Knee pain/swelling
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Knee pain/swelling | |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Causes
Common causes
Acute knee pain
- Ligament injuries
- Tendon injuries (tendinitis)
- Meniscus injuries
- Loose body
- Dislocated kneecap
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Hyperextended knee
- Septic arthritis
Chronic knee pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Gout
- Chondromalacia of the patella, or patellofemoral pain
Causes by Organ System
Causes in Alphabetical Order
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms
- Gait abnormalities
- Swelling
- Erythema
- Deformity
- Muscle atrophy
Physical Examination
- Range of motion
- Palpate area of concern
- "Milk the joint"
- McMurray circumduction test
- Ligament testing
Laboratory Findings
- Complete blood count
- C-reactive protein
- Uric acid
- Alkaline phosphatase
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
X-Ray
- Anteroposterior, lateral and merchant (or sunrise) films of both knees
- Tunnel views of knee
- Merchant and sunrise of the patella
MRI and CT
- MRI for confirmation of suspected diagnosis
Other Diagnostic Studies
- Bone scan
- Joint aspiration
Treatment
- Conservative therapy is best
- Lifestyle changes
- Physical therapy
- Exercise
Pharmacotherapy
Acute Pharmacotherapies
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Joint medications
- Antibiotics
Surgery and Device Based Therapy
- Surgery necessary for most ACL injuries
- Meniscal tears may require surgical repair
- Joint infection requires surgery (emergency)
- Surgery may be necessary for osteoarthritis, if conservative treatment fails