Knee pain
In this section, you will find information about knee pain and other related symptoms. We will review the most frequent diagnoses, the muscles that may be involved, and the treatment and self-care strategies that can help you improve.
You will also find warning signs (red flags) that indicate when it is necessary to consult a doctor without delay.
1. Frequent symptoms and diagnoses
Symptoms:
- Superficial or deep knee pain, pain when running, going up or down stairs, sitting down or getting up, or when staying seated.
- Feeling of weakness, stiffness, tension, and joint locking. Instability.
Diagnoses:
- Patellar tendinopathy, patellofemoral syndrome, osteoarthritis, arthrosis, ligament injury, meniscal injury, chondromalacia patellae, pes anserine tendinopathy, Baker’s cyst.
2. Possible muscles involved
Quadriceps
- Frequent symptoms: Deep anterior thigh pain, sometimes projecting towards the knee, pain on the lateral side, trochanteric area (bursitis), feeling of weakness or knee buckling. Pain when running, going up or down stairs, sitting down or getting up.
- Feeling of weakness, stiffness and hardness in the thigh, locking at the knee level.
- Complete self-treatment.
Adductors
- Frequent symptoms: Pain on the inner side of the thigh, in the groin, sometimes going down to the knee. Pain in the abdominal and pubic region. Pubalgia, pelvic pain. Pain when closing the legs, kicking a soccer ball, riding a horse, etc.
- Complete self-treatment.
Glutes
- Frequent symptoms: Pain in the lateral and posterior region of the thigh. Pain when lying down or sitting for a long time, pseudosciatica, overload pain when walking or running.
- Complete self-treatment.
Hamstrings
- Frequent symptoms: Pain in the back of the thigh, pain near the glute, pain in the back of the knee, pain when sitting while leaning on these muscles, discomfort and difficulty when bending the trunk, posterior stiffness and tension. Muscles prone to muscle tears (hematoma, “stone bruise” sensation, exquisite pain, weakness, and pain upon movement).
- Complete self-treatment.
3. Treatments
The goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore normal function to the affected region. In most cases, these symptoms are related to muscle alterations, overload, or lack of movement, and can improve with simple self-care measures.
Treatment techniques: These self-applied techniques will help you reduce pain, improve function, and enhance your quality of life.
● Tender point compression
Apply progressive pressure on painful points for 60–90 seconds to reduce muscle tension and pain.
● Self-massage: Self-massage helps reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and decrease pain.
Perform longitudinal, transverse, or fascial massages to relax the muscles and improve mobility.
● Post-isometric relaxation and stretching: These help normalize muscle tone, reduce stiffness, and regain movement.
● Mobility and strengthening: These improve function, reduce overload and stiffness, and help prevent relapses. They also improve tolerance for activities of daily living.
This is the most effective strategy in the medium and long term.
● Habit modification: Small changes in your day-to-day life can make a big difference:
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Avoid maintaining prolonged postures.
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Take active breaks.
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Change position frequently.
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Adapt and make use of your work environment if necessary.
Access specific treatment in the “possible muscles involved” section.
4. Red flags
In the presence of these symptoms, see a doctor without delay:
- Knee is very red, hot, and has an effusion (fluid).
- Fever and general malaise.
- Total inability to bear weight on the foot and take a step.
- Knee is cold, pale, numb, or tingling.
- Deformity, instability, and locking.
- Constant night pain that does not change with position.
