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Understanding Knee Pain: Symptoms, Sounds, and Treatments

Renee Moten Knee Pain Specialist

I want to help you understand the type of knee pain you're experiencing and explain what it might mean. Let me guide you on the best ways to heal your knee pain.

 


Where Do You Feel Your Knee Pain? 

Front of Knee Pain

Knee pain can hit in different areas, and each location may suggest different issues:


 1. Front of the Knee (Anterior Pain)

  • Common Causes: Anterior knee pain often stems from conditions like patellar tendinitis, also known as "runner's knee." This pain is typically felt under or around the kneecap and can result from overuse, misalignment, or a weakness in the supporting muscles.

  • Additional Consideration: Pain in this area can also stem from weak shin muscles, particularly the Tibialis Anterior, which serves as a shock absorber for the knee.

  • Action: Strengthen the Tibialis Anterior muscle and consider exercises to correct any imbalances.

 

 2. Back of the Knee (Posterior Pain)

  • Common Causes: Posterior knee pain could be a sign of a Baker's cyst, hamstring tendinitis, or even a meniscus tear.

  • Additional Consideration: Pain and swelling in the back of the knee are commonly caused by the cyst, and this is often linked to a meniscus tear. These cysts are generally harmless unless they rupture.

  • Action: Seek professional help to address the root cause, such as the meniscus tear, before focusing on the cyst. Avoid draining the cyst or steroid injections, as this will cause the cysts to return.

 

 3. Outer Side of the Knee (Lateral Pain)

  • Common Causes: Ligament injury or iliotibial (IT) band syndrome. These conditions typically require a combination of checking the bottom of your shoes for poor wear patterns and adapting a foot and ankle exercise protocol.

  • Additional Consideration for Lateral Pain: Pain on the outside of the knee often stems from a tight IT band, not your knee.

  • Action: Strengthen the inner thigh muscles (Adductors) to balance the tension of the outer thigh muscles (Abductors). It’s important to avoid using a foam roller to loosen up the IT band. This action will usually cause the band and outer thigh muscles to tighten up even more.

 

 4. Inner Side of Knee Pain (Medial Pain)

  • Common Causes: Pain on the inside of the knee usually means you have a torn meniscus. There are 5 types of meniscus tears.  Check to see which one you have.  There is also an inner and outer meniscus in the knee.

  • Action: A special inner knee massage is required to push the access fluid out of the inner knee and into the lymphatic system, so the knee can start to heal.  



 

Note: Arthritis and osteoarthritis (bone-on-bone) usually aren’t extremely painful. They’re more likely to cause stiffness, soreness, and that familiar ache when the weather turns bad.


But nerve pain, meniscus tears, and torn ligaments? Those can bring on serious, intense pain that might even make it hard to move your knee.



Real Stories, Real Relief 

You’ve got to check out Dr. Bumi’s story. After going through so much and trying every medical treatment out there, she was told surgery might be her only option. I’m so glad she found me and finally got relief with my natural methods.



 


 2. Sounds and Symptoms: Decoding Knee Noises 

Sounds your knees make

The knee is a complex joint, and the sounds it makes can provide clues to what's happening inside;

 

Knee Popping Sounds

  • What It Is: A popping sound in the knee is often caused by gas bubbles in the knee's synovial fluid bursting. These bubbles, made of carbon dioxide or nitrogen, can collapse or rush past an opening when the knee bends or moves quickly, creating that familiar pop.

  • Is It Harmless?: Usually, yes. This type of popping is generally harmless, especially if there's no pain. However, if you have osteoarthritis, you might hear more frequent popping sounds due to increased joint wear.

 

Popping Sound with Pain

  • What It Is: A sudden, sharp pop in the knee can be a sign of a more serious issue, such as a ligament injury (like an ACL tear) or a meniscus tear.

  • Is It Harmless?: Yes. This sound is typically accompanied by immediate pain and swelling, and it requires prompt medical attention to prevent further damage.

 

Clicking Sounds

  • What It Is: Clicking noises in the knee can occur due to an unusual rotation or movement that causes a tight ligament or tendon to pop over a bony structure. Sometimes, this is just a minor cartilage issue.

  • Is It Harmless?: Often, yes. Clicking is usually harmless if there’s no associated pain.

 

Crunching or Grinding Sounds (Crepitus)

  • What It Is: A crunching or grinding noise when moving the knee is often linked to the knee cap being pulled out of alignment by the quadricep tendon. Prolong crunching can start to wear down the cartilage, which is commonly associated with osteoarthritis.

  • Is It Harmless?: It can be. While crepitus itself is generally harmless, a crunching


Knee Locking

  • What It Is: If your knee locks up, it usually means there's inflammation in the hamstring tendons behind the knee.

  • Is It Harmless?: Yes. Knee locking is a sign that muscles around the knee joint have gone into a protection mode called muscle guarding.



Explore My Proven Healing Methods


The Moten Method with Renee Moten

Curious about my healing methods and how the Knee Pain Recipe has helped hundreds of people reclaim their lives? Check it out at https://www.healmyknees.com/my-process and see how it can work for you too!


 



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