Introduction
A burning sensation in the knee is a burning pain that can also feel like a twinge or severe itching. It often occurs in the knee joint behind the kneecap. The burning sensation in the knee is usually caused by a disease that is accompanied by inflammation.
The inflammation makes the knee warm and painful. The causative disease can be a problem that affects the various structures of the knee. For example, parts of the bones, tendons, muscles, nerves or the bursa of the knee joint can be affected.
Causes
The following is an overview of the most common causes of burning in the knee. The diseases mentioned above will then be discussed in detail. Depending on the age and history of the person affected, a burning sensation in the knee can have very different causes.
In young, active people, the complaints are usually based on overloading or incorrect loading of the knee joint. When the leg muscles are heavily strained, the tendons and ligaments of the knee are pulled repeatedly. For example, sports that involve running for long periods or frequent bending of the knee can lead to knee problems.
If the resulting irritation of the tendons and ligaments is too high, they can become inflamed and cause a burning sensation in the knee. Depending on where the burning sensation is felt, the overloaded muscle group can be determined. Another cause for problems in the knee can be bursitis.
This can be caused by overstraining or also by an attack of gout. In addition, the cause of the burning sensation in the knee can be arthrosis. This often occurs as a result of prolonged incorrect or excessive strain.
In this case, a defective position of the legs or a strong strain such as braking while playing tennis leads to pressure on the cartilage in the knee joint. If this is worn out, one speaks of arthrosis. This is very painful and can become inflamed.
Inflammatory processes also occur in rheumatism and in the case of an infection with bacteria, which can be felt as a burning sensation in the knee. Furthermore, damage to or irritation of the nerves running through the knee joint can be the cause of the complaints. The pain often radiates into other parts of the legs.
- Overloading or incorrect loading
- Bursitis of the knee
- Arthrosis
- Rheumatism
In front and behind the kneecap there are bursae which are covered by a kind of mucous membrane. They are intended to cushion the up and down sliding of the patella when the knee is bent. They also prevent the kneecap from rubbing against the thigh bone.
If the load is too great, this results in high pressure on the bursae, which can lead to bursitis in the knee. In addition, an attack of gout can be the trigger for bursitis. In this case, individual uric acid crystals, which are more common in the joint with gout, can become detached and irritate the bursa.
This leads to an inflammation of the bursa, where even the slightest movement or pressure on the knee joint can cause severe pain and burning sensation. Arthrosis is a disease in which the cartilage in the joint is lost. It is caused by wear and tear processes, among other things.
Due to the loss of cartilage, the underlying bone is subjected to greater stress. This leads to stiffening and restricted movement of the joints. In addition, there is brief pain at the beginning of the movement and increasing pain under stress.
If the already damaged joint becomes inflamed, it is supplied with more blood. This causes it to turn red, warm and swell. In addition, a burning pain in the knee joint can be felt, especially during active inflammation.
Many parts of the knee can be severely damaged in a fall. Muscles can be pulled, ligaments torn or bones broken. The pressure on the knee can also cause an inflammation of the bursa.
After the fall, the body tries to repair the damage caused. During the healing process, the joint is supplied with more blood and immune cells of the body migrate. This process can be accompanied by overheating, swelling and a burning sensation in the knee, even if the damage caused is so small that it cannot be clearly seen externally.
If the burning sensation in the knee usually occurs after exertion, this indicates overloading of the ligaments, tendons or muscles in the area of the knee or arthrosis. If the knee is subjected to unusual or excessive strain, the pull on the ligaments and tendons can be so strong that they become irritated and hurt very badly if they are repeatedly strained. In osteoarthritis, the bones rub against each other more and more under stress due to loss of cartilage, which in turn leads to increased pain. In the so-called patellar tip syndrome, excessive strain also causes inflammation of the tendon attachment at the knee and thus a burning pain. This topic might also be of interest to you:
- Patellar Tendon Inflammation
- Patella tendon irritation
