Common Knee Problems

Mild pain and stiffness (improves and gets better in 3-4 weeks)

• bruising of soft tissue around the knee joint including minor sprain to the ligaments.   
• minor flare up of osteoarthritic symptoms.

 

Mild to moderate pain, swelling, stiffness and some difficulty in walking and locking

• injury to meniscus (tear)
• injury to ligaments
• injury to articular cartilage
• bone bruise
• flare up of osteoartritic symptoms

 

Moderate to severe pain, swelling, great difficulty or unable to walk

• tear of anterior cruciate ligament
• tear of posterior cruciate ligaments
• tear of medial or lateral Collateral ligament
• tear of meniscus
• fractures (broken bone)

 

Knee keeps giving way

• ligament instability - commonly due to anterior cruciate ligament rupture.

 

Knee is suddenly locked in one position

• tear of the meniscus with torn piece trapped between the bone ends.
• loose piece of bone trapped inside.

 

Deformity (knee looks out of shape)

• kneecap (patella) out of position.
• fracture involving the knee joint.

 

In the absence of injury

Pain, stiffness, swelling mainly felt after activity

• early features of osteoarthritis, other type of arthritis and other uncommon conditions.

Pain (during rest and activity), stiffness, swelling and deformity

• late features of osteoarthritis or other types of arthritis.