Random Knee Pain

The knee joint holds a majority of the body’s weight.  It is comprised of several different structures including bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bursa.  The bones that form the knee joint are the femur, tibia, fibula, and the patella.  Ligaments are dense fibrous bands that connect bone to bone.  In the knee joint, they connect the femur to the tibia.  There are four ligaments within the joint and they all help stabilize the knee.  Tendons are similar to ligaments but they connect muscles to bones.  The tendons in the knee are located on the front of the knee and help with straightening the knee.  The cartilaginous structures in the knee are called menisci.  They are located between the bones and form a cushion for the bones.  Lastly, bursa are fluid-filled sacs that also help cushion the knee.

As you can see there are many structures that make up the knee joint.  When one of them is out of place or not functioning correctly, the additional stress causes pain in the area.  This pain can affect daily living because the knee is a major weight bearing joint.  Here are some simple exercises to perform that can help relieve random knee pain. 

Flexibility helps decrease the risk of injury by lowering the stress placed on the knee.  The following stretches can help with knee pain.   Hold each for 10-30 seconds and repeat 3-4 times each leg.

1.     Hamstring Stretch: Lie on your back with one leg flat on the floor. Bend your other leg for support.  Loop a towel around your foot and pull your leg toward your chest keeping a slight bend at the knee. 

2.     Calf Stretch: Stand facing a wall, extend one leg straight behind you. Lean into the wall while keeping your heel on the ground. 

Strengthening the muscles around the joint protects you from injury by stabilizing the joint and decreasing the amount of stress on the knee.  Do each of these exercises 10-12 times, at least once a day.

1.     Straight Leg Raise:  Lay with one leg straight and one leg bent for support.  Slowly lift the straight leg 12 inches off the ground and lower it back down.  Repeat with the other leg.

2.     Leg Extensions: Sit on a chair with your feet resting on the ground.  Straighten one leg at the knee and slowly bring it back to the ground.  Repeat with each leg. 

3.    Side Leg Raise: Lie on your side with your legs straight and together.  Keeping your body straight, lift your top leg to shoulder height and slowly lower back to the starting position.  Repeat with the other leg.

4.     Step Ups: Using a staircase, step up with one foot, and then slowly lower back to the ground.  As you step up your knee should be directly over your ankle.  Repeat with the other leg.

5.     Mini Squat: Stand with feet hip width apart and with toes pointed forward.  Bend slightly at the knees only lowering a few inches.  Then return to standing position.  Make sure your knees stay behind your toes.

6.     Low impact activities like biking, swimming, and water aerobics are a good option because they put less stress on the joint.