If it hurts to bend the patient’s knee joint, it typically means that the patient has arthritis under the knee cap. Other symptoms of arthritis under the knee cap include increased pain while squatting and going up and down stairs. Pain under the knee cap could be due to patellofemoral arthritis. One classic symptom of relieving pressure under the knee cap is a “movie theater sign” – in which patients are uncomfortable bending their knees. They therefore keep the ankles on the chair in front of them when they go the movies!
Can a deformity in the knee joint aggravate arthritis.
There are numerous factors that could aggravate arthritis in the knee joint including a deformity. The deformity may be a bow leg or it maybe a knock-knee. Bow legged or a knocked knee increase pressure over one side of the joint because the body weight passes through only one side of the joint and causes and aggravates the arthritis.
In the early of the disease, if the deformity is corrected, the onset of arthritis is delayed and also there’s also a cosmetic advantage in taking care of the deformity.
Other factors that can aggravate arthritis is trauma to the joint where the injury involves the cartridge. In addition, if there is a deformity associated with trauma, (whether it’s outside the joint or inside the joint) and if it affects the mechanics of the joint, it can lead to early arthritis.