Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
36 “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ТРАВЕНЬ 2010 KNEE PAIN by Ihor Magun, MD, FACP Among the ten most common problems presented to physicians, knee pain always tops the list. K nowing the basic anatomy of the knee makes it easier to understand the various causes for knee pain. The basic anatomical description below can help you visualize what the knees do, what can go wrong, and what can be prescribed to fix the problem. Unders tanding the Knee . The knee joint has three compartments. The large upper (thigh) bone is called the femur and sits on the (shin bone) tibia. T ogether these two bones form the main knee joint. This joint has an inner and an outer compartment that form a sec ond compartment. The kneecap ( patella ) sits on the femur and forms the third compartment , the patellofemoral joint. For joint stability and strength, two distinct sets of ligaments surround the knee joint — one on the inside and the other on the outside (col lateral ligaments) and anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments , which cross within the joint. Ligaments are fibrous tissue that connects to bone or cartilage. Tendons are fibrous tissue that connects muscle to bone. All of these work together to provide knee stability. A thick cartilage pad called the meniscus is found between the two joints formed by the femur and tibia. This pad absorbs the load of the body above the knee when you are standing. The knee is a weight - bearing joint and the meniscus serves to evenly load the surface during walking and distributes joint fluid for lubrication. S mall fluid - filled sacs called bursae surround the knee joint and provide a gliding surface that reduces the friction of the tendons. Finally, thigh muscles move the k nee. Q uadriceps muscles (in the front of the thigh) allow for e xtension of the knee ; hamstring muscles (in the back of the thigh) flex the knee. Common Knee Injuries . Falls can cause knee damage. The extent of the damage can sometimes (but not always) be r evealed with an X - ray, which can show bone and soft - tissue swelling. An X - ray, however, may not show a torn or injured meniscus or ligament so other diagnostic technology (such as an MRI scan) may be necessary. Muscle injuries primarily occur with accident s and new exercise routines and are commonly experienced by weekend warriors. Such injuries are not as debilitating as those that damage bones or the meniscus or the ligaments. They are frequently self - diagnosed and self - medicated. Osteoarthritis . O steoar thritis presents with knee pain , primarily with standing or walking. The most common cause is being overweight . The excess weight cause s pressure and leads to degeneration of the cartilage with loss of the cushioning effect and the result is bone pressing o n bone. Frequently, injecting a lubricating material “buys time” for surgical correction or weight loss. For every pound you lose, there is a four pound decrease in weight bearing pressure on the leg. A five pound weight los s (something that can be easily achieved) provides 20 pounds of relief. Arthritis . Arthritic complaints present in many ways, but with classic rheumatoid arthritis the symptoms are bilateral swelling; the knees are often red and warm to the touch . If these symptoms are found on ly in one knee, the problem may be gout or pseudogout or may stem from a sexually transmitted disease . T hese conditions are usually treated with oral medications. Problems occur when chronic inflammation destroys the joint. Tumors . Tumors of the knee are rare except in young men and women. Unexplained knee pain in young people should never be ignored. Bursitis . Inflammation of the bursa (sacs) most commonly occurs on th e inside of the knee (anserine bursitis) and in front of the knee cap ( patellar bursitis ) . This con dition can cause severe pain (with specific points of tenderness) and occur s in people who kneel for prolonged periods of time. Bursitis can also be cause by c ertain traumatic injuries. Chondromalacia or the patellofemoral syndrome. This is one of the mos t common causes of knee pain in teenage girls. What occurs is softening of the cartilage beneath the patella. The patella then rubs against the femur and erodes the cartilage. The actual cause of this excessive and uneven pressure is primarily due to struc tural changes that accompany rapid growth. This condition can be treated and should always be addressed. Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
Page load link
Go to Top