Knee Pain Solutions: When You Should See an Orthopedic Specialist

Knee pain can strike anyone, from weekend athletes to older adults dealing with years of wear and tear. How do you know when it is something to shrug off versus something that needs medical attention? In this article, Dr. Daniel Kana, an orthopedic surgeon with Southwest General Medical Group, Inc., breaks down what to watch for and when to seek help.

Two Types of Knee Pain

Dr. Kana divides knee pain into two broad categories. The first is acute injury, such as a twisting incident during pickleball or a fall that leads to ligament damage, meniscus tears or cartilage injuries. The second is chronic, long-standing pain, often driven by arthritis, tendon issues or general wear and tear.

Normal Soreness vs. Something More: How to Tell the Difference

Distinguishing everyday soreness from a real problem often comes down to one question: Is it getting better? “Soreness gets better with time,” Dr. Kana explains. “So, if you rest it, soreness tends to get better over a couple-day period.” Pain that lingers, worsens or comes with swelling, instability, buckling or a locking or catching sensation is a different story entirely.

Red Flags Worth Taking Seriously

Certain symptoms warrant prompt medical attention. These include a popping sensation followed by significant swelling, mechanical symptoms such as locking or catching, inability to bear weight and a feeling of instability or of the knee giving way. “Your body has a pain response for a reason. Sometimes, it's smart not to ignore your body and listen to your pain response, and get it checked out,” advises Dr. Kana.

What to Do at Home After a Minor Injury

For minor tweaks, the classic RICE approach applies: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories can help too. The key is watching for improvement. “If you had an injury playing pickleball on Friday, by Monday you'd expect to see some significant improvements,” Dr. Kana notes. “If you don't, it’s maybe something to look into.”

What Happens at a First Appointment with an Orthopedic Specialist

A typical evaluation starts with X-rays to assess joint alignment and rule out obvious issues. From there, the conversation turns to understanding the patient's history and symptoms, followed by a physical exam checking ligament stability and range of motion.

Importantly, Dr. Kana says that surgery is never the starting point. “We always try to make sure we're highlighting all the non-surgical things first and making a team-based approach to get you back to doing what you want to do,” he assures.

Conservative Treatment Comes First

Physical therapy is often the foundation of treatment, helping strengthen the muscles around the knee to create what Dr. Kana calls a “built-in dynamic brace.” Anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections and hyaluronic acid gel injections are additional tools that can reduce pain and improve function without surgery.

When Surgery Becomes the Right Conversation

Surgery becomes necessary primarily when there is a ligament injury that cannot heal on its own, such as an ACL tear, or when chronic pain has exhausted conservative options and is preventing someone from living the life they want. “When the pain prevents you from doing the things in life that you want to do or need to do, that's when sometimes surgery is the last option to get you back to where you want to be,” shares Dr. Kana.

Ignoring persistent pain, he cautions, can allow underlying problems to worsen over time. As Dr. Kana puts it, “Knee pain is a symptom, not a diagnosis.” Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step toward the right treatment plan.

To request an appointment with Dr. Kana, visit swgeneral.com.