Knee Pain & Symptoms Guide

Knee pain can arise from various causes, including degenerative changes in the joint, overuse of tendons and surrounding tissues, damage to the meniscus and ligaments, and effects from hip or ankle movement.

Age and X-ray findings alone do not explain the current pain; we also check for swelling, heat sensation, locking, and weight-bearing function.

• Pain in the front of the knee when going up and down stairs
• Pain when bending or straightening
• Swelling and heaviness after walking
• A feeling that the knee gives way when changing direction
• Knee locked due to inability to extend after catching
• Symptoms of a sound occurring at the moment of trauma and rapid swelling
• Pain and swelling in the back of the knee and the calf

Along with the location of pain, it is necessary to examine whether the joint is actually stable.

If you cannot bear weight after trauma, or if the knee is significantly swollen and deformed, fractures and ligament injuries must be ruled out. If the joint is red and hot with high fever, or if the calf suddenly swells and breathing difficulty occurs, rapid evaluation is necessary.

Do not delay seeking care if the knee locks completely and cannot be straightened, or gives way repeatedly enough to cause falls.

We check the trigger for when pain began, the timing of swelling, and changes in climbing stairs, squatting, or walking. We examine knee flexion and extension, tenderness and swelling around the joint, and thigh and hip muscle strength and balance.

If there is a mechanism of injury and instability, we perform examinations related to ligaments and meniscus, and if necessary, guide imaging tests or evaluation at other medical institutions.

Chuna manual therapy may be considered when there are no warning signs and management of knee joint movement, hip and ankle connected function, muscle tension, and gait pattern is needed.

We do not guarantee that it will increase joint spacing or regenerate cartilage. We check changes in climbing stairs, rising from a seated position, and walking before and after treatment.

Acupuncture and pharmacopuncture can be selected considering pain, swelling, and the response of surrounding muscles. Exercise restores the thigh and gluteal muscles, balance, and gait starting from a low intensity.

Much knee pain can be treated with Chuna manual therapy, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and muscle-strengthening and gait exercises. In periods when swelling and pain are severe, pain relievers or joint injections are sometimes used alongside them; however, a study in which steroid injections were administered regularly for 2 years in degenerative knees showed that pain did not decrease much while cartilage loss was greater. Repetition should be approached cautiously.

The front of the knee may be uncomfortable when climbing stairs or standing up after sitting for a long time; the inner and outer sides may be uncomfortable during walking and changing direction; the back may be uncomfortable when bending deeply or when there is swelling. We do not diagnose based solely on the location of pain, but also assess the range of motion when bending and straightening the knee, as well as movements involving bearing weight.

We check how pain and knee instability manifest during squatting, descending stairs, standing on one leg, and walking.

If the knee swells significantly within a short time after trauma, or if the joint becomes locked and cannot be extended, making it difficult to bear weight, you can check for ligament or cartilage injury and fracture. If there is redness, heat, and high fever without any special trauma, infectious and inflammatory diseases should be examined first.

Recording when the knee swells and what activities worsen it is more helpful than just relieving pain for a knee that swells repeatedly.

If the hip and ankle do not move sufficiently during stair climbing or walking, the burden may concentrate on the knee. We assess the strength of the buttock muscles, ankle movement, and weight distribution in the foot together to determine the treatment and exercise plan.

However, not all knee pain is attributed to pelvic or foot issues; we first examine the swelling and joint condition of the knee itself.

We assess not only whether the knee hurts less when pressed, but also whether climbing stairs, sitting down and standing up, walking distance, and changing direction have become easier. Although the pain has decreased, if you still feel that your knee continues to buckle or give way, further evaluation is required.

Chuna manual therapy is a method that can be considered for managing movement of the knee, hip, and ankle joints; it is not a treatment that restores severe joint damage or tears by hand.

Record the location of pain, the onset of swelling, and changes occurring during climbing stairs, squatting, or changing direction. Please tell us if your knee feels swollen or bent, whether it swelled rapidly immediately after the injury, and whether you can bear weight on it.

A reduction in pain may help with returning to daily activities, but swelling and warmth within the knee, as well as whether locking or giving way occurs repeatedly, must be assessed separately. If repeated injections are required or if stair-climbing and walking functions do not recover, the knee joint condition, hip and ankle function, and exercise intensity can be re-evaluated.

If your knee swells after walking or exercising, you can compare the circumference, warmth, and range of motion immediately after activity and the next day. Rather than enduring pain to squat deeply or repeatedly climb stairs, start with walking on flat ground and rising from a low seat. Using the handrail to distribute your body weight can also be helpful.

As pain decreases, you must also recover the buttocks and calf muscles, as well as balance, not just the front of the thigh. If your knee becomes locked and cannot straighten, suddenly bends, develops redness and heat, or swells rapidly after trauma, we recommend an evaluation to identify the cause.

Weight control may help reduce joint burden in some patients, but pain should not be attributed solely to weight. Currently adjust exercise and dietary habits realistically, and also select activities with relatively low impact, such as swimming and indoor cycling, according to the knee flexion range and pain response. If swelling is prominent after exercise, I will reduce the intensity. Records pain and functional changes together.

It is recommended to compare swelling and warmth immediately after activity and the following day, as well as range of motion and stair-climbing response for the knee. Before treatment, we document whether there was sound or rapid swelling at the time of injury, as well as any locking or bending; after treatment, we verify whether walking on flat ground and rising from a chair have actually improved.

Crutches and canes can be aids for safe walking during periods of severe pain. Do not rely on it unconditionally for too long, or conversely, do not ignore its necessity; instead, check whether the knee bends, gait stability, swelling and fatigue after use, and adjust accordingly along with the exercise plan.

Swelling and sensation of heat are also recorded.

Walking distance and stair-climbing performance are also compared.