Talk about being attentive to my care! After my fall, Dr. Riley was with me throughout it all. A very patient doctor who will explain everything in full detail (as many times necessary.) Thank you for all you do doctor.
I've always been a very active person. After years of aching shins, I decided to take a leap and go see a local physician. It turned out I was experiencing a stress fracture! I am so glad I went to see Dr. Riley before it got worse. He suggested orthotics and to give it a rest on the sports for a bit. Thanks doc, is now better than ever!
Dr. Riley is the absolute BEST surgeon around! I wouldn't trust anyone else with my care. After exhausting all of the possible options for my knee without surgery. He allowed me to finally come to the conclusion that it is time. I am now a year pain-free!
Since I can remember I've played baseball. Due to pitching for so long, I had to retire my glove for about a year while I recovered from my UCL surgery. Even though the recovery path was long, I'm now back to playing the sport I love. Dr. Riley was nothing short of a miracle worker! I recommend him to everyone, you can't go wrong.
What is the cause of my knee pain?
Knee pain is currently the most common reason for a doctor visit. Which is not surprising due to today's increasingly active society. The knee joints main function is to bend, straighten and bare the weight of the body. To be able to perform all of these actions and to support the entire body while doing so, the knee relies on a number of structures including ligaments, bones, tendons, and cartilage.
Knee Pain Causes
There could be many reasons your knee is causing you pain. There are three main causes for your knee pain, which could be from overuse, sudden injury or an underlying condition.
Some of the most common causes of knee pain are tendinitis, sprained ligaments, meniscus tears, and runners knee. It is possible to also be experiencing pain from an old injury which was not properly treated, causing it to occasionally flare up or constantly hurt.
Below you will find several more knee pain causes:
Bursitis: A bursa is a small sac of fluid under the skin above the joint. This helps to prevent friction when the joint moves. Occasionally we may irritate the bursa over the kneecap from overuse, falls or repeated bending and kneeling. This can lead to swelling and pain.
Dislocated kneecap: A disclosed kneecap happens when you kneecap falls out of position, causing swelling and knee pain. It is also often called by physicians, patellar dislocation.
IT (iliotibial) band syndrome: The IT band is a piece of tough tissue which runs from your hip down to the outer part of your knee. This can become inflamed over time when activity is done in excess, causing pain on the outside of the knee. Which is common among runners when going downhill.
Meniscal tear: It’s possible for a knee injury to cause cartilage to tear. The rough edges can get stuck in the joint causing swelling and knee pain.
Osgood Schlatter disease: This typically occurs during childhood when bones are changing. Where the tendon from the kneecap connects to the skin, it can cause a painful bump. If exercise is done in excess this can cause irritation at the point on the bottom of the knee and it is often painful. Over time, the pain may come and go. This is especially common in teenage boys and girls.
Osteoarthritis: This condition causes the knee to swell and ache when active. It is also common for joints to be stiff early in the day. Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis known as the “wear and tear” type and is the top cause for knee pain over the age of 50.
Patellar tendinitis: This is an inflammation in the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone. When you overdo exercise, it is typical for it to become sore and inflamed.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome: Typically tightness, muscle imbalance and alignment issues cause this condition. This causes knees to buckle, meaning your knee suddenly can’t bear your weight. This is not due to an injury and is more common in women than men.
Common Knee Pain Treatments
There are many conservative treatments which could help aid in knee pain before considering surgical procedures or injections. One popular knee pain treatment is to use heat and ice after the first 48-72 of injury. If you are able to put pressure on your joints, make sure to get plenty of exercise and not too much rest. Too much rest might weaken your muscles, which tends to worsen joint pain.
Non-operative Knee Treatments
A cortisone injection may help to relieve pain and inflammation in a specific area of your body. This injection typically includes a corticosteroid medication and a local anesthetic.
The trigger point injection (also known as TPI) is used to treat pain in certain areas in the body that contain knots of muscle that form when muscles don’t relax.
Platelet Rich Plasma injections may help damaged tissue when plasma is injected into the damaged tissue to stimulate your body to grow new healthy cells and promote healing.
Surgical Knee Procedures
An ACL reconstruction is a surgery to replace a torn anterior cruciate ligament. This ligament is one of the major ligaments in the knee. This procedure is done by removing the torn ligament and replacing it with a piece of tendon from another part of your knee or a donor. This is done by just a small incision and is typically an outpatient procedure.
This procedure is done arthroscopically, depending on the injury will also depend on how much of the meniscus needs to be repaired. Your doctor will insert an arthroscope to allow a better view of the tear. After this is done, the tear is then stitched up. Over time, the stitches are absorbed by your body.
A lateral release is a minimally invasive procedure which is used to rectify an immoderate patellar tilt. This surgery involves cutting through a retinaculum for the kneecap to slide properly into place, which would restore to its normal alignment.
This is a common surgery which is done to repair damaged knee cartilage. The procedure is done with an arthroscope, which allows the doctor to get a closer look with a tiny incision.