Sometimes knee pain occurs only on the inside or outside of the knee, and pain may also be limited to the front or back. If the pain occurs in only one area of the knee – inside, outside, front or back – this may be the first clue to the underlying cause. You can read about what this knee pain means here.
Knee pain on the inside
Knee pain on the inside often indicates damage to the medial meniscus.
In addition, the pain can also be caused by an inflamed bursa. Likewise, it is conceivable that the pain is due to tendon damage to one of the knee flexors.
Knee pain on the outside
Knee pain on the outside can likewise be caused by damaged tendons. However, the most common cause of pain on the outside of the knee is known as runner’s knee, which primarily affects long-distance runners and cyclists. Constant overuse causes stabbing pain in the outer knee.
Runner’s knee can be prevented with good running shoes, some warm-up exercises and regular stretching. If you already suffer from knee pain, anti-inflammatory ointments and a break from training are recommended.
Knee pain in the front
Pain in the front of the knee is often associated with the kneecap. For example, overuse of the patellar tendon – also known as patellar tendinopathy or jumper’s knee – can trigger pain below the kneecap.
Similarly, overuse of the patella can cause pain in the front of the knee: The pain is caused by high levels of athletic activity or frequent job-related kneeling and usually subsides after a few days of rest.
The patella ensures that forces are transferred from the thigh to the lower leg. Under certain circumstances, it can happen that the kneecap dislocates from its sliding path – this is called patella luxation. Such an injury is extremely painful: usually the knee can no longer be stretched, there is swelling as well as pain at the front of the knee. If the kneecap jumps out of its gliding path more frequently, this usually no longer causes pain, but can lead to cartilage damage in the long term. Depending on the cause of the complaints, physiotherapy can provide relief in the case of a patellar dislocation. In some cases, however, surgery may be necessary to prevent further dislocations.
If pain occurs in the front area of the knee after sporting activity, the so-called plica syndrome can also be the cause. This is a thickening of the folds of the synovial membrane. These folds can swell or become pinched, causing inflammation in the knee. In addition, the folds can also damage the joint cartilage. In addition to pain, problems stretching the joint and a creaking or cracking sound when bending indicate plica syndrome. If physiotherapy and rest do not improve the symptoms, the joint fold can be removed by arthroscopy.
Posterior knee pain
If pain occurs on the back of the knee, a Baker’s cyst may be the cause. In this case, synovial fluid accumulates in the form of a cyst and swelling occurs in the back of the knee as a result. A further characteristic of such a cyst is that a slight pain on exertion occurs when the knee is fully flexed or extended, and often complete flexion of the knee is not possible at all.
In addition to a Baker cyst, other causes of pain in the posterior aspect of the knee are possible:
- Meniscus damage
- Vascular disorders
- Diseases of the bone
- Injuries to the tendons of the knee flexor muscles.
