IBJI Blog

The Pain of Runner's Knee (symptoms)

If you’re an athlete who takes part in any sport that forces you to regularly bend your knees, you are at risk for runner's knee. Sports that are usually considered low impact, like bicycling, as well as high impact sports, like basketball, all carry some level of risk to develop the symptoms of Runner's knee.  Some of the symptoms associated with runners knee are:

• Pain when the knee is bent
• The pain is usually near the top of the knee
• Swelling in the knee
• A popping noise
• Going down stairs makes the pain worse
• Pain behind the kneecap (patella)
• A grinding noise from the knee

Petellofemoral Pain Syndrome AKA Runner's Knee

The medical term for runner's knee is patellofemoral pain syndrome due to the pain being behind the patella and close to the femur. Really this syndrome is used to group together a number of disorders with similar symptoms. The disorders that can cause runner's knee included:

The Reasons To See A Pain Management Specialist

Pain comes in two basic forms chronic and acute. In most cases acute pain is a result of a sudden event like surgery, bone fractures, infections, cuts and lacerations, falls, and burns. Acute pain is normally treated by a physician immediately following the event that caused the pain. Usually the pain does not last very long, six months at the longest and it dissipates as the injury or condition heals. Chronic pain is long lasting and is the result of a disease or condition. Some chronic pain may be the result of trauma which caused a longer term issue. In many cases the pain starts to affect the patient in unexpected ways like a loss of appetite, depression, and a decrease in energy. When a patient begins to experience chronic pain it is time to see a pain management doctor.

Common Chronic Pain Symptoms

Some common chronic pain symptoms and complaints include:

• Spine and back pain
• Headaches
• Arthritis and osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Damage to nerves
• Cancer and cancer treatments
• Joint damage and inflammation
• Psychological

The Shoulder’s Support Mechanism

The name “rotator cuff” makes most people imagine a single object that holds the shoulder in place. In reality the rotator cuff is made up of multiple tendons and muscles that work together to hold the ball on the upper arm in the socket created by the collarbone and shoulder blade. This combination of tendons, muscle, and bone gives the shoulder the greatest range of motion in any joint of the human body.  This incredible range of motion can leave the joint, and its complex anatomy, open to injury.

The Where and How of Torn Rotator Cuffs

A tear in the rotator cuff is not usually a torn muscle, but a torn tendon. There are two ways tears can happen, either a sudden traumatic injury or through repetitive motion.  Typically a traumatic rotator cuff injury occurs following a fall or after lifting a very heavy object. The more common repetitive motion type rotator cuff tears often occur in athletes who need to use their shoulders as part of their chosen sport. Football quarterbacks, swimmers, tennis players and baseball pitchers are all commonly seen for rotator cuff tears.

The Arthroscopic Surgery Difference

Compared to traditional knee surgery, arthroscopic surgery is considered a “less invasive” surgery because only a few small incisions are made around the knee. These small cuts allow the surgeon to place a tiny camera in the knee. The camera allows the physician to see exactly what the damage to the joint is. Once the doctor visualizes the damage, they are able to insert very small surgical instruments through the camera to repair the damage.

The use of only small incisions and tiny tools means that the surgical treatment of knee injuries and conditions using arthroscopic surgery causes less damage than traditional surgery. In fact arthroscopic knee surgery can be performed using only local anesthetic, though spinal and general anesthesia are also options. The recovery from arthroscopic surgery is typically easier and quicker than traditional surgery. Shorter recovery still means that there is a certain amount of therapy and recovery that is needed to get the joint back to, or close to, normal functioning.

Conditions Treated By Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Not every knee problem is treatable through arthroscopic surgery. The typical conditions and injuries that are treatable through knee arthroscopy are:

• Damaged anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL & PCL)
• Misalignment of the patella
• Meniscus tears
• Inflammation of the synovium (lining if the joint)
• Specific types of fractures
• Baker’s cyst removal
• Removal of loose or broken cartilage  and bone
• Cartilage microfracturing

Is Your Wrist Pain Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Pain in the wrists is a common complaint associated with carpal tunnel syndrome but is not its only symptom. You may be experiencing numbness or tingling in the palm of your hand as well as the thumb, index and middle fingers of your hand. At first the pain and numbness may get worse at night and may be alleviated by shaking your hands. Another very common complaint is a weakening of the fingers and wrist as well difficulty with fine control of the fingers. Some of these symptoms are also signs of other diseases If you think you may be experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome the first thing to do is get an expert diagnosis by an orthopedic surgeon.

Pressure –Carpal Tunnel Syndrome’s Real Culprit

To understand what caused the carpal tunnel it is important to first know what is occurring in the wrist to make the symptoms manifest.  When the major nerve of the wrist, called the median nerve, is placed under pressure, it can cause the pain and other symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Potential Causes Of The Pressure

The pressure on the median nerve can be caused by a number of different things. Many patients assume the pain in their wrist is caused by carpal tunnel syndrome simply because they work at a computer. While this is true in some cases, it is actually the repetitive motion involved in typing that is the culprit. Anyone that performs a job or hobby that involves making the same motion repeatedly can be affected. For example electricians twisting small wires and turning screw drivers, a chef mixing ingredients, or a mom who cuts coupons or pictures for scrap booking can all see the signs of carpal tunnel. While repetitive motion is a major cause of carpal tunnel there are other risk factors and potential causes for pressure to be placed on the median nerve, including:

• A wrist fracture or dislocation
• Inflammation from injury
• A chronic inflammatory condition, like arthritis
• Smoking which causes a reduction in blood flow
• Retention of fluids due to pregnancy, menopause, and PMS
• Obesity placing excessive pressure on the joints
• Infections in the wrist or elsewhere in the body
• And many others

Overcoming Arthritis Pain With Exercise

Arthritis and exercise are commonly thought to be mutually exclusive. In reality exercise is an important part of treating the pain, stiffness and overall fatigue from dealing with arthritis. In addition to medication and traditional arthritis treatments a comprehensive and customized regimen designed by a medical professional can make it easier for you to deal with the mental stresses of daily arthritis pain. Before beginning any exercise routine it is important to consult with an orthopedic physician. Your physician will ensure that you are physically fit enough to take part in activities without causing further injury or pain.

The Incredible Benefits of Exercising With Arthritis

Exercise provides health benefits to anyone who starts an on-going program.  Increasing your heart rate can do many things like improving your cardio vascular system, reducing the risk of heart disease, increasing your metabolism, giving you more energy, and improving your psychological health. For arthritis patients, exercise can potentially provide even more improvement than it does for people without arthritis.  In most patients many of the benefits of exercise act synergistically with it’s other benefits to cause a seemingly exponential increase in pain relief and mobility. The potential benefits of exercise for arthritis patients include:

• Diminished inflammation through a decrease in the amount of inflammation causing chemicals present in your body
• A decrease in the resistance of insulin used by cells in your body, which typically helps reduce your inflammation even further
• Weight loss through an increase in your metabolism and decrease in insulin resistance. When coupled with diet changes this can also decrease inflammation
• Your heart’s health can be improved greatly due to decrease inflammation in the arteries which lowers your blood pressure
• The increase in blood flow usually causes an anti-inflammatory response in your arteries and veins as well as throughout your entire body
• The decrease in inflammation causing chemicals can actually improve functioning that normally declines as you get older
• The muscles around your joints will get stronger, making movement easier and less painful
• Bone density is maintained through exercise and sometimes even improved
• The motions involved with exercise will help maintain your range of motion or even improve it to almost normal level by keeping the cartilage, tendons, and ligaments strong and healthy
• Chemicals are released that improve your mental state and the reduction in pain and the increase in motion can help your psychological well-being. This makes it more likely that you will stay active
• Lastly, and possibly most important, exercise will cause you to have more energy through the day but also make you sleep deeper and more soundly.

Why Did Your Child Get Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?

JIA, or Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, is the most widely diagnosed arthritis in kids 16 years old or younger. Despite being so common and millions spent on research, it is not fully understood with no specific cause yet discovered. In some cases kids can actually “grow out” of the disease but many require life-long treatment. There are some possible causes that may be associated with this autoimmune disorder including:

• An infection that starts the immune system’s response
• Genetics and inherited factors
• Females are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis
• Stress, especially emotional, can make the symptoms more intense
• Hormones, especially those tied to gender

What Types of JIA Are There?

There are many types of JIA but three types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis are the most common; oligoarticular, polyarticular, and systemic.

Oligoarticular JIA

Oligo means few, which in this case means that in the first six months of the disease four joints or less are affected. Large joints, like shoulders and knees are the most typically afflicted in the body, with small joints, toes and spine, possibly being affected in some cases. In most cases one side of the body is affected which can cause growth to occur unevenly.

Polyarticular JIA

Smaller joints are more commonly affected with this type of JIA, which affect more joints than oligoarticular. Polyarticular patients have the risk to develop rheumatoid arthritis due to the presence of an antibody called rheumatoid factor. Typically patients with this type of arthritis experience the effects in joints on both sides of the body.

Anatomy and Function of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is one of four ligaments that hold the three bones of the knee together. The ligaments keep the joint stabilized and help prevent damage minimizing movements that could cause injury. The ACL is positioned diagonally across the knee. The position of the ACL prevents the tibia from moving in front of the femur and ensures stability during rotation.

How The ACL Gets Damaged

This type of knee injury is often associated with sports. While football players like Joe Namath and Jerry Rice are some of the worst affected, almost anyone can tear their ACL. Tiger Woods tore his ACL taking part in a very normal and popular athletic routine, jogging. If the knee is moved in an unnatural way, backwards or side to side for example, there is a potential for tearing of the ACL. A common way for the ACL to get torn is when the foot is planted and then the direction of movement is suddenly changed. Of course taking part in athletics is a common way to injure the ACL, but there are many other ways non-athletes can sustain knee injuries. For example, falling on the stairs or jumping over a low fence are two potential movements that can lead to a torn or injured ACL.