Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Assoc. Prof. draws attention to the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in knee pain. Dr. A. Murat Kalender stated that being overweight causes this disease to become more severe.
Although it can occur at any age, the pain begins to increase in young adolescence with the increase in sports activities. At this age, complaints increase, especially as the level of sports activity increases. Between the ages of 10-14, there may be pain in the front part of the knee, which we call growing pains. Sometimes, pain in the knee may occur due to some congenital conditions. At slightly older ages (15-25) pain is usually observed due to injury to the meniscus or cruciate ligaments of the knee during sports. Sometimes cartilage injury can also cause pain. Knee pain begins to occur more frequently in women after the age of 40. Sitting with your knees bent or working on your knees predisposes to knee pain. Sometimes, calcification can be observed in the knee at an early age. This may be due to neglected meniscus injury or cartilage damage.
Knee meniscus tear should not be neglected at any age
Patients who are offered surgical treatment may neglect it because they are afraid of surgery. However, this may cause arthritis of the knee at an early age and conditions that are treated with heavy surgery in the future. The most common cause of knee pain in middle and older ages, especially after the age of 50, is knee joint inflammation, popularly known as arthritis. Knee arthritis is often underestimated by patients and its treatment is delayed. In our society, healing is sought through neighbors and hearsay, herbal and non-sanitary methods rather than doctor's advice. Patients who are afraid of surgery mostly turn to herbal treatments. Any delay causes the intra-articular cartilage structure to deteriorate. Unfortunately, when the cartilage structure is damaged, the chance of self-repair is very low. The end result is calcification of the entire joint of the knee, causing knee movements to be extremely painful.
Early diagnosis and treatment were important for knee health
When appropriate treatment is applied at the appropriate time, the results are generally satisfactory. However, our social structure is shaped more by neighbors' recommendations rather than doctor's recommendations when determining treatment. For this reason, surgical treatment unfortunately It is viewed with fear and causes delay. Painful knees cause people's movements to decrease and premature osteoporosis. It causes weight gain and decreased knee range of motion.
It also causes disruption of night sleep due to pain. Unfortunately, knee surgical treatment methods, which are frequently applied in developed societies, are less common in our country. Fear of surgery often causes delays in treatment.
Excess weight causes this disease to be more severe. Patients with knee pain are routinely advised to lose weight. However, it becomes impossible to lose weight in our patients who cannot move due to pain. In summary, I recommend that patients with knee pain receive timely treatment deemed appropriate by the specialist doctor they trust, and lose weight if they are overweight.
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