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Le Yantra, Spine & Sports Injury Clinic

Symptom, several possible causes

Knee Pain

knee pain

Several different problems feel similar. Working out which is yours comes first.

No referral needed · One-to-one throughout · Treated at both clinics

A man seated on a bed holding his knee with both hands, the kneecap highlighted in red.

Draft, not published

This page has its structure, its confirmed facts and its place in the navigation, but the clinical copy is not written. It carries noindex and stays out of the sitemap until a clinician writes and signs off the content. Nothing here is invented to fill the gap.

Blocked until answered:

  • No opening "what it is" answer in the source copy. docs/05-seo-spec.md requires a front-loaded direct answer on every condition page, and this symptom page opens straight into its causes list. It needs writing, and nothing has been invented in its place.

What causes it, and where to go next

Pain at the front of the knee, worse on stairs and after sitting. Commonly patellofemoral pain. Very common in runners and in active people generally. Usually responds well to strengthening.

Pain with locking, catching or giving way. May involve the meniscus. See Meniscus Tear.

Pain after a twisting injury, with swelling and instability. May involve a ligament. See ACL Tear & Knee Ligament Injury.

Deep aching, stiffness in the morning, worse with activity. Often osteoarthritis. Responds better to strengthening and load management than most people expect.

Pain on the outside of the knee in runners. Commonly iliotibial band related. See Running & Gait Analysis.

Pain just below the kneecap in jumping sports. Commonly patellar tendinopathy.

What it feels like

Location and behaviour matter more than intensity. Where exactly it hurts, what makes it worse, whether it swells, and whether it catches or gives way are the things that distinguish the causes.

When to seek medical care

Seek medical assessment for a knee that is:

  • Significantly swollen immediately after an injury
  • One you cannot bear weight on
  • Locked and unable to straighten
  • Hot, red and painful with fever

How we treat it

Assessment establishes which structure is involved and what is loading it. Treatment nearly always includes strengthening, the knee is well served by it across almost every diagnosis, alongside hands-on work and load management.

How long it takes

Depends heavily on the cause. Patellofemoral pain often improves within weeks with the right strengthening. Tendon problems take longer. You will get an estimate after assessment.

Treatments we commonly use

Which of these applies to you is decided at your assessment, not before it.

Frequently asked questions

My scan showed arthritis. Is exercise bad for it?

No. Appropriate loading is one of the better-supported treatments for knee osteoarthritis. Avoiding activity generally makes it worse.

My knee clicks. Is that a problem?

Painless clicking is very common and usually not significant. Clicking with pain, catching or locking is worth assessing.

Do I need a scan?

Often not. Many knee problems are diagnosed clinically. If imaging would change what we do, we will say so.

  • Meniscus Tear

    A tear in the knee's load-spreading cartilage. Acute traumatic tears and degenerative ones behave differently and are managed differently.

  • ACL Tear & Knee Ligament Injury

    A twisting or pivoting injury to the knee's stabilising ligaments. The rehabilitation determines the outcome more than the surgical decision does.

  • Shin Splints

    Pain along the inner shin in runners. A load problem that can progress toward a stress fracture if it is worked through.

Find us

Treated at both clinics

Every service runs at both our clinics, Malleshwaram and MEI Layout, monday – saturday 9 am – 9 pm · sunday & public holidays 10 am – 5 pm.

Your wellness starts here

Book an assessment at either clinic

Every treatment plan at Le Yantra starts with a full assessment, not a standard protocol.

Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 9 PM · Sunday & public holidays 10 AM – 5 PM

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