What is Chronic Knee Pain?
Chronic knee pain is long-term pain, swelling, or sensitivity in one or both knees, often leading to difficulty in daily activities The cause of your knee pain can determine the symptoms you experience. Many conditions can cause or contribute to chronic knee pain, and many treatments exist, from medication to physical therapy. Each person’s experience with chronic knee pain will be different, and our specialists in Venice, Florida and Port Charlotte, Florida are skilled in diagnosing and creating a comprehensive treatment plan to help you resolve your knee pain.
Chronic knee pain rarely goes away without treatment, and it isn’t always attributable to one incident. It’s most often the result of several causes or conditions. Physical conditions or diseases can cause knee pain, significantly impacting your mobility and active lifestyle.
Possible Causes for Knee Pain:
Osteoarthritis: Pain, inflammation, and joint destruction caused by degeneration and deterioration of the joint.
Tendinitis: Pain in the front of the knee that is made worse when climbing, taking stairs, or walking up an incline.
Bursitis: Inflammation caused by repeated overuse or injury of the kneechondromalacia.
Patella: Damaged cartilage under the kneecap.
Gout: Arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid.
Baker’s cyst: A buildup of synovial fluid (fluid that lubricates the joint) behind the knee.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that causes painful swelling and can eventually cause joint deformity and bone erosion.
Dislocation: Dislocation of the kneecap most often the result of trauma.
Meniscus Tear: A rupture in one or more of the cartilage in the knee.
Torn Ligament: Tear in one of the four ligaments in the knee — the most commonly injured ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Bone Tumors: Osteosarcoma (second most prevalent bone cancer), most commonly occurs in the knee.
Read more about these conditions and possible treatments here.
Knee Pain Symptoms:
The symptoms of chronic knee pain are different for each person, and the cause for the knee pain often affects how the pain feels. Chronic knee pain may present as a:
- Constant ache
- Sharp, shooting pain when in use
- Dull burning discomfort
- Chronic swelling and pain when the knee is touched
Each underlying cause of chronic knee pain has a specific type of treatment.
Treatment Options
Our team offers a range of treatment options, including minimally invasive solutions to relieve significant pain and restore functionality. These include:
Frequently Asked Questions
At Family Spine and Pain Care Institute, we treat many Venice and Port Charlotte residents suffering from knee osteoarthritis, bursitis, and patellar tendonitis. Whether your pain stems from years of activity on the golf course or a recent injury, our interventional approach focuses on reducing inflammation and restoring mobility.
Many of our patients in Sarasota and Charlotte County seek alternatives to total knee replacement surgery. We offer advanced Genicular Nerve Blocks and Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), which "turn off" the pain signals traveling from the knee joint to the brain without the need for invasive surgery or a long hospital stay.
For those with "bone-on-bone" knee pain near Venice Island or North Port, we provide viscosupplementation (hyaluronic acid injections). These injections act as a lubricant and shock absorber for the joint, helping you stay active and reducing the friction that causes chronic knee discomfort.
Our knee pain procedures are performed on an outpatient basis at both our Venice and Port Charlotte locations off Tamiami Trail. Most patients can return to light walking and daily activities within 24 to 48 hours, making this an ideal solution for the active Florida lifestyle.
If your knee pain is accompanied by swelling, "locking," or a feeling of instability while walking, it is time to consult our board-certified physicians. We provide expert diagnostic care for patients from Englewood to Punta Gorda, ensuring your knee pain is treated at the source before it leads to further joint degeneration.