Therapy
As a therapy one should avoid overloading the knee and can additionally take anti-inflammatory medication (anti-inflammatory drugs). Above the knee, directly above the kneecap, there is a bursa, the bursa prepatellaris. This bursa has a tendency to become inflamed when overstressed.
Another cause of pain above the knee can therefore be an inflammation of this bursa (bursitis). Such an inflammation is caused by an infection or by a small injury (microlesion), for example when the knee is moved incorrectly during sports. Such bursitis can cause severe pain above the knee.
In addition, swelling occurs and the area becomes warm and sensitive to pressure. If the affected area is cooled, the pain becomes more bearable and the swelling decreases slightly. However, with increased strain, pain above the knee is also more frequent.
For therapy, the knee should therefore be kept as still as possible for some time and sports should be avoided if possible. In most cases, cooling ointments and protection are sufficient to make the inflammation disappear. If this does not happen, laser therapy or ultrasound treatment can help. Drugs such as ibuprofen also help to reduce the inflammation.
Pain above the knee due to Sinding-Larsen-Johansson’s disease
Sinding-Larsen-Johansson’s disease is a disorder that mainly affects young men or boys who put too much strain on their knee (for example, when jogging or playing soccer). This leads to a very painful inflammation due to the detachment of bone particles above the kneecap, which then die off (bone necrosis), causing inflammation.
