Knee pain has many possible causes, the most common of which are fractures (broken bones), sprains and strains (overstretched ligaments and muscles), and knee arthritis. Knee pain can also be a result of ligament tears and tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons).

Whether the pain would go away on its own would depend on the type of condition or injury that you have. With minor injuries like sprains and strains, the pain should slowly dissipate in a matter of days. Otherwise, you should take it as a sign of a serious injury.

This would depend on the severity of your knee pain and other symptoms. Pay attention to what your body is telling you.

The following circumstances usually warrant medical attention:

• If you sustained an injury that has caused your knee to swell and reduced your range of motion
• If basic home remedies don’t provide satisfactory pain relief after several days
• If you develop a fever higher than 101 degrees
• If you notice a deformity after an injury

In the knee joint there is a layer of smooth cartilage on the lower end of the femur (thighbone), the upper end of the tibia (shinbone), and the undersurface of the patella (kneecap). This cartilage serves as a cushion and allows for smooth motion of the knee. Arthritis is a wearing away of this smooth cartilage. Eventually, it wears down to bone. Rubbing of bone against bone causes discomfort, swelling and stiffness.

A knee replacement is really a cartilage replacement with an artificial surface. The knee itself is not replaced, as commonly thought, but rather an artificial substitute for the cartilage is inserted on the end of the bones. This is done with a metal alloy on the femur and plastic spacer on the tibia and occasionally the patella (kneecap). This creates a new smooth cushion and a functioning joint that does not hurt.

For the majority of people who have hip replacement surgery, the procedure results in:

• a decrease in pain
• increased mobility
• improvements in activities of daily living
• Improved quality of life.

Partial and total knee replacement

In some patients, only one part of the knee is damaged, while the remaining parts are completely healthy. In these cases, it is possible to replace only the damaged part of the knee with a metal and plastic implant. This can usually be done through a smaller incision.

There’s no precise formula for determining when you should have a knee replacement. But if you’re having trouble doing your daily activities and require analgesics daily to do this activities. If the deformity is more then one can think of knee replacement.

Arthritis is an umbrella term for a number of disease entities in which the joints become inflamed and the cartilage that lines the bones deteriorates. Eventually, bone on bone wear occurs. As the disease progresses, patients often experience pain, stiffness, and disability. The vast majority of people diagnosed have osteoarthritis and in most cases the cause of their condition cannot be identified. One or more joints may be affected. Rheumatoid arthritis (and other forms of inflammatory arthritis) is a disease that affects the entire system and multiple joints. This type of arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the body perceives the cartilage to be a foreign substance and attacks it.

If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, having an affected knee does not mean that you will develop arthritis in the opposite knee. About 40 percent of patients who have osteoarthritis in one knee will have the same condition in the other knee. In contrast, patients with rheumatoid arthritis often develop problems in both knees.

The cracking sound represents the rough surfaces rubbing against one another. Instead of smooth cartilage sliding against cartilage, arthritic bone is rough and irregular, and will not glide well.

A prosthesis is an implant for a total knee replacement that is made of a combination of metal and plastic. The metal parts are generally composed of cobalt chrome, and the plastic is made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

While knee implants generally do not set off metal detectors, more sensitive machines may register the presence of the implant. Some physicians give their patients cards to show at the airport that explain that the bearer has received a knee prosthesis containing metal.

The operation generally takes between 1 to 2 hours.

Yes, healthy patients younger than 75 years old, with no cardiopulmonary disease may be candidates for such surgery. Your orthopedist can tell you more about what is involved.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is probably the most commonly injured ligament of the knee. In most cases, the ligament is injured by people participating in athletic activity. As sports have become an increasingly important part of day-to-day life over the past few decades, the number of ACL injuries has steadily increased. This injury has received a great deal of attention from orthopedic surgeons over the past 15 years, and very successful operations to reconstruct the torn ACL have been invented.

There are 3 Types of ACL Injuries:

– First Degree: the fibers of the ACL ligament are stretched, but there is no tear in the fibers. There is a little tenderness and swelling. Weight bearing and walking are still possible. The knee does not feel unstable or give out during activity.
– Second Degree: the fibers of the ACL ligament are partially torn. There is tenderness and moderate swelling. Walking feels uncomfortable, and you may need to limp. The joint may feel unstable or give out during activity. It is recommended that you consult your doctor for evaluation.
– Third Degree: the fibers of the ACL ligament are completely torn and there is usually a lot of pain at the time of tear, but decreases as time passes. There may be some swelling or a lot of swelling. The ligament cannot hold the knee in place properly and the knee feels unstable and may give out and walking is usually difficult and may require the use of crutches. This type of injury requires a visit to the doctor and may require some degree of surgery.

A knee brace for ACL protection can be an effective treatment in some individuals, but in sporting individuals knee surgery for ACL reconstruction is usually indicated to restore knee joint stability and reduce the risk of developing knee arthritis in the long term. Following ACL surgery, physical therapy rehabilitation is very important.