My knee hurts when I bend it and straighten it, what could be the cause of this? Knee pain can be something worrisome – no doubt about it. Because the knee is one of the most used joints in the body, if it is not in the right form, then it can make it difficult for you to move. Remember, your weigh relies entirely on the knee.
That means walking will be almost impossible if your knees have a problem. There are a lot of causes of knee pain, among them sprained ligaments, tendinitis, meniscus tears, and runner’s knee. Still, if you have an old knee injury that was not treated well, then it may resurface now and then.
And these conditions are painful.
Apart from being a complex joint, and the knee is one of the largest in the body. It has moving parts – the femur (thigh bone), (shin bone) tibia, and the kneecap (patella). Movement is smooth at the knee joint because of proper arrangements and cushioning.
Further knee joint remains stable because the ligaments hold the bones together while tendons connect muscles to the bone at the joint.
Again, there is an abundance of cartilage. This cartilage is vital in absorbing shock between the femur and the tibia.
Feeling pain while straightening or bending your knee may be familiar to some people. However, I suggest that you address the problem before it gets worse. The problem may start suddenly, maybe after an injury, or it may develop over time, depending on the cause.
Note that some conditions may cause pain when you bend your knee only, while others may cause pain when you bend and straighten. Today we look at a condition that causes pain when you bend and straighten your knee.
Chondromalacia patellae is a common condition among athletes. It usually manifests itself in the form of a dull pain when you bend your knee or when you extend it right after bending. A grinding sound generally accompanies the pain.
Similarly, you may feel pain when:
Chondromalacia patellae occur when there is softening or deterioration of the cartilage on the under surface of the patella. When you move up and down a staircase or a hill, you use your kneecap a lot. Actually, this is a deeper movement, which forces the kneecap to slide up and down considerably over the femur than usual.
Kneecap that has worn out cartilage won’t slide into its groove. Thus, you’ll feel pain when you bend and straighten your knees because the bones either rub on each other (no cartilage) or the bones rub on rough cartilage.
Other activities that may cause pain include when sitting down with your knees bent over 90 degrees, squatting, or kneeling. Such events only occur if you bend your knees deeply. For this reason, even if the cartilage at the knee has a small swelling, it still will stimulate pain when the activities above are done.
The doctor assesses the affected knee for visible symptoms. For instance, the doctor identifies swollen areas or knee tenderness. Additionally, the doctor might look at how the kneecap aligns with the thigh bone. If there is any malalignment, then it can be a sign of chondromalacia patellae.
Still, a doctor may use resistive pressure on the extended kneecap (hyperextended knee) to determine the severity and tenderness of the knee. For the sake of clarity and proper diagnosis, the doctor may request the following tests:
Destruction of cartilage occurs under various conditions. Surprisingly, many people may have worn-out cartilage without ever having an injury to their knee.
Common causes of chondromalacia include:
Having a full range of motion at your knee without any pain is something desirable. Unfortunately, for many people, the pain usually creeps in, in one way or the other. It may be an injury, excessive exercising, or a strain on your knee. This can make it difficult to bend or straighten your knees.
