Knee Pain Overview
- Knee Pain Introduction
- Anatomy of the Knee
- Home Care
- When to Call the Doctor
- When to Go to the Hospital
- Physician Diagnosis
- Types of Knee Pain
- Prevention
- Synonyms and Keywords
- References
- Authors and Editors
- Pictures of Gout - Slideshow
- Related Gout articles:
Gout - on WebMD
Gout - on MedicineNet
Knee Pain Introduction
Knee pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint that brings people to their doctor. With today's increasingly active society, the number of knee problems is increasing. Knee pain has a wide variety of specific causes and treatments.
Anatomy of the Knee
The knee joint's main function is to bend and straighten. The knee, more than just a simple hinge, however, also twists and rotates. In order to perform all of these actions and to support the entire body while doing so, the knee relies on a number of structures including bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.
- Bones
- The knee joint involves 3 bones.
- The thighbone or femur comprises the top portion of the joint.
- One of the bones in the lower leg (or calf area), the tibia, provides the bottom portion of the joint.
- The kneecap or patella rides along the front of the femur.
- The remaining bone in the calf, the fibula, is not involved in the knee joint but is close to the outer portion of the joint.
- The knee joint involves 3 bones.
- Ligaments
- Ligaments are fibrous bands that connect bones to each other.
- The knee includes 4 important ligaments, all 4 of which connect the femur to the tibia:
- The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) provide front and back (anterior and posterior) and rotational stability to the knee.
- The medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) located along the inner (medial) and outer (lateral) sides of the knee provide medial and lateral stability to the knee.
- The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) provide front and back (anterior and posterior) and rotational stability to the knee.
- Ligaments are fibrous bands that connect bones to each other.
- Tendons
- Tendons are fibrous bands similar to ligaments.
- Instead of connecting bones to other bones as ligaments do, tendons connect muscles to bones.
- The 2 important tendons in the knee are (1) the quadriceps tendon
connecting the quadriceps muscle, which lies on the front of the thigh, to the patella and (2) the patellar tendon connecting the patella to the tibia (technically this is a ligament because it connects 2 bones).
- The quadriceps and patellar tendons as well as the patella itself are sometimes called the extensor mechanism, and together with the quadriceps muscle they facilitate leg extension (straightening).
- Tendons are fibrous bands similar to ligaments.
- Cartilage
- Bursae
- Bursae (one is a bursa) are fluid-filled sacs that help to cushion the knee. The knee contains 3 important groups of bursae.
- The prepatellar bursae lie in front of the patella.
- The anserine bursae are located on the inner side of the knee about 2 inches below the joint.
- The infrapatellar bursae are located underneath the patella.
- The prepatellar bursae lie in front of the patella.
- Bursae (one is a bursa) are fluid-filled sacs that help to cushion the knee. The knee contains 3 important groups of bursae.
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Chronic Pain/Back Pain
Find tips and advances in treatment.
- Understand How Fibromyalgia Is Diagnosed
- Explore a Treatment for Fibromyalgia Pain
- Tools to Help You Talk with Your Doctor
Cymbalta is approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Important Safety Information
Cymbalta® (duloxetine HCl) is approved for the treatment of depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and for the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia.
What should I talk about with my healthcare provider?
Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, restlessness, or extreme hyperactivity. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have thoughts of suicide or if any of these symptoms are severe or occur suddenly. Be especially observant within the first few months of antidepressant treatment or whenever there is a change in dose.
You should also know that:
- ·Suicide is a known risk of depression and some other psychiatric disorders.
- ·Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or behaviors in some children, adolescents, and young adults especially within the first few months of treatment or when changing the dose. No increased risk has been shown for adults over age 24, and risk decreased for those over age 65.
- ·All patients starting therapy should be monitoblue appropriately and observed closely for new or worsening depression symptoms, suicidal thoughts or behavior, or unusual changes in behavior.
- ·Cymbalta® is not approved for use in patients under age 18.
Who should NOT take Cymbalta?
You should not take Cymbalta if:
- ·You have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
- ·You have uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (an eye disease)
- ·You are taking Mellaril® (thioridazine)
What other important information should I discuss with my healthcare provider?
Before starting Cymbalta, tell your healthcare provider:
- ·about all of your medical conditions, including kidney problems, glaucoma, or diabetes
- ·about your alcohol use
- ·if you are taking nonprescription or prescription medicines, including those for migraine, to address a possible life threatening condition
- ·if you are taking NSAID pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners. Use with Cymbalta may increase bleeding risk
- ·if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant during therapy, or are breastfeeding an infant
While taking Cymbalta, tell your healthcare provider:
- ·if you have itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of liver problems. Severe liver problems, sometimes fatal, have been reported
- ·if you have high fever, confusion, and stiff muscles to address a possible life-threatening condition
- ·before stopping Cymbalta or changing your dose
- ·if you experience dizziness or fainting upon standing, especially when first starting Cymbalta or when increasing the dose. Your healthcare provider may periodically check your blood pressure while you are taking Cymbalta
If you have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider before taking Cymbalta.
What are the possible side effects of Cymbalta?
The most common side effect of Cymbalta was nausea. For most people who had it, the nausea was mild to moderate. Other common side effects included dry mouth, sleepiness, constipation, decreased appetite, and, increased sweating. This is not a complete list of side effects.
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Knee Injury, Soft Tissue »
Soft tissue injuries of the knee are some of the most common and clinically challenging musculoskeletal disorders in patients presenting to the ED.
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