Patients often visit our Atlanta Orthopedic Doctors with concerns regarding the health of their knees. People who have been physically active their whole lives and train on a regular basis suddenly notice a growing soreness in one or both of their knees.
For them, this situation seems like an anomaly and a nightmare. For our Orthopedic Doctors, it’s something that we see quite often. The joints that carry people through their entire lives are now the focus of their pain and discomfort.
Understanding Knee Pain
What makes your knees different than the rest of your body is how quickly they deteriorate. One day, you are running laps around a track or dribbling a basketball down the court when all of a sudden, you’re unable to move because one of your knees has locked up.
The bones that exist in this part of your body are the femur, the tibia, and the patella. Together, they connect to form your knee joint, while the articulating aspects are protected or covered with cartilage. The tibia contains cartilage that acts as shock-absorbers, which are held in position by ligaments. The inner part of the joint is protected by the synovial membrane, while the outer portion of the joint is covered by a fibrous capsule. The point of this is to illustrate how both of your knees are designed to withstand significant amounts of pressure.
However, when the cartilage inside of your knees starts to wear thin, it quickly becomes too painful to follow through with any kind of exercise or training routine.
Diagnosing Knee Pain and Injuries
To determine the most appropriate form of treatment for any patient’s knee damage or pain, it’s important to conduct a complete examination. When you visit AICA Orthopedics, our doctors will ask you a series of questions about your medical history and lifestyle. They will then conduct a physical that reviews the area of your body that’s in pain, as well as other locations that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Depending on the circumstances, your Atlanta Orthopedic Doctor may recommend the use of an imaging device to gain a better or more complete understanding of your knee’s condition. Using X-rays or CT Scans, our doctors can develop a comprehensive, 360-degree perspective of your knee to see whether fractures or micro-tears exist.
Common Types of Knee Pain Treated By Our Orthopedic Doctors
Although each patient is unique, the most common causes of knee pain are:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- ACL injuries
- MCL injuries
- Tendonitis
Atlanta Orthopedic Treatment For Runner’s Knee and Knee Pain
Our Atlanta Orthopedic Doctors develop personalized treatment plans for each patient based on the unique characteristics of their condition, the results of their examination, and their medical history.
However, most of our patients respond well to conservative treatment solutions that include:
- Anti-inflammatory resources
- Ice therapy
- Rest
- Stabilization exercises
- Compression
You can learn more about our approach to treating knee pain, as well as which treatment options are appropriate for your condition by scheduling an appointment with us. Contact or call our office today by dialing (404) 855-2141.
