Want to Beat Knee Pain?

Written By: Chloe Wilson, BSc(Hons) Physiotherapy
Reviewed by: KPE Medical Review Board

Check Out Our New Book!

We are really excited to announce the launch of our latest book, Beat Knee Pain: Take Back Control. Everything you need to know to help you work out what is wrong with your knee and how to get back to doing what you love.

The Location of the Pain: Where you feel the pain in your knee can be a great indication of what the problem is. While the pain may spread around the joint, the main focus of the pain may be at the front, back or side of the knee, in the kneecap or further down either below the knee or in the calf.

How The Pain Started: Did the pain come on gradually over time with no obvious cause, or was there a specific injury such as a twisted knee that kicked it all off? Here we look at how you can work out what is going on by thinking about how the pain started and how it has progressed since.

Accurate knee pain diagnosis makes all the difference when recovering from knee problems. LEARN MORE >

The most common of these are popping noises, instability and giving way, locking, burning or sharp pain, pain with certain activities such as running and bending or on stairs, swelling or stiffness. This section looks at each of these specific symptoms and helps you to work out what is causing your knee pain.

In the knee symptoms section, we look at the most common symptoms associated with knee pain, how they indicate what is wrong and the best course of action to get rid of the pain for good. Learn More >

Knee Injuries: Where a specific part of the knee is injured, usually by twisting awkwardly, a sudden force through the knee or an accident. In the knee injuries section, we look at the different structures that are often damaged, including the knee ligaments, cartilage/meniscus, bones, muscle injuries including tendonosis and injuries to the kneecap.

Knee Conditions: These are problems in the knee that tend to come on gradually over time without a specific injury. In most cases, repetitive friction or pressure on part of the knee damages the joint leading to pain and affecting normal function. In the knee conditions section, we look at the most common causes of knee pain including tendonitis, bursitis, Runners Knee, Osgood Schlatters Disease and Gout. 

In each section, we look in depth at the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options for each cause of knee pain so you can take back control. LEARN MORE >

4. Knee Arthritis

Knee arthritis is the most common cause of knee pain in people over the age of fifty. Wear and tear and inflammation in the joint leads to pain and disability which can really affect your quality of life.

In the knee arthritis section, we cover all the different aspects of the condition including the:

• common causes and symptoms,
• how it is diagnosed,
• the different stages of arthritis,
• the best treatment options including conventional treatment and alternative medicine, looking at the pros and cons of both,
• exercises that you can do in your own home to reduce pain and regain your strength, stability and movement, and
• how your diet can affect your knee arthritis for better and worse.

Find out everything you need to know about each of these in the Knee Arthritis section.

5. Knee Pain Treatment

There is a whole range of treatment options out there that help to reduce knee pain and swelling. Once you know what is causing your pain, you can start treating your symptoms. 

In the knee treatment section, we will look at the ten most effective treatments for knee pain, and which ones work best for what problems. We look at how to:

• Treat Acute Injuries: by reducing pain, inflammation and tissue damage using PRICE therapy - protect, rest, ice, compression and elevation
• Reduce Ongoing Pain: using medication, injections, ice wraps, heat and acupuncture
• Regain Strength and Flexibility: with strengthening, stretching and stability exercises
• Restore Function: using different aids such as knee pads, braces, compression bandages

6. Knee Braces

Knee braces can be really useful with a whole range of knee problems. They help to protect the joint, improve stability and reduce the risk of re-injury.

There are a huge number of braces out there, and in the knee braces section we look at the best ones for a whole range of conditions, how to choose the right one for you and you can read user reviews. You can browse knee braces by:

1. Stability Level e.g. basic, advanced and elite,
2. Style e.g. pull-up sleeves, wrap-arounds and straps,
3. Braces for specific knee problems e.g. ACL injuries and arthritis and by
4. Manufacturer e.g. ACE, McDavid and Donjoy

7. Knee Exercises

Exercises are one of the best ways to reduce almost all cases of knee pain. By improving the strength, flexibility and stability of the knee, you reduce the forces going through the joint and make sure they are spread throughout the whole joint rather than all going through one part.

For the knee to move smoothly and fully in each direction, it needs all of the leg muscles to work together. 

8. Knee Surgery

Some cases of knee pain will need surgery. If the damage inside the joint is going to cause ongoing problems such as pain and instability, surgery may be needed to repair damaged tissue, remove debris or in some cases replace the whole joint.

In the knee operation section, we look at the most common types of surgery carried out on the knee ranging from keyhole surgery to clean out the joint, ligament repairs and reconstructions and knee stability surgery.

We also have a whole section dedicated to knee replacement surgery. For each we look at the indications for surgery, what actually happens before, during and after the operation, the rehabilitation process, risks and benefits and how to make the best recovery. LEARN MORE >

9. Knee Joint Anatomy

Understanding what goes on inside and around the knee joint and how the different structures work helps us to understand the different causes of knee pain. There are actually two knee joints - the tibiofemoral joint (between the thigh and shin bone) and the patellofemoral joint (between the kneecap and thigh).

In the knee joint anatomy section you can find out all about the different structures in the knee including the different ligaments and bursae, how the cartilage works to absorb stress on the joint, where the different muscles are and how they work and how the bones fit together. LEARN MORE >