The chances are, the answer is yes. There are many conditions that can cause knee pain. In people under the age of 45, injuries to the knee are the most common source of discomfort. Possibilities include torn or injured cartilage, ligaments, tendons and muscles.
If you are over the age of 45, the chances are that your knee pain is coming from osteoarthritis. Cartilage is the smooth, glossy cushion that is present on the ends of the bones that make up your knees. It functions as a shock absorber and also resists friction in the knees during movement. Cartilage is made up of proteins that give it strength and resilience. The most prevelanet protein is collagen. We start losing collagen at about the age of 30, approximately 1% per year. With time, our knees becomes less flexible and more prone to injury. High impact sports, overuse and high body weight can all contribute to excessive wear and tear on the cartilage.
Family history also plays a role with some people having weaker, more injury prone cartilage than others. With the loss of collagen and injury, the cartilage surface becomes roughened. Friction and inflammation can occur, causing pain, warmth, and sometimes swelling of the knee. At this point, the condition is referred to as osteoarthritis.
Take the Next Step….
…To find out if you qualify for clinical research study for knee pain due to osteoarthritis. RCR currently has several research studies seeking participants that suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee. See below (or click here) to see if you qualify for one of our studies.
