How are your knees? Women are more prone to knee problems

For the last two months I have been suffering from a very sore knee which has stopped me running or doing any high impact sports. My problem was most likely caused as I did not stretch properly after running but the pain came on when I was wearing heels. As I have told friends about my knee, I have realized how many people suffer from knee problems, especially as we get older.

Globally there are millions of people who suffer from bad knees. A IPSOS MORI survey of 4,000 people in the UK found that 1 in 4 people had knee problems over the past year, with 81% in constant discomfort. A fifth of sufferers were aged 25-34 years. In the over-50s, one third were affected.

There are two types of knee problems; those caused by trauma, such as a twist or strain and those due to wear and tear.

The sorts of knee problems you might have include pain (especially when you are moving your knee or climbing stairs), stiffness (especially when you have been still), crepitus (crunching and creaking knees), hard or soft swellings and locking knees. The dampness in the air can affect knees as the nerve fibres in the knee capsule are sensitive to atmospheric pressure.

Knee pain can be affected by age (more common if you are older), being a woman (women are more affected than men and I wonder if this relates to wearing high heels), being overweight (as this puts more pressure on the joints), a family history, or if you have had an injury.

If you are suffering, the first thing you should do is visit your doctor for a diagnosis. You may need an X-ray or MRI to be sure what is causing the problem but it is essential to see a physiotherapist who can design an exercise and stretching routine to help. Many knee problems can be corrected without surgery.

Three of the major knee problems caused by wear and tear are osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain and patella tendinitis. The symptoms are very similar and so are the treatments. For all three, you should stop impact exercise, such as running, or anything that causes pain but one of the worst things you can do is to totally rest your knees. It is important to keep them moving and find the right balance between rest and exercise. Swimming and exercises to build up the muscles in your knee can really help. Aerobic activity is good as it increases the blood supply to your knee and will help the healing process.

Osteoarthritis. This is caused by wear and tear to the articular cartilage (protective surface of the knee  bone) and mild swelling of the tissues in and around the joints.   Losing weight and exercises to build up the muscles will help. The pain can be reduced with pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs. Applying warmth or cold to the join can reduce pain and stiffness.   You can try topical creams such as anti-inflammatory creams or gels, as well as capsaicin cream which is made from chili peppers. In some cases a knee brace or knee support may help. Steroid or hyaluronic acid injections (which help lubricate the knee) may be used. Surgery is a final option.

Patellofemoral pain – runners knee. This is caused as the knee cap does not track properly on the front of the knee. Weak gluteals (buttock muscles), resulting in poor pelvic stability and tight hamstrings (back of the thigh muscles) and tight lateral thigh muscles are the common causes and these need strengthening.

Patella tendinitis – jumpers knee. This is caused when the tendon connecting your kneecap to your shinbone becomes injured and inflamed. It is common in athletes whose sports involve jumping but anyone can get it. Specific stretches and exercises will help.

So please do not suffer in silence.   If your knees give you pain or discomfort, see a physiotherapist and spend the time strengthening your knees before it gets too bad.  Prevention is better than waiting until it is a huge problem.