Risk Factors of Knee Pain You Must Know!

Your knee is a complex joint and the most active joint in your body. It is subjected to wear and tear over time due to age and a wide range of other factors. Knee joint damage can lead to severe pain when the components of the knee joint do not work properly. When your knee joint doesn’t work properly due to aging, knee injury, or any other medical condition, you will experience inflammation, pain, swelling, and other symptoms. When this happens, it becomes difficult for you to walk and function in your everyday life. Several factors increase the risk of knee pain.

The major risk factors of knee pain include

Excess body weight

Excess body weight (obesity) is the major risk factor for chronic knee pain and knee arthritis. According to a published study, the percentage of knee pain has increased mostly due to an increase in the number of obesity cases.

Degenerative diseases

Overuse of Knee joints over time or due to aging can cause wear and tear of the joints. For instance, osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease of the knee joint. It is a chronic condition. The common symptoms of this condition may include swollen knee joints after an extended period of inactivity; severe knee pain and stiffness after long resting spells.

Osteoporosis

In this condition, bones become weak and brittle due to loss of bone mineral density. It can be due to several reasons, but the most prominent among them is calcium and vitamin D deficiency. Progressive bone loss can make fractures more likely.

Gout

Uric acid crystals deposit in the joints and cause severe joint pain. Gout is a metabolic disease. It is a very painful condition as the deposition of crystals causes severe pain and inflammation in the joint.

Autoimmune disorders

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common connective tissue disorder that causes knee pain. An autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis is a common connective tissue disorder. It is an auto-inflammatory disease wherein the body’s immune system attacks its tissues. The symptoms may include joint inflammation, pain, loss of appetite, fever, and fatigue.

Bottom Line

You should not delay consulting a specialist orthopedic doctor if you have the following signs and symptoms:

• Severe knee pain
• Stiffness and swelling around the knee
• A popping sound as you straighten or flex your knee
• Warmth to touch and redness around the knee
• Inability to walk and stand firmly and properly
• Weakness of the knee
• Inability to fully extend or lengthen the knee

There could be many causes and risk factors of knee pain. if you have knee pain with the above signs and symptoms, then you must see your orthopedic doctor.