Knee Pain

Your knees endure a lot of stress on a daily basis and knee pain is a common complaint. Ben Albert, MD, is an experienced orthopedic surgeon who provides personalized care for knee pain at Scottsdale Hip and Knee in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Albert takes a patient-centered approach, utilizing nonoperative treatments to improve knee pain before suggesting surgery. To get relief from your knee pain, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.

What is knee pain?

Knee pain is a symptom that develops from any injury or disease that affects the knee joint. Your knee is a large, complex, weight-bearing joint susceptible to injuries and degenerative conditions that cause various levels of pain. 

Knee pain affects all ages but is more common in older adults. The pain may occur suddenly from an injury or develop slowly over time. The pain you feel may range from a dull ache to severe pain that affects mobility.

What causes knee pain?

Many conditions cause knee pain. Common causes include:

Overuse

Tendonitis and runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain) are overuse injuries that cause knee pain. 

Injuries

You can also develop knee pain from an acute injury such as a ligament tear, fracture, or joint dislocation. 

Arthritis

Arthritis is a common cause of knee pain, especially osteoarthritis (OA). Over time, the daily stress placed on your knees when standing, walking, and climbing stairs wears away the cartilage that separates the bones of the knee joint, causing inflammation and pain. These degenerative changes lead to OA.

When do I need to see an orthopedic surgeon for knee pain?

Dr. Albert recommends you come in for a knee pain consultation if your pain is severe or an ongoing problem. Dr. Albert is a skilled orthopedic surgeon who takes a personalized approach to care. 

During your knee pain evaluation, he asks detailed questions about your pain, including when it started and the type of pain you feel. He also asks how your pain affects your daily routine.

Dr. Albert examines your knees and may request imaging studies such as X-rays to determine the cause of your knee pain.

What are the treatments for knee pain?

Before making any specific treatment recommendations, Dr. Albert talks to you about the cause of your knee pain. He then reviews your treatment options and develops your personalized plans.

Initially, he takes exhaustive nonoperative measures to treat your pain, such as physical therapy and injections: steroids, viscosupplementation, or platelet-rich plasma (PRP).  Many of Dr. Albert's patients get lasting pain relief and are able to avoid surgery from these non surgical treatment options, even for injuries such as meniscus tears and small areas of arthritis.

If you continue to have knee pain that affects your mobility and quality of life, Dr. Albert talks to you about surgery.  Some people may be candidates for knee arthroscopy surgery.  However, when the damage is more severe, the right treatment is joint replacement, which Dr. Ablert performs with robotics and minimally invasive surgery.  

For compassionate, patient-centered care for your knee pain, call Scottsdale Hip and Knee or schedule an appointment online today.