If you’re experiencing knee pain, then obviously it can be very debilitating. You might be wondering what’s causing your knee pain in the first place. After all, this is not something that you want to live the rest of your life with.

In fact, you don’t really even want to live for several weeks or months with this kind of condition. So keep reading and we’ll talk about the answer to “Can sciatica cause knee pain?”

Potential Causes Of Knee Pain

Knee pain can be caused by a variety of sources. You could have a sudden injury, for instance. Even a walk in the park or a wrong step could spell trouble.

Or, you could be playing sports and then injure a ligament like your MCL, LCL, or ACL. This can cause severe pain and stiffness as a result. That’s why you should always adhere to these tips to keep your knees as healthy as possible.

You may also have joint problems like arthritis. This can be chronic and be something that gets worse over time if you don’t have it treated by a professional knee doctor.

And of course, you have sciatica pain to consider. Sciatica nerve pain can be a cause of knee pain, not just other body parts.

Even if you don’t have a knee injury, the sciatica can spread to your knee and create burning sensations, shooting pain, weakness, and even numbness around your leg or knee.

This is not a condition that you want to leave unchecked. It will only become more painful over time.

Can Sciatica Cause Knee Pain And Swelling? Yes It Can

The sciatica nerve is the longest nerve in the body and it goes down into your lower extremities.

Therefore, it’s quite possible that sciatica is the reason behind your nerve pain. Of course, it’s impossible to know without getting properly evaluated by a doctor. So see a pain specialist today at Ascension St. Agnes.

Get Help With Your Knee Pain Today

To summarize, does sciatica cause knee pain? Yes, it does. But reach out to the experts in knee pain in Baltimore now. At Ascension St. Agnes, we have specialists waiting by to provide excellent rehab, replacements, therapy and more.

You should feel comfortable and pain-free as you move about your day. So contact the hospital that has over 150 years of experience healing people at the highest level possible.

You may have discovered recently that you aren’t able to put any weight on your leg. If you’re experiencing moderate to severe pain in your knee due to placing weight on it, there could be several reasons. It’s important to reach out to a knee pain specialist immediately if you experience this symptom.

However, keep reading so that you can understand a high level of how weight and knee pain can be related. And know that specialists for knee pain in Baltimore are available if you have any questions.

Why You Have Knee Pain When You Put Weight On It

Keeping your knees healthy can ensure you enjoy lifelong mobility and comfort. But if you’re thinking “My knee only hurts when I put weight on it,” then you might still not be in the clear.

Here are several potential reasons why you experience knee pain when putting weight on it:

ACL Tear

Your ACL or anterior cruciate ligament stabilizes the knee. It holds your thigh bone and shin bone together. If you tear your ACL, then your bone will be more vulnerable when moving or putting pain.

It can cause incredible amounts of pain when putting any weight on it. Therefore, there’s a good chance that this is the cause of your knee pain since it’s a very commonly injured ligament.

Bone Fracture

Your knee has three bones: the patella, the tibia, and the femur. Any one of those bones could be fractured due to an accident or stress due to a significant event. When a bone bleeds, when a bone is fractured, it bleeds.

This creates additional blood flow into that area in order to fight infections. Because of the excess fluid, you could notice a warm or painful sensation around your knee. This is especially true when you put weight on it.

Torn Meniscus

A meniscus tear could be another cause of knee pain. Your meniscus is a type of cartilage. This rubbery cartilage is situated between your thigh bone and shin bone. It’s designed to absorb shock from walking around during the day.

You could twist your knee the wrong way and tear this meniscus. This removes the cushion for your knee bones. This creates a lot of pain due to the nerves around your knee.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis means that one of your tendons attached to the knee could have a small tear, which causes it to be inflamed. Particularly, patellar tendonitis happens when your tendons that hold the muscle and the bone together get torn.

Similarly to other injuries in the knee, additional blood flow is sent to the area to fight infection. This creates soreness and thus pain. That’s why when you put a weight on your knee, it could be a result of tendonitis if you feel discomfort.

Knee Bursitis

Bursa, or small sacs in your joints that provide cushion, can become inflamed or swollen. They can actually create your bones to be misaligned. Your bones or muscles could even grind against each other, which causes pain when you put weight on them.

How To Relieve Knee Pain

You should consult a knee pain specialist to understand your options for reducing knee pain. There could be various physical therapy exercises like strength training to help restore your knee’s ability to support the body.

It may also require some manual tissue therapy or manipulation or even draining. Heat and ice therapy can also be helpful. In some circumstances, surgery is necessary. That’s why it’s simply best to consult a joint doctor to get a proper diagnosis first.

Discover A New Way Of Life Without Knee Pain

The leading regional specialists in knee and joint pain are located at Ascension St. Agnes Orthopedic and Spine Institute. We can help you regain your mobility and restore damaged knee cartilage.

If surgery isn’t necessary, we’ll also advise you on some less invasive ways to regain your freedom of movement. So schedule an appointment today and discover what you can truly do with the new you.

As part of the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Total Hip and Knee Replacement, the experts at Ascension St. Agnes are here to help you with any kind of knee pain in Baltimore that you may be experiencing.

That being said, a common question is, “how do I know if my knee pain is serious”? After all, there are various levels and types of knee pain that you may experience. Sometimes knee pain can be accompanied with a pop or severe pain.

Other times you may see bruising or swelling, but less pain. There are combinations of every factor in between. So when it comes to whether or not you should see a doctor, the answer is typically yes. However, let’s discover some of the common knee injury signs so you can understand if your knee pain requires further intervention.

How Do I Know If My Knee Pain Is Serious?

Here’s how to tell if knee pain is serious:

Swollen Knees

After a knee injury, your knee will typically be swollen. The more swelling that occurs, the more likely that you have a serious knee injury. Swelling ultimately occurs due to blood under the skin surface.

While the bleeding may stop, there will still be swelling for a period of after. Blood in the joint is also referred to as hemarthrosis. Because of the inflammation, additional pain can be experienced. If you think you may have blood or swelling in your knee joint, you could have sustained a significant injury.

Something inside of your knee could be torn. Therefore, you should seek medical treatment from qualified doctors like those at Ascension St. Agnes as soon as possible.

Common causes of swelling due to severe injury are:

• Articular cartilage injury
• MCL tear
• Bucket handle tear
• Patella or kneecap dislocation
• ACL tear

You Feel a Pop

Most athletes who feel a pop have suffered some kind of severe knee injury like a patella dislocation or ACL tear.

If any of the issues above occur, it could be difficult to walk without experiencing excruciating pain. Elevation, icing and crutches should be used immediately after experiencing these symptoms.

Then you should be evaluated by a knee doctor and have an x-ray done. It can help you determine if you have a fracture or not. You should have these knee injuries evaluated for proper diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

This may require surgery, rest or types of physical therapy. Follow the advice of your physician to keep your knees healthy.

Your Knee Locks

In other words, your knee may be unable to straighten. This is called a locked knee. There are various reasons this might occur. You could have swelling or inflammation. Even a meniscus tear can happen that creates mechanical locks within your knee.

A common cause of locked knees is bucket handle tear, which is a type of meniscus tear. This would require surgery from an expert to ensure that you regain full function and pain-free use of your knee again.

It’s important to receive a diagnosis so you understand the most proper way to repair this injury. If not, you could be dealing with arthritis or osteoporosis later on in life. When athletes or other people tear their knee, they often mention that they heard a popping sound and then their knee stopped stabilizing.

This is a common sign of an ACL tear. This type of tear creates significant pain and difficulty moving your knee laterally. Again, with this type of knee injury, surgery is necessary to totally replace or at least repair the damaged ACL. Otherwise, you may deal with instability going forward.

Weakness And Difficulty Straightening The Knee

Patella dislocations and patella tendon tears are two common causes of this tendon injury. We also have a quadriceps tendon tear. While these are less common injuries, they still do occur.

This can happen in young athletes or even older athletes who play, pick up sports like basketball or tennis. The knee will feel unstable and you’ll experience pain and swelling in the area.

It’s important to see a knee surgeon so that you can repair these tendons and regain the usage of these tendons and ligaments.

How To Know If Your Knee Pain Is Serious? You Have Difficulty Walking

Some knee injuries will keep you from being able to walk. In fact, sometimes mechanically your knee cannot function and you will not be able to walk at all. Orthopedic surgeons can evaluate this using x-ray and other methods to determine how much weight you can put on the knee.

If you have a severe injury, then the proper treatment should be performed to prevent lifelong problems.

In conclusion, how do you know if knee pain is serious? If you experience any of the symptoms we just covered, then you should seek medical help. You could have a serious injury.

Resolve Your Knee Pain In Baltimore, Maryland Today

The best knee doctors in the area are at Ascension St. Agnes Orthopedics and Spine Institute. Our qualified knee specialists can help you regain function, comfort, and movement in your knee.

Whether you require physical therapy, medication, or surgery, we will provide the correct treatment to get you moving and enjoying life once again. So don’t hesitate, reach out now and turn the next page in your new life.