checked. So, even if the patient does not realize that his knee has given a jerk, the doctors get what they want out of the test. Consequently the patient is told whether there is any problem or not. Read more on nervous tissues.

Swelling Behind Knee

Knee pain can affect each and every activity like sitting, standing, walking, etc. Sometimes, knee pain is experienced while sleeping also. You can easily kneel, bend or stretch your legs only when knees support these basic actions well. Besides helping in the leg movements, knees also bear the entire weight of your body. Even a mild knee pain, if left untreated, may cost you much later. Swelling behind knees is usually followed by pain. There are several causes of swelling behind knees. Some of the main causes of swelling behind knee are mentioned below.

Causes of Swelling Behind Knee

Baker's Cyst: Baker's cyst is a non-malignant growth that is usually noticed in runners and tennis players. Weakened lining of the knee joint can lead to the formation of a lump or swelling behind the knee, which may restrict leg movement. It can cause pain and discomfort to the person. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can especially lead to the formation of Baker's cyst, causing unbearable pain behind knee.

Chondromalacia of Patella: Chondromalacia of the patella is also called 'runner's knee'. Swelling behind knee after running, like baker's cyst can be noticed when a runner approaches forty miles per week for the first time. Over-strain may lead to swelling and pain behind knee. Even though a few day's rest is recommended, the pain may come right back. After the first few miles of the next run the swelling behind knee can be seen increased and the pain also might flair up.

Injuries: Any injury that occurs to the knee can lead to swelling behind knee joint. A fracture or tear in your meniscus or ligaments or just a minor tear of the cartilage surface can lead to pain and swelling behind knee. Trauma, injury or fracture during a sport event or accident can lead to swelling behind knees. Read more on knee pain after running.

Overuse: Leg pain behind knee is observed when the joint is overused. Strenuous or constant exercises, wrong position during exercising or during any activity, aging or any fault in structural alignment can cause swelling behind knees, resulting in mild or severe pain. Swelling behind knee after exercise is a very common complaint. If your joint is not used to an exercise pattern, it may result in swelling behind the knee.

Weakened Muscles: Sometimes, swelling behind knee can be experienced due to weakened thigh, foot or calf muscles. Other weakened muscles can create unnecessary work pressure on the knees during any activity, like knee pain when bending. If you are overweight, then this problem can be often experienced as the knees have to carry excess weight.

Other Problems: Rubbing of the knee cap against the lowermost end of the femur (thigh bone) can cause swelling behind knee cap, leading to sharp pain. Sudden change in the daily routine, any added activity or lack of exercise, vitamin deficiency, serious diseases like cancer are also among the other causes of swelling behind knee.

Swelling Behind Knee: Treatment

    * If you are overweight, losing weight is the first requirement for avoiding knee problems. Regular exercises and balanced diet can help reduce the weight.
    * Arthritic patients also need to perform regular knee exercises under the guidance of a physician or physical trainer.
    * Regular runners should use perfect fitting shoes along with knee braces or additional arch support in the shoes, etc.
    * Baker cyst in rare cases requires removal of excess knee fluid in conjunction with cortisone injection. Doctor may prescribe medications to relieve pain and inflammation. Mostly, Baker’s cyst heals on its own and no special treatment is required.
    * For mild swelling or pain, you may opt for over the counter anti inflammatory medicines or pain killers. You can apply ice packs or hot packs, ointments, balms, etc. which can help reduce the pain and swelling behind knee.
    * When pain or swelling behind knee is noticed, you should provide sufficient rest to the joint. You should avoid rigorous physical activities which might lead to increased pressure on knees. Read more on leg exercises for bad knees.
    * If Baker's cyst is associated with cartilage tears or other internal knee problems then surgery can be the best treatment option. During the surgery, the surgeon can remove the swollen tissue (synovium) that is responsible for the cyst formation.

I hope you find the above information about swelling behind knee helpful. I hope, this article guides you to take necessary precautions while exercising or while performing daily activities. The most important thing is that you should consult your doctor about any knee problem if it is not resolved with the help of simple home remedies.

Bone Spurs in Knee

The medical term used to describe bone spurs is osteophytes. This is nothing but an extra bony growth over a normal bone structure. It can occur in various parts of the body. Bone spurs in neck, shoulder, heel, knee, hands are quite common. Bone spurs in knee are found mostly in the elderly. The knee joint comprises of three different bones. They are: the femur or upper leg bone, the tibia or lower leg bone, and the patella or the knee cap. In order to provide stability to these bone structures, several muscles, tendons and ligaments are also present in the knee. When bone spurs develop in the knee, it may not show any symptoms. But as it grows and starts rubbing against other surrounding structures, then it becomes quite painful.

Bone Spurs in Knee Causes

The knee joint is subjected to a lot of pressure continuously. This results in excessive rubbing and stretching of the knee joints. As it continues over a long period of time, the cartilage present in the knee tend to get worn out. In such a condition, the body makes an attempt to protect the joint from any further damage and repair the existing damages by forming bone spurs in knee. The knee is susceptible to osteoarthritis and is often responsible for causing knee bone spurs. Calcium build up in the knee, aging and obesity are the other factors that can give rise to this condition. Knee injury caused by accidents or during any sports activities, lack of physical activity, poor postures and nutritional deficiency can accelerate the process of bone spur growth in the knee. These are the major causes behind formation of knee bone spur in middle aged people.

Bone Spurs in Knee Treatment

As we have already discussed, there are no symptoms of bone spur in the initial stage. Hence, during this period, no treatment is required. When the spur get rubbed against nerves, ligaments and tendons, then these structures become inflamed and gives pain and irritation in the knee. The treatment for bone spurs in knee depends on the intensity of these symptoms. When the knee pain is mild, then the patient is advised to provide adequate amount of rest to the affected knee. Application of ice, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and stretching exercises are recommended to manage the localized joint pain. In some cases, steroids are administered by doctors which helps to get rid of the pain and may even stop further growth of the bones spurs. Those who are overweight should lose some weight in order to bring down the stress from the knee joint.

When all these non-surgical methods of treatment fail to show any improvement and the pain becomes unbearable for the patient, then the spur has to be removed by means of bone spur surgery. This option is availed as a last resort and is undertaken only if the patient is in good health condition. After the surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation program is necessary to restore the strength and flexibility of the knee joint. Apart from these conventional treatments, there are some alternative methods of treatment like massage therapy, acupuncture and acupressure that have provided a lot of relief to many people. Know more on bone spur treatment.

Basically, it is not possible to prevent bone spurs in knees. However, eating healthy food, maintaining proper body weight, regular exercises, and intake of calcium supplements are some of the measures that can help to reduce the chances of such bony growths. If you are experiencing bone spur symptoms, then you must consult the doctor without any delay, and thus you can prevent any serious damage and deformity of the knee joint.

Knee Injuries - Diagnosis

There are two main functions which our knees perform. Firstly they flex i.e bend and secondly they extend i.e straighten up. It is because of these two functions of the knees that a person is able to walk, run, kick and sit. So, just imagine what will happen if the knees are injured? It will become very difficult for a person even to perform these basic functions.

Knee injuries can occur on account of various reasons such as indulging in sports or exercises and hurting the knee, making an awkward movement, any direct blow caused to the knee, flat feet in a person, unstable kneecaps and imbalance of the thigh muscles. As soon as a person has his knee injured, it is important that he goes to a doctor for a complete knee injuries diagnosis and treatment to prevent any further damage.

Knee Injuries - Diagnosis

Diagnosis of knee injuries is done to identify the type of the injury so that the corresponding treatment can be given.

Sprains
If during a knee injuries diagnosis, it is found that the knee is strained from a particular direction, then the reason could be that the ligament which holds it in place has torn. Such a ligament tear is known as a sprain. Sprains are medically graded as first degree, second degree and third degree. First degree sprains cause the ligament to stretch but there is no tearing of the fiber. Second degree sprains do not affect the ligament but the fibers may be partially sprained while third degree sprains completely damage the ligaments. Read more on sprained knee.

Strains
An injury in the muscles of the knee as well as the tendons which surround the knee is caused due to its overuse or due to hyperflexion or hyperextention of the knee. Such injuries are medically known as strains. Read more on hyperextended knee.

Bursitis
It is a condition in which there is inflammation in the bursas of the knee. It can be caused due to a direct blow to the knee or due to its overuse. See bursitis.

Cartilage Tear
A knee injury which is caused due to the knee twisting, putting stress on the cartilage, can result in a tear. Such an injury is called a cartilage tear or a meniscus tear. Read more on torn cartilage in knee.

Knee Injuries Diagnosis : Symptoms

To diagnose the type of knee injury, doctors depend upon the symptoms which it produces in the person. If the knee injury is severe, it can lead to pain and swelling in the affected area. The person with a knee injury will face problems while bending his knee as well as in bearing weight. The swelling in the injured knee may come and go and can become severe if the person undertakes any activity in which the knee is used. Severe knee pain too like swelling might be intermittent and may come and go with activity.

If the person feels that the knee is giving away or is unstable, then this signals a ligament injury. If there is a grinding or a popping sound experienced, with the person even unable to bend his knee (known as "locking" in medical terms), the reason could be a cartilage tear. Read more on knee instability.

So for knee injuries diagnosis, the doctor always begins with a physical inspection and examination of the affected area. By doing this, the doctor tries to find out that the bones and other structures of the knee are located in the right place or they have been displaced by the injury. The doctor also identifies whether the knee is held correctly. Then he checks where the pain and swelling is experienced, followed by the assessment of the blood and nerve supply to the foot and the leg. In some cases, such as when it is suspected that bones are broken, doctors might ask for an X-rays too.

Once the knee injuries diagnoses is complete, and if there is no broken bone, then the first course of treatment that is suggested is RICE, i.e resting the area, regular application of ice on the affected area to reduce the swelling and pain, putting compression wraps to hold the knee together, and keeping the knee at an elevated position. The doctors recommend physical therapy and a few strengthening exercises as well. Most of the times, these treatments are more than enough to cure knee injuries. However, if the knee injury is severe, and involves broken bones and other structures of the knee, surgery is suggested as the last option.

Knees Popping

Knees popping and snapping are nothing uncommon. They often do not indicate a serious health problem. When knee popping happens without any knee pain and other discomforts, it is taken as normal. However, when it occurs too often and causes the knees to be painful during movements, it becomes a cause for care and concern. In case, you have been suffering from it for quite some time and wondering whether it is serious or not and what could have been causing it, the present article might help. It describes a few possible factors which might lead to knees popping out of socket. The account on cause of knee popping is followed by an overview of the medical treatment along with a couple of home remedies to speed up the process of recuperation.

Knees Popping: Causes
There are four major ligaments in the knee. One of them is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Its function is to maintain the stability of the knee joint by preventing its excessive motion. Patients who get anterior cruciate ligament affected by arthritis in knee, often complain of popping or snapping within the knee. They frequently get a feeling that their knee is going to give way any moment. Snapping or popping is one of the commonly experienced arthritis symptoms in the knee.

The second possible reason behind knees popping is subluxation. It is defined as incomplete dislocation of a joint. If it occurs in the knee joint, it is symptomized by cracking and popping sound produced during movement. It may be accompanied with swelling, discoloration and painful knee. Another probable cause of knees popping is a disorder called popping knee syndrome. It is mostly seen to occur in adolescents and adults below 30 years of age. The popping sound produced in the knee may or may not be in company with pain. Popping knee syndrome mainly occurs as a symptom of a medical condition known as discoid lateral meniscus. It involves distortion in the normal shape of the meniscus. Read on knee arthritis symptoms.

Knees Popping: Treatment
Snapping or popping of knees is generally not taken as a serious medical condition. It goes away by itself over a period of time. However, if the knees popping is accompanied with pain and other uncomfortable symptoms, you need to take it with concern. You need to treat it as soon as possible. To meet this goal, you need to know the exact underlying cause. A medical professional is the person who can help you the best. Fix an appointment with a health care practitioner. He is most likely to conduct a physical examination and ask you undergo some diagnostic tests. Take all the tests so that the data obtained from them can help the doctor diagnose the hidden cause for knees popping. When the correct reason for knees popping pain is known, the doctor will prescribe you some medications and recommend you some knee exercises to bring the normal state back. The medications commonly include pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs.

In addition to medical treatment, you should follow some measures at home to accelerate the process of recovery from knees popping and cracking. Perform the knee strengthening exercises recommended by the physical therapist as directed. You need to warm your body up before exercising. Warming up loosens your body muscles. The muscles are then better able to stretch and take the effect of physical exercises. This prevents you from muscle cramps and fatigue as well. Secondly, if some particular activity is responsible for causing knees popping sound, stop doing that. Thirdly, follow a healthy diet. Consumption of the nutrients required by the body in required amounts keep several medical problems at bay. It keeps your body fit and mind calm. Thus, eat right to stay fit and healthy.

Clicking Knee

The knee joints are one of the most crucial joints of our body. The joints are exposed to a lot of stress, as it provides support to the entire body weight. If you are involved in sports activities or any other such strenuous activity, then the repetitive movements of the knee joints put some additional amount of pressure on them. As a result, it is susceptible to various forms of injury involving the bones, muscles and ligaments that are present in the region. Any problems of the knee are alarming for us, simply because we fear that it can affect our body movements in everyday life. Clicking knee is one such problem where an unpleasant noise is emitted when the joint is moved.

Causes and Symptoms of Clicking Knee

Clicking knee can be a symptom of a large number of health related issues. Here we are discussing about some of the major causes that can trigger this symptom. They are as follows:

Knee Injury
If you had a trauma in recent times where you have banged your knee against any hard surface, then it is likely to have caused damage to the knee joint. It may result in fractured bones or stretching of the ligaments or muscle fibers. Depending on the severity of the injury, one gets clicking knee joint along with sharp pain. If the clicking knee pain subsides after a few hours then the injury is not so serious. However, if it lasts longer than that and tends to worsen when the patient tries to walk, then there could be a fracture in the bones or minor or major tears in the ligaments.

Meniscus Tear
Medial meniscus that lies in between the thigh bone and shin bone is a fibrocartilage band which acts like a shock absorber for the knee. It is responsible for maintaining uniform distribution of the body weight on the knee. Usually, it gets torn due to abnormal twisting of the knee joint or over stretching of the cartilage due to overuse. For this reason, one experiences clicking knee when bending or straightening of the knee joint. Here it is accompanied by other symptoms like leg pain and tenderness in the knee joint and blue and black bruise marks can be observed in the region. Read more article on meniscus tear.

Arthritis
If the knee continues to produce clicking sound quite frequently without any knee injury, then it could be warning sign of degeneration of the knee joints or arthritis. It is most commonly found in elderly people. With increase in age, the bones and cartilage of the knee joint deteriorates and the pressure builds up in the area causing the clicking sound. It is accompanied by pain, inflammation and stiffness in the knee joint.

Other Minor Causes
If you get clicking knee no pain during certain movements like climbing up the stairs or while doing squatting exercise, then it is a harmless condition. This is observed particularly, after a period of inactivity. When you do those movements regularly, the the clicking sound will disappear. If the knee clicking is accompanied by a minor discomfort in the knee region, then it could be due to imbalance in the leg muscles. Usually, it happens when the hamstrings are weaker than the quadriceps. This problem can be rectified by the right training of the leg muscles.

Treatment for Clicking Knee Pain

The treatment is based upon the underlying cause of the clicking knee problems. The first thing that needs to be done is to give adequate amount of rest to the legs, in order to minimize the stress on the knees. Then application of ice can provide substantial relief from pain and inflammation. If this home treatment fails to cure the symptoms, a doctor should be consulted. They often prescribe anti-inflammatory medicines to bring down the joint pain. When there is clicking knee without any pain or other symptoms, then medicines are administered to improve the lubrication of the knee joint. If fracture in knee bone is diagnosed, then splinter has to be used to set the bones. Tear in cartilage and arthritic symptoms are often managed with help of rest, physical therapy and knee exercises that strengthen the knees. In case the ligaments are badly damaged, surgical option is availed as a last resort.

When you have a clicking knee joint along with pain and tenderness you must strictly avoid any kind of sudden, jerky movements. All kind of sports activities must be suspended. Lifting of heavy objects can also have a negative impact on the knees. Swimming and short distance walking on the grass can be highly beneficial for clicking knee.