It is very important to detect the cause of knee pain as the treatment and prognosis of the patient’s conditions depends entirely on the cause. Some of the commonest causes of knee pain are as follows:
1. Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is the inflammation of knee joint due to severe wear and tear or over exertion of the joint. Pain in the knee is one of the primary symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Concurrent stiffness is also commonly present.
2. Injury: Direct injury to the knee, sprained ligament, strained muscles or damage to any other soft tissue surrounding the knee joint will lead to inflammation and resultant knee pain. The nature and intensity of the pain will depend on the degree of damage to the knee.
3. Bursitis: A bursa is a small fluid filled sac present directly beneath the skin covering the knee. Recurrent friction at the knee due to bruising, abrasion or traumatic impact to the knee may lead to inflammation of the bursa. This condition known as bursitis is quite painful.
4. Autoimmune Disorder: Rheumatoid Arthritis is a painful condition of the knee occurring due to deficiency in the immune system. It may take a longer time to heal than osteoarthritis.