Some Common Knee Problems And The Anatomy Of Knees
Knee pain or knee problems broadly characterizes into anterior knee pain (AKP) and tibiofemoral knee pain. Most of the common area, where the knee pain usually arises is from the hip or might appear as a portion of radiculopathy. As there are many structures which work in association with the knee, so there are numerous problems that might arise around the knee. Moreover, the majority of the knee problems occur due to sport injuries along with wear and tear issues. Knee problem signs can be quite different. The pain can be sharp, dull, an on-and-off type or a constant one. The location of the pain is dependent on the structures which suffer injury in the knee and the severity of the injury.
With some types of injuries, particularly ligamentous injuries, the range of motion of the knee might actually increase because the knee turns to instability. On the other hand, in case of arthritis there is a visible decrease in the range of motion by knee. Depending on the type of injury, a person might experience some mechanical symptoms. Mechanical symptoms are the symptoms which influence the normal function of the knee. Locking or catching of the knee, whether painless or painful, and popping or grinding of the bones are some instances of mechanical symptoms of knee problems. Following is the descriptive discussion about how different anatomical structures suffer in each knee problem:
Knee Swelling
One of the most recurring and common symptoms with knee problems is swelling. The main reason behind local swelling is the accumulation of synovial fluid which is known as synovial effusion. Synovial effusion results in the swelling and irritation of the structures present around the knee joint. Swelling in the knee joint immediately after an injury is due to the bleeding into the joint. Bleeding into the joint medically known as hemarthrosis leads to the swelling of the joints. While the on-and-off or delayed swelling is due to excess fluid production in the synovial joint. Chronic swelling can begin to hinder full range of motion by the knee and it might eventually bring about muscle wasting or atrophy as the muscles around the knee are not in use.