The knee is a complex structure, made up of different parts including ligaments, tendons, kneecap, meniscus, bursae and muscles. As time passes, knee bones may encounter damage or health emergencies that lead to sharp knee pain. It can be a highly unpleasant experience that stops you from performing routine exercises. There may be some underlying causes including any injury like ruptured cartilage or some medical conditions like arthritis, gout etc. The sharp knee pain might be acute and short lived, that gets triggered by a particular movement. However, it is localized at the knee area. Sometimes, it may radiate downwards the leg that represents the neural compression or any other medical ailment.
Mostly, sharp knee pain can be treated by self-medication, but in severe conditions it requires expert medical attention and proper treatment. Sharp knee pain because of tissue injury or inflammation may have serious consequences limiting body mobility and affecting overall daily performance of life.
Causes of Sharp knee Pain
According to pain and spine center, several conditions may be responsible for causing sharp knee pain such as following:
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Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a medical ailment in which the cartilage lining the bones gets damaged or injured. This can cause stiffness and pain in the knee joint. However, the pain triggers while walking, standing up right, climbing or sitting. It does not start immediately but with the passage of time.
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Knee Bursitis
The knee consists of various fluid filled sacs that provide protection against the pressure and decrease friction. If these knee bursae get worn out, they result in sharp pain. However, they are located at different points of the knee bone and named as follows
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- Housemaids knee
- Bakers’ cyst
- Pes anserine bursitis
- Iliotibial bursitis
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Fractures
As the knee bone consists of several different parts. Any fracture in one of the areas may lead to knee pain accompanied by inflammation and immobility. Moreover, the different types of fractures are as follows
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- Distal femoral fracture
- Tibial plateau fracture
- Broken kneecap
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Tendonitis
Tendon inflammation because of continuous and repetitive actions is called tendinitis. The sharp pain in the knee may also arise due to tendinitis, that leads to muscle tightness and aches. The two most discussed subtypes of tendinitis include
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- Jumper’s knee
- Quadricep tendonitis
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Meniscus tears
The soft fibrocartilage present among long bones of the knee joint is known as meniscus. Any damage to this soft tissue may result in sharp pain on the inside or outside of the knee joint. The two types of meniscal tears are
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- Medial Meniscal tears
- Lateral meniscal tears
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Joint Wear and Tear
The thinning of cartilage because of joint wear and tear from knee spurs that stick put slowly. These knee spurs are called osteophytes and reduce space between bones. As a result bones rub against each other in the absence of cartilage and lead to arthritis. Now when knee bending actions are performed, it exerts pressure on knees and causes pain in the knee joint.
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Chondromalacia Patella
The knee can make proper movements due to patella. This patella is a bony structure also known as knee cap. It has an inner cartilage lining that may get damaged due to any infection or sudden injury. The end results are a sharp pain in the femoral-patella knee joint.
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Ligament sprain
Knee ligaments are known for the stability they provide to the joint while moving. If they tear, the knee joint loses its stability along with sharp pain that may elongate for a longer period.
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Gout
Most middle-aged men and women at postmenopausal conditions experience gout. In this state uric acid levels increase from the normal level to higher levels. All its concentration gathers in the feet, but it also hurts knees. Inflammation and intense pain episodes are observed in this state. If you are newly experiencing knee pain, there are more chances to be influenced by gout. However proper clinical examination is necessary.
Treatment and Management of Sharp Knee Pain
The treatment of knee pain is directly related to its cause of origin:
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For Fractures/broken Bones
After complete diagnosis by expert professionals, fractured bones can be stabilized by
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- Splint
- Cast
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
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For Inflammatory Diseases
Knee pain because of inflammations such as gout, tendonitis or runners’ knee, following treatment approach may work out
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- Resting
- Icing
- Elevated Stay off
- Lifestyle changes
- Physical therapy
- Usage of protective gears
- Administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen
- Healthy diet
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For ligament and Joint Tears
Knee pain because of tears in ligaments, joints or cartilage must be treated with the proper guidelines of expert professionals. However, doctors may recommend the following treatments
- Administration of anti-inflammatory medications
- Knee surgery
The recovery time after surgery may take up to 6 months
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For Osteoarthritis
Treatment options for this chronic state consists of following
- Usage of knee braces
- Administration of corticosteroid injections
- Pain medicines
- Assistive devices
- Total knee replacement
Conclusion
Knee pain may arise due to any sudden injury or prolonged medical condition. However, it can be cured completely. The acute pain is eliminated on its own but if it persists for a longer period, proper diagnosis and treatment is crucial to follow. Generally, people go for home remedies, to treat minor tears or damage occurring in the knee joint, but expert healthcare professionals are required to treat the severe conditions. If you must encounter any surgical procedures, a knee doctor at Fort Worth can be contacted. They also have the facilities to properly diagnose inner damage through imaging tests such as X-ray, CT scan or MRI. They better help to analyze the structural dysfunction and treat the ailment accordingly.