What is the most common cause of anterior knee pain?
Overuse of muscles Bending and overuse of the knee leads to high repetitive pressures between the kneecap and the femoral groove. The resulting overload, muscle fatigue and imbalances are the most common source of soreness and weakness around the knee.
What does it mean when your knees hurt as a teenager?
Typically, adolescent anterior knee pain develops as a result of overuse or poor training routines. Most often, it occurs when one set of muscles is worked harder than another. The resulting imbalance can wind up pulling the kneecap out of alignment, causing uneven stress inside the joint.
Can knee pain be caused by puberty?
Osgood-Schlatter disease happens during the growth spurt of puberty, when the bones, muscles, and tendons grow at different rates. In OSD, the tendon that connects the shinbone to the kneecap pulls on the growth plate at the top of the shinbone.
Will anterior knee pain go away?
Anterior knee pain often improves with a change in activity, exercise therapy, and the use of NSAIDs. Surgery is rarely needed.
What is runner’s knee pain?
Runner’s knee, also known as patellofemoral pain (PFP), means that you have pain in front of the knee or around the kneecap (patella). This is where the knee connects with the lower end of the thighbone (femur).
Is it normal for a 13 year old to have knee pain?
For teenagers, they’re often a common source of pain. While I stress with my patients that regular exercise is good for teens, knee pain is usually caused by overuse. In those cases, rest will often lead to a full recovery.
Can puberty cause joint pain?
Growing pains is a term that not only applies to the emotional challenges of childhood, but to the physical ones as well. Boys and girls between the ages of nine and 14 will commonly complain of muscle and joint pains directly associated with pubescent growth spurts.
Why do my daughters knees hurt?
The most common reason for knee pain in children is due to overuse. The anatomy of a child’s knee joint is extremely sensitive to small problems in alignment, training, and overuse. Pressure may pull the kneecap sideways out of its groove, causing pain around kneecap. This is often referred to as anterior knee pain.
Can growth spurts cause knee pain?
OSD is one of the most common causes of knee pain in adolescents and is most common in active adolescents going through growth spurts. The reason that children going through growth spurts are more likely to get OSD is because their bones are growing more quickly than their muscles and tendons.
Why does my knee hurt at the front?
Anterior knee pain begins when the kneecap does not move properly and rubs against the lower part of the thigh bone. This may occur because: The kneecap is in an abnormal position (also called poor alignment of the patellofemoral joint). There is tightness or weakness of the muscles on the front and back of your thigh.
What causes knee pain in an adolescent girl?
Adolescent anterior knee pain is not usually caused by a physical abnormality in the knee, but by overuse or a training routine that does not include adequate stretching or strengthening exercises.
What are the symptoms of anterior knee pain?
Symptoms The most common symptom of anterior knee pain is a dull, achy pain that begins gradually and is frequently activity related. Other common symptoms include: Popping or crackling sounds in the knee when you climb stairs or stand up and walk after prolonged sitting Pain at night
What causes pain in the front of the knee?
Active teenagers or young adults who participate in sports sometimes experience pain in the front of the knee, usually underneath the kneecap. This type of pain is not usually caused by a physical abnormality in the knee, but by overuse or inadequate stretching.
What to do about knee pain in teens?
Knee pain in teens results from overuse, specific knee injuries (blow to the knee) or medical conditions including Osgood-Schlatter disease, juvenile arthritis and osteochondritis dissecans. Treatment depends on the cause of the pain but may include RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) anti-inflammatories and physical therapy.