To give you a better understanding of how the causes of knee pain may occur, let’s first, briefly look at how the knee joint is made up.

Basic Anatomy

The knee joint is held together by a number of different ligaments and tendons.

The ligaments attach bone to bone (at the joint) & tendons attach muscle to bone.

Between the bones are layers of cartilage allowing the bone ends to glide smoothly against each other.

Anyone of these parts can become damaged and cause you pain.

Sprained or Torn Ligaments

Sprained Ligaments:

Ligaments are somewhat like a strong elastic band. Under normal conditions they will stretch and then contract back to their original shape. When a Ligament is over stretched - like and elastic band - it may never go back to its original shape.  

Torn Ligaments:

In more severe cases the ligament ends may be torn away from the bones causing severe pain and joint instability. Torn ligaments are slow to heal due to the minimal blood flow. As an example, a common injury is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ACL is usually injured by a sudden twisting motion. ACL and other knee injuries are common sports injuries.

Strained and Ruptured Tendons

Strained Tendons:

Tendons are an extension of the muscles and are more pliable than the ligaments. Pulling a tendon is easy to do - especially if you fail to warm up your muscles before intense exercising. If the muscles are cold or fatigued then they will not be able to function at optimum capacity. If this happens the tendons are called upon to do more of the work load and can easily be over stressed.

Small stresses and tendon fibre tears are not always noticeable and in most cases do not cause much pain if they are rested and have a chance to heal. If over exertion continues and more tendon fibres are torn, this results is swelling, inflammation and pain.  

Ruptured Tendons:

If too many fibers are torn the tendon will "tear" and like the ligaments will not retract back to their original shape. 

Common cause of ligament and tendon injures:
Any injury affecting the knee joint can cause considerable pain, time off work and possibly even permanent disability. Knee injuries are common in all sports that require twisting movements and/or sudden changes of direction, like in racket ball, tennis, soccer, football, rugby, basketball, netball and alpine or water skiing. 

Osteoarthritis of the Knee Joint

Among the over 100 different types of arthritis conditions, osteoarthritis is the most common, affecting more than 20 million people in the United States alone.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive, degenerative disease in which the cartilage of the knee slowly wears away. Knee cartilage can be compared to the rubber tread of an automobile tire, which is very durable but susceptible to wear over time. Osteoarthritic changes can result in inflammation and often, debilitating pain.

The symptoms or osteoarthritis include:

• Morning stiffness that wears off quickly
• Swelling and stiffening of the knee joint
• Throbbing, constant ache and warmth of the joint
• Pain while standing
• Pain while walking short distances
• Pain and stiffness of the joint after prolonged inactivity, e.g. sitting in a theatre
• Pain changing position, such as sitting to standing
• Giving out or locking of the knee
• Failure of the knee to respond to medication

Causes of Osteoarthritis

The condition occurs more frequently as we age. Commonly, prior to the age of 45, osteoarthritis occurs more frequently in males. After 55 years of age, it occurs more frequently in females. .

Most cases of osteoarthritis have no known cause and are referred to as primary osteoarthritis. When the cause of the osteoarthritis is known, the condition is referred to as secondary osteoarthritis. The factors linked to osteoarthritis of the knee joint: are prior knee injuries and/or joint surgery, poor diet, excessive weight, lack of exercise or a genetic predisposition.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis in Knees

Rheumatoid arthritis of the knee is an inflammation of the joints and the tissues around the joints, such as the tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

Though less common than osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is among the most debilitating of the over one hundred forms of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease and is characterized by periods of flare-up and remission. It affects 1 in 100 people, although three times as many women are affected as men. People of all ages may have the condition, but it most commonly starts between the ages of 30 and 60 years old.

Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. Some believe the body's immune system gets triggered into action when there is no threat, and starts attacking the tissue lining the knee joints. Essentially, the body’s tissues are mistakenly attacked by their own immune system. It is possible that a virus or bacteria may trigger the disease in people with a genetic predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis. As a result, multiple family members may be affected with the disease. It has been suggested that the disease may be caused by severe stress like a life-changing event such as a death in the family, divorce, loss of a job or a severe injury.

Symptoms:

1. Fluctuating pain
2. Redness
3. Pain and swelling in the joints and difficulty moving
4. Rheumatoid nodules (lumps of tissue under the skin)
5. Other symptoms may include loss of appetite, fever, loss of energy and anemia.

Treatment for Knee Pain

Now you have the facts about common knee injuries and conditions, you can take an active role in managing your knee pain.

As with any injury or condition, the optimal treatment may involve a combination of education, rest, exercise, joint protection, medications, and occasionally surgery.

Non-Surgical Treatment

For most knee injuries, stabilizing and reinforcing the knee joint is a critical component of reducing pain and protecting the joint both from re-injury or new injuries.

Surgical Treatment

Millions of people have undergone knee replacement surgery since it was introduced in its current form in the 1960s. There are approximately 250,000 knee replacement procedures performed every year in the United States alone.

Where surgery is indicated, a Prolotex™ SOOTHING FIT knee band can provide an effective part of the overall pre and post-surgical stages of treatment. The four-way stretch design of our Knee Band will conform to your knee and be comfortable to wear. The Far Infrared rays emitted by Prolotex™ SOOTHING FIT Knee Bands helps to reduce scar tissue and will - over time - repair the nerve endings.

Whether you do or don’t need surgery, a key benefit is that the knee band provides a safe, complimentary method of pain management. Using the Prolotex™ SOOTHING FIT knee band in conjunction with other medical treatment and/or medication enhances your body’s chance of healing. You can also be reassured that even when prescription medications are no longer available to you, Prolotex™ SOOTHING FIT Knee Band continues providing you with pain relief.
Using a Prolotex™ SOOTHING FIT Knee Band provides both immediate and long-term pain relief, so you can get back to enjoying life. Order your bands now and return to a time when knee pain stop you from doing the things that mean the most to you.

Keep in mind, that if you believe you have any of the conditions mentioned above, it is best to consult with your doctor to obtain an accurate diagnosis and discuss the available treatment options. Along with your doctor’s recommendations, make the Prolotex™ SOOTHING FIT Knee Band part of your personal pain management program.