Part 2: Where Is Your Knee Pain Coming From?

This is Part 2 of 5 blog posts about the 5 questions you need to ask yourself when it comes to your knee pain.

Where is your pain coming from?

Though the knee is a simple hinge joint between the femur and tibia (thigh and shin bones) and the femur and patella (thigh and knee cap bones), it has many moving parts and different types of tissues. Within the knee there are muscles, tendons, ligaments, articular cartilage, bursa,fat pad, and menisci. 

Here is a breakdown of some key anatomical areas that may be causing your knee pain.

• Front side (anterior)

  • Runner’s Knee (aka Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, PFPS)

  • Jumper’s Knee (aka Patellar Tendinitis)

  • Quadriceps tendinitis

  • Fat pad irritation

  • Patellar instability/maltracking

• Inside (medial)

  • Medial Cruciate Ligament (MCL) sprain/tear 

  • Bursitis

  • Medial meniscus/cartilage tear

• Deep inside

  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) sprain/tear 

  • Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) sprain/tear

• Outside (lateral)

  • Lateral Cruciate Ligament (LCL) sprain/tear 

  • Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT-Band) 

  • Lateral meniscus/cartilage tear

• Backside (posterior)

  • Hamstring tendinitis

  • Baker’s Cyst

  • Popliteus tendinitis

If your pain lingers longer than 3 weeks it should be addressed. Do not forget that you can self-refer to physical therapy in the state of California to be evaluated and treated and prevent the delays of traditional healthcare systems. 

If you cannot wait for the roll out of the remaining blog posts you can catch all the information at once in this video.