Knee Pain: Causes, Warning Signs and Treatments
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints at any age — from weekend runners to people who sit all day, and those starting to feel the wear of the years. The knee carries much of our body weight and depends on a balance between muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. When that balance is disturbed, pain appears.
The good news is that, in the vast majority of cases, knee pain can be resolved. The key is to understand the cause — not just treat the symptom.
Most common causes
Overload and tendon injuries. Patellar tendinopathy (so-called "jumper's knee") and other tendon problems result from repeated strain, very common in people who run, jump or have increased their training load too quickly.
Meniscus problems. The menisci act as shock absorbers. A tear, whether from injury or wear, causes pain, a feeling of "locking" and swelling.
Ligament injuries. Common in sport, especially with changes of direction, such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
Osteoarthritis (cartilage wear). Very common from the age of 50, but not exclusive to that age. It causes pain, stiffness and a progressive loss of movement.
Causes from "outside" the knee. Knee pain often doesn't start in the knee. Problems with foot mechanics, the hip or posture overload the joint. That is why movement analysis is so important: it corrects the cause, not just the consequence.
Warning signs — when to seek help
See a doctor if you have:
Pain that doesn't improve after a few days or that keeps getting worse.
Marked swelling, warmth or redness.
A feeling of instability ("the knee gives way") or locking.
Being unable to bear weight or to straighten or bend the knee.
Pain after a significant injury.
How knee pain is treated
Treatment always depends on the diagnosis. In a modern, personalised approach, options include:
Targeted physiotherapy. The foundation of treatment in most cases. More than relieving pain, it builds muscle strength and corrects the movement at the root of the problem. Find out how we do physiotherapy.
Biomechanical correction and insoles. When the cause lies in foot mechanics or posture, custom insoles and movement retraining resolve the overload that causes the pain.
Ultrasound-guided procedures. In selected cases, highly precise image-guided injections. These include PRP (platelet-rich plasma), which uses growth factors from your own blood to stimulate tissue recovery, and viscosupplementation, a hyaluronic acid injection that improves joint lubrication in osteoarthritis.
Medication and, when necessary, surgical referral. In a minority of cases, the right treatment is surgery — and we then arrange the appropriate referral.
The Myalgia approach
At Clínica Myalgia we start by making an accurate diagnosis, through clinical assessment and imaging. Then we look for the cause of the problem — often a biomechanical change in posture or movement. Only then do we set out an individual plan, which may combine physiotherapy, biomechanical correction, ultrasound-guided procedures or insoles. It is the same methodology we apply to elite athletes.
Frequently asked questions
Will knee pain go away on its own? Some mild pain improves with rest. But pain that persists, keeps coming back or comes with warning signs should be assessed — the sooner the cause is treated, the better the result.
I have osteoarthritis. Do I really need surgery? Not necessarily. Many cases of osteoarthritis are well controlled with physiotherapy, biomechanical correction and, when indicated, viscosupplementation or PRP. Surgery is kept for specific situations.
My knee hurts when I run. What should I do? Runner's knee pain often comes from foot mechanics, training load or weakness in certain muscles. A biomechanical assessment identifies the cause so you can run pain-free again.
Do you have knee pain? Book an assessment at Clínica Myalgia — Lisbon (Carnide) and Almada.
This article is for information only and does not replace an individual clinical assessment.