Burning knee pain is the sign that something is wrong that requires medical intervention. The burning feeling, usually accompanied by knee pain, could be the result of an injury to the front of the knee, the back of the knee or the side. The location of the pain will help your doctor narrow down possible diagnoses for the condition.
Front of knee pain can be the result of several conditions. It could be from tendonitis, chondromalacia, patellofemoral pain syndrome, bursitis or arthritis.
n Tendonitis
As it sounds, this is a swelling of the tendon. A tendon is a band of tissue that connects muscle to bone. As such, tendons are important for proper function. They help hold the joint structure together but also provide a link between muscle and bone, which makes movement possible.
n Chondromalacia
Chondromalacia is a softening of the cartilage. Cartilage functions to support a joint, but also provides a cushion so that bone does not rub against bone when you move. Various breakdowns of cartilage through chondromalacia or long-term wear and tear or injury can create bone-on-bone friction, which can be painful.
n Bursitis
This is a swelling of the bursar, which are sacs that provide a lubricated cushion between a bone and surrounding soft tissue. This soft tissue could be skin, muscle, ligaments or tendons.
n Arthritis
There are many types of arthritis, some associated with injury and some associated with a disorder or an illness. Arthritis, in effect, means joint disease.
This condition is marked by an overuse of the connective tissue that is situated on the outside (or lateral) side of the knee of thighs. The band, when healthy, moves forward across the condyle when the knee is extended.
This is a specific bursitis condition that refers to swollen bursa located between the tibia (the shinbone) and the tendons of the so-called hamstring muscle. It is an overuse injury marked by too much fluid in the bursa that puts painful pressure on the knee.
A ligament tear can be an overuse injury or it can be the result of a sudden traumatic injury. Often this is caused by a sudden twisting of the knee or a sudden extension of the leg when the ligament is not sufficiently stretched out to allow.
Cartilage, which inhabits the inner workings of a joint, residing between two bones, can also tear. You cannot sprain cartilage, but you can tear cartilage from overuse or from a sudden injury, although the former is more common.
The space behind the knee is called the popliteal space. When this space becomes swollen, the condition is called a Baker cyst or a Baker’s cyst. The result of a Baker’s cyst is swelling and stiffness. It can be referred to as a popliteal cyst.
Help!
Any sprain, fracture or break should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible to prevent further injury. Let us help you return to a normal, active lifestyle with minimum pain. Call FXRX Orthopaedics and Bracing in Phoenix, Az., at 480-499-FXRX.
