Knee Parts and Pain in Vacaville?

When you first glance at your knee, it may seem like the hinge of a door where it swings open and close. But your knee is more complex than you think. The joint allows you to do twisting and turning motions, and it provides the strength your leg needs to carry your body weight.

Your knee also consists of a lot of moving, interacting parts than you may have realized. With all these factors combined, anything can go wrong on the different joint areas that will cause knee pain in Vacaville. For you to be aware, make sure to read this information about the anatomy of the knee.

An overview of a knee in Vacaville

A small bone and two large bones meet in your knee. Within the joint, your thigh bone's (femur) bottom end encounters the shin bone's (tibia) top end. The smaller bone is your kneecap, otherwise known as the patella. The kneecap is resting against a groove at femur's end, which allows it to move around.

Each of these bones is wrapped around in a protective tissue coating called the cartilage. The bones constantly move around each other in a small area, but the cartilage provides cushioning and makes them glide smoothly. In between the femur and tibia, there is a disc of tissue called menisci that helps absorbs the impact the knee endures when you walk and run.

These are the problems that can affect these tissues:

• Osteoarthritis: The protective cartilage starts to grow thin and rough, which lessens the protection of the bones in the joints. This could damage the bones and make walking a painful task for the knees.
• Meniscal tears: Turning your knee the wrong way while adding some weight on it can tear your meniscus. This is common in many athletic sports because there are sudden twisting and turning motions on these activities. You will experience mild or major knee pain and it will make your knee become "stuck" whenever you move it.

There are also other tissues attached around the knee. It is also worth noting that these structures are also vulnerable to damage just like the other parts. These are the possible problems these structures will face:

• Tendon issues: A repeated leg motion can cause pain on an inflamed tendon. There is also a chance that the tendon can become torn. No matter which injury you experience, there is no doubt that it will cause knee pain. But once your tendon becomes fully torn, moving your leg can be difficult.
• Ligament issues: Direct trauma to the knee can tear a ligament. Any activity that involves sudden movements like sports can be the cause of this issue. Depending on which ligament has been injured, you will feel pain as well as a sense of knee instability.
• Iliotibial band syndrome: This is another source of knee pain. It is a thick band of tissue that runs down the side of the thigh wherein it attaches near the knee. During an activity, it slides back and forth over the outside of the knee, and it can become irritated. The pain can be felt outside of the knee or after physical activity.

No matter what type of knee pain you are experiencing, always get yourself consulted by a healthcare professional. If you want, you can visit us here at Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine in Vacaville, CA to get yourself checked. Just call us at (707) 474-5688 to get yourself an appointment. You won't regret having us and we will surely get your knee pain treated in no time.