Why does it hurt in the knee when squatting and standing up

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The structure of the knee joint is one of the most complex in the human bone apparatus. The heavy load that falls on him often becomes the cause of discomfort.

If your knees hurt when squatting and standing up, then there are a lot of reasons for the appearance of unpleasant sensations. Each one requires a detailed examination and a correct therapy program.

Causes of knee pain when squatting and standing up

Painful sensations in the knee joint can be caused by the following factors:

• excessive load on the lower limbs;
• injury;
• certain diseases of the joint (gouty, rheumatoid arthritis);
• pathological condition of the sciatic nerve;
• Osgood-Spatter disease;
• arthrosis;
• bursitis.

Additionally, you can highlight the reasons, the definition of which depends on the location of the pain after squatting:

• above the knee - damage to the ligamentous apparatus, destruction of cartilage tissue, inflammation in the tendons can be suspected;
• under the knee - partial (mistakenly called sprains) or complete rupture of the ligaments, injury, hernia in the ligamentous-tendon apparatus.

If the pain during squatting is constant, you hear a crunch, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Experts note that after 50 years, degenerative processes begin in the cartilage and other elements of the joint. Due to a decrease in the quality of blood circulation, pain in the vessels may appear. They do not directly affect the mobility of the knee, but due to constant inflammation, squatting and standing up can cause pain.

Recommendations for eliminating knee pain during exercise

In some cases, when squatting and getting up from this position, painful sensations are noted, and sometimes swelling. First aid is as follows:

1. Apply a cold compress to the painful area for 10-15 minutes, previously wrapped in a towel. This will help to stop the formation of edema.
2. Take a horizontal position, raise the limb that bothers to a level above the chest. It is recommended to put a pillow under the knee while sleeping. Such manipulations have a positive effect on the outflow of accumulated fluid.
3. The day after the onset of pain, you can use anesthetic agents in the form of a gel or ointment.

If after a few days the discomfort does not go away, you should contact a therapist who can refer you to an orthopedist or rheumatologist for further consultation. This is especially true in cases where sharp pain appears in the knee joint during deep squatting.

Knee pain during squatting will not occur if you pay attention to warm-up before class. Preheating will prepare the muscular system and blood flow, lungs and heart, and give the tendons more elasticity. Preparation helps avoid injury.

In addition to warm-up, the dosing of the load will protect the knee joint from the development of unpleasant sensations. When starting a workout, you should not strive to get great progress in a short period of time. Excessive stress on untrained muscles can lead to traumatic injury.

For those who perform squatting with additional load, it is recommended to use orthoses - special bandages designed for secure, but not squeezing fixation. The load is distributed evenly.

The use of comfortable, correctly selected shoes during sports is a guarantee of no knee pain during squats. It is desirable that the sole and insole are anatomically correct in shape, the heel should be rigid, securely fixing the ankle.

Mechanical trauma as a cause of knee pain

The knee joint, as an important link in the musculoskeletal system, has a heavy load every day. This results in mechanical injuries, accompanied by pain.

Tendon damage

The functioning of the knee joint is inherently related to the work of the tendons. Through these formations, the muscular apparatus is reliably fixed to the skeleton, transferring the kinetic energy that occurs during movement.

As a result of excessive load on the knee joint, the tendons are torn, which becomes the cause of complete immobilization of the limb, and a decrease in the quality of working capacity. Breaks are partial and complete.

Damage to the ligamentous apparatus

Violation of the integrity of the ligaments can be partial or complete. If the lower leg is tucked outward, we can talk about damage to the medial ligament. When inward tucking is recorded, we can talk about a violation of the integrity of the lateral ligament.

During sports, the posterior and anterior cruciate ligaments are often injured. Often this is also noted when falling on his haunches, accompanied by a simultaneous turn of the lower part of the knee.

The moment of injury is accompanied by intense pain syndrome. Also, the victim may hear a click, after which the instability of the joint is noted. Hemarthrosis (subcutaneous hematoma) is not formed with ligament ruptures.

Damage to the menisci

A fairly common knee injury among athletes who load the joint during training and performance. As with ligaments and tendons, there is a tear and complete tear in the meniscus. In some cases, it is combined with other injuries in the knee joint.

The victims report pain, swelling, and limited mobility. After two to three weeks, the signs of acute inflammation gradually disappear and the clinical picture of the damage itself appears. The victims have a number of symptoms that help to establish an accurate diagnosis.

Patella injury

The patella or patella is often injured by falling onto the outer surface of the articulation. The fracture is often noted in beginner athletes, for example, during squatting with a load.

The main reason is the violation of squatting technique. The phenomenon is accompanied by intense, acute pain, pronounced swelling, and the formation of subcutaneous hematoma. The ability to hold the raised limb is lost.

Joint diseases as a cause of knee pain

Unpleasant sensations in the knee joint can develop not only against the background of an injury, but also as a result of the development of a number of diseases.

Arthrosis

A characteristic sign of a pathological condition is the destruction of cartilage tissue. A striking clinical manifestation at the first stage is periodically occurring during squatting, running, walking. There is also a stiffness of the articulation with any movement, especially in the morning hours. As arthrosis develops, patients notice pain already during a night's sleep. Outwardly, changes in the anatomical shape of the joint are noted.

Arthritic processes are most often observed in older people. This is due to the fact that by this time most of them are overweight, hypertension attacks, circulatory disorders. They also lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Arthritis

This is a condition of bone erosion accompanied by swelling and inflammation of the synovial membrane. Due to inflammation of the articular tissues, patients note the development of pain syndrome. The consequence of the pathological state of the synovial membrane, in which the lymphatic and blood vessels, nerve endings are concentrated, is a malnutrition of the joint. There is also a decrease in the volume of synovial fluid produced.

Bursitis

The inflammatory process, concentrating in the joint capsule - bursa. The clinical picture is quite pronounced and is characterized by a gradual build-up. Puffiness is noted only in advanced cases.

Painful sensations are noted during palpation, walking and running, against the background of prolonged standing. Additionally, redness and swelling of the tissues are noted.

Osgood-Schlatter disease

A condition that occurs most often in adolescents who are actively involved in sports. It is accompanied by the destruction of the nucleus and tuberosity of the tibia. The clinical picture is pain syndrome, which in the early stages of the disease is noted after physical activity.

Gradually, it intensifies and is complemented by puffiness. Unlike other inflammatory processes, the skin does not change its color.

Pinched sciatic nerve

Squatting pain in the knee joint can be caused by pinching of the sciatic nerve. The reasons for the development of this condition:

• the presence of an intervertebral hernia;
• osteochondrosis;
• a sharp rise of a heavy load;
• hypothermia of the sacrum area;
• the presence of abscesses in the body.

Setting the exact cause of pain

Knee pain while squatting has many causes. To establish a specific provoking factor and, accordingly, determine what to treat, a detailed examination is required. The following procedures are used:

• laboratory examination of urine and blood to establish the presence of an inflammatory process;
• X-ray - the pictures show the presence of trauma, the formation of osteophytes;
• arthroscopy of the knee - an invasive study that allows you to see the inside of the joint; diagnostic puncture.

Treatment methods

The causes of pain in the knee joint directly affect not only the well-being, but also the treatment.

In the absence of an infectious nature, hydromassage and warm baths help to eliminate discomfort. Compresses based on warm mountain wax are also effective. If painful sensations are caused by trauma, you will need to take painkillers and restrict mobility with special devices.

For the treatment of inflammatory processes, you will need to take anti-inflammatory drugs of the non-steroidal family.

In especially severe cases, surgery is performed. If the patella is damaged, it is partially or completely replaced. Types of operations:

• arthroscopy;
• osteotomy;
• prosthetics.

Traditional medicine can be used as an adjunct to primary treatment or as a preventive measure.

Physiotherapy procedures are aimed at restoring limited mobility. Also massage, gymnastics are shown after the surgery.