Knee Pain Doctor
Type of Doctor to See For Knee Pain – A lot of people are confused about which doctor to see for knee pain. To get the best possible treatment, choose an orthopedic doctor. Orthopedic doctors have the specialized knowledge and training needed to treat a wide variety of problems affecting the musculoskeletal system — bones, joints, cartilage, muscles, and nerves — including the knees.
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Which doctor is best for knee pain?
Orthopedic Knee Surgeon – Orthopedic surgeons treat musculoskeletal conditions, including injuries and diseases of the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. They have completed extensive training in diagnosing conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system.
- Our team at the Noyes Knee Institute works closely with other healthcare team members, such as physical therapists and pain management specialists.
- Orthopedic surgeons diagnose and treat various conditions that affect the knee joint.
- This may include injuries such as ligament tears or fractures and degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis.
An orthopedic surgeon first thoroughly evaluates the knees. They may order imaging tests such as X-rays or MRIs. We then develop a treatment plan tailored to the patient’s needs. Non-surgical interventions include physical therapy, medications, or injections.
What will an orthopedic doctor do for knee pain?
Ultrasound-Guided Cortisone Injections – An orthopedic doctor can administer ultrasound-guided cortisone shots as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for knee pain. Ultrasound is used for precision and the combination of cortisone and anesthetic helps deliver long-lasting pain relief. Patients with both acute or chronic knee pain can benefit from this type of therapy.
Can I go to the doctor for knee pain?
Schedule a doctor’s visit – Make an appointment with your doctor if your knee pain was caused by a particularly forceful impact or if it’s accompanied by:
- Significant swelling
- Redness
- Tenderness and warmth around the joint
- Significant pain
- Fever
If you’ve had minor knee pain for some time, make an appointment with your doctor if the pain worsens to the point that it interferes with your usual activities or sleep.
Should I see a physio for knee pain?
How does physiotherapy treat knee pain? – Your physiotherapist will carry out a thorough assessment to find out what component(s) of your knee is the primary cause of your problem. PRICE guidelines (Protection, Rest, ICE) may be utilised initially and this might be in the form of crutches, a knee support or the use of ice therapy. As your range of movement increases and your pain settles, your physiotherapist will advance your exercises, working on your strength and balance, ensuring that you get back to full fitness.
- Tiger Woods is a great example of a professional player who had recurrent surgery on his knee following damage to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
- If your pain is not settling or is worsening over a period of 2-3 weeks, and is stopping you from doing your normal activities, then you should seek further advice from your GP/physiotherapist.
Equally, if the pain persists but isn’t interfering with your normal activity, but goes on for more than 6 weeks, you should seek advice. Physiotherapists are specialists in the care of muscle, bone and joint conditions and will be able to offer sensible advice and treatment where needed, and will be tailored to your needs and based on the best evidence we have.
Do all knee injuries show up on MRI?
These injuries are easy misses for radiologists unfamiliar with the problems – here’s what you should look for. Knee injuries are common, and MRI is a highly accurate way to visualize the problem. But, there are five knee injuries that are frequently overlooked, particularly by inexperienced readers.
- While catching these injuries might not change clinical management or lead to surgery, it can reduce patient symptoms, such as pain, tenderness, clicking, locking, and instability.
- Identifying them can also potentially help patient avoid further injury.
- In an article published June 17 in the American Journal of Roentgenology, a team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong outlined what these commonly missed injuries are and what providers should look for to detect them.
Ramp Lesion This injury is most common with young male patients who play contact sports. There are five types of lesions, and they typically involve:
vertical longitudinal tears located at the peripheral meniscocapsular junction of the posterior horn medial meniscusthe peripheral part of the posterior horn or attachments to the posterior horn, particularly the meniscocapsular and meniscotibial ligaments.
These lesions are best seen on sagittal proton density-weighted and T2-weighted fat-saturated MR sequences. To catch them, radiologists should become familiar with the normal appearance of the meniscocapsular junction of the posterior horn or the medial meniscus. When viewing these images look for:
non-compact tissue applied to the posterior horn of the medial meniscus that comprises the meniscocapsular ligament and the meniscotibial ligament with intervening fatty issue thin vertical peripheral tears of the meniscus or small corner tears of the meniscocapsular and meniscotibial ligaments with fluid interposition
Meniscocapsular Tear These tears can occur at the posterior horn medial meniscus, the medial meniscal body or posterior horn and lateral meniscus body, and they can lead to hypermobility in the knee that can cause clicking and locking, as well as further injury.
be familiar with the normal appearance of meniscocapsular attachmentsroutinely inspect the peripheral attachments of menisci in all knee MRI examslook for PMF tears and posterior root ligament tearsevaluate the posterior horn of the lateral meniscusexclude the abnormal far lateral extension of the meniscofemoral attachment
Meniscal Root Ligament Tear These injuries mostly affect the posterior roots of the medial or lateral menisci, but they can also impact anterior roots. Posterior roots are more susceptible because they are relatively immobile and experience significant force during knee flexion.
always inspect the root ligaments, following the meniscal tissue into its bony attachmentdo not mistake loose fibrotic or reparative-type T2-weighted or proton density-weighted hyperintense tissue at the attachment site as normal root ligamentinspect posterior root of the lateral meniscus using oblique coronal imaging
In unclear circumstances, report findings as “possible root ligament tear.” Posterior Capsular Ligament Tear These injuries are difficult to diagnose because the ligament cannot be identified directly and capsular-ligamentous discontinuity is uncommon.
They are best visualized on axial images at the level of the knee joint. Although edema can occur with these ligaments in both non-trauma and trauma situations, the amount and location of swelling is used for diagnosis. It can indicate mild, moderate, and severe injury. Partial Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear Accounting for approximately 30 percent of all ACL tears, these injuries are often overlooked because they are difficult to evaluate clinically and on routine arthroscopy.
Double oblique axial proton density-weighted sequences are helpful for evaluation. However, flexion sagittal views are more helpful to distinguish between partial and complete ACL tears. When looking at an MRI image, suspect a partial tear when:
ligament continuity is maintainedACL seems indistinct, attenuated, bowed, and more separate than usual
This most common injury pattern is:
complete tear of one bundle, roughly affecting the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles equallypartial tear of the other bundle
Who should I see first for knee pain?
Type of Doctor to See For Knee Pain – A lot of people are confused about which doctor to see for knee pain. To get the best possible treatment, choose an orthopedic doctor. Orthopedic doctors have the specialized knowledge and training needed to treat a wide variety of problems affecting the musculoskeletal system — bones, joints, cartilage, muscles, and nerves — including the knees.
Is physiotherapy or chiropractor better for knee pain?
Which One Should You See for Your Pain? – A physiotherapist can treat pain caused by injury and injuries, but they’re also trained to treat common aches and pains, such as back pain and knee pain. Chiropractors focus on the spine and nervous system. They’re more likely to help you with pain caused by injury or arthritis.
At what age do knees start hurting?
Joint pain and stiffness seem to go hand in hand with aging, not just old age. Starting around age 30, you begin to lose bone density and muscle mass, both of which can create strain and pain in your joints. Robin Jahrous of Lake Bluff, IL, certainly felt that strain and pain as a young adult.
- She was diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis (OA) in her 30s.
- This type of arthritis, sometimes called “wear and tear” arthritis, happens when the cartilage that protects the ends of your joints wears down.
- As the years wore on, her joints continued to wear down.
- In 2010, when Robin was 55, she had a knee replacement,
“Most people will develop some degree of osteoarthritis, That is what usually causes joint aches and pains as people get older,” says Keith Roach, MD, an associate attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and an associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.
However, he says people who see him for new joint pain don’t always have OA. Sometimes there’s an obvious injury. Sometimes, it might be another disease. More than 32.5 million adults have OA-related joint pain, aching, stiffness, or limited mobility. But you can have stiff joints without OA. In fact, you can have stiff joints without any clear cause.
Blame it on getting older. The connective tissue in your tendons and ligaments gets stiffer as you age. Also, loss of muscle strength as you age can increase pressure on your joints, especially your knees. Roach says the pain you feel is likely the start of OA, which commonly starts in your 50s and usually affects women more than men.
You’ll want a doctor to check it out instead of only self-treating symptoms at home. That way you can get some personalized advice on how to maximize your joint health. Plus, it is important to know if the pain is instead caused by something serious like an autoimmune disease, If you’re well into middle age or past it, your doctor may consider a handful of conditions that aren’t due to mechanical stresses: the pounding, twisting, and pulling our joints endure countless times a day.
“Other causes of intra-articular pain, which is pain inside the joint as opposed to the tissues around it, can be broadly characterized as inflammatory conditions, ” says Ruchi Jain, MD, a rheumatologist at Magnolia Rheumatology in Westchester County, New York.
- There are many inflammatory joint conditions – essentially inflammatory arthritis – but they all have one thing in common: an overactive immune system,
- Unlike OA, they aren’t usually associated with aging.
- But some inflammatory conditions do have a big impact on an older population.
- Pseudogout commonly affects wrists and knee joints in patients above the age of 65.
Your doctor may also look at the possibility of elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis,” Jain says. Another diagnosis that may be considered is polymyalgia rheumatica, or PMR. “It typically causes sore, stiff shoulders and hips, and sometimes systemic features such as fatigue and low fevers,” Jain says.
Joint-related injury (such as strained ligaments and tendons) Bone pain from fractures Lack of vitamin D Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland
You may be able to reduce your risk of joint pain and injuries as you age by making smart choices. For example, warm up before exercise and stop if you feel new or worsening pain. It’s more challenging to reduce your risk of joint diseases, though not impossible. To keep your joints as healthy as possible into your golden years, follow these general tips to reduce pain and maintain function:
Make exercise a top priority.Keep your weight in a healthy range.Take steps to prevent injury if you play a sport.Ask your doctor if you have certain deficiencies, such as vitamin D or estrogen,
Treatment for painful or stiff joints depends entirely on the cause of your pain. For OA, your doctor may suggest one or more of these treatments recommended by the American College of Rheumatology:
Acetaminophen Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ) in pills or spread on your skin Some opioid pain relievers, but only for a short timeJoint injections (often corticosteroid shots) Aerobic, aquatic, or resistance exercises Weight loss Special insoles for different types of knee OA Physical therapy Tai chi
Inflammatory conditions require a different treatment approach. You’ll want to treat the symptoms as well as the disease. Your doctor will work with you on a customized treatment plan, but in general it will focus on these areas:
Medications to manage the diseaseSometimes, medications to manage the side effectsA diet that promotes healthy weight and reduces inflammation Regular, low-impact physical activity Stress management Symptom tracking to help your doctor know if the plan is working
What is another name for a knee specialist?
An orthopedist (also spelled orthopaedist) is a medical specialty focusing on injuries and diseases affecting your musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, joints and soft tissues).
What kind of doctor treats arthritis in the knees?
Which Type of Health Care Provider To See – If you’re having joint symptoms that cause concern, an appointment with a primary care practitioner is a good place to start. But sometimes arthritis is difficult to diagnose. You might need to see a specialist.
Can I see a chiropractor for knee pain?
The Knee Joint – The knee is a complex joint that relies heavily on ligaments and muscles for stability. The knee is a major weight bearing joint and consists of:
the tibia-femoral joint (between the thigh and lower leg) the patella-femoral joint (between the kneecap and the thigh), muscles and ligaments, which gives active and passive stability to the knee. two ring shaped cartilage discs in the knee, called the menisci (one meniscus)
You do not have to decide to live with the pain or stop enjoying exercise and family time. Nor should you have to decide that pain medication is now just “part of life”. Consider the option of chiropractic treatment. Yes, oftentimes, an accredited chiropractor can start to treat and care for the underlying issues that are likely causing knee pain.
Discomfort is not something you need to accept as “the norm” or “part of aging”. Contemporary chiropractic treatment includes more than 150 techniques that chiropractors use to manually adjust the spine, joints and muscles with varying degrees of force. Chiropractors focus on the relationships between structure and function.
This is essential in finding the root causes of knee pain. In the past, chiropractic care got mixed reviews from other doctors. However, in early 2017, The American College of Physicians released new guidelines. It now supports the use of nonpharmacologic therapies, such as chiropractic and acupuncture, as first-line treatments for some types of pain, before using medication.