5 Signs It’s Time to Get Help for Your Knee Pain

Your knees endure significant stress. They support your body weight while absorbing shock and constantly repeating the same movements. Because of the stress, a minor injury can quickly become a major knee problem if you postpone getting help for the pain.

Sometimes, a sudden accident or severe pain leaves no doubt that you need immediate care. However, deciding when knee pain needs prompt medical attention isn't always easy.

Our Florida Pain Medicine knee specialists recommend seeking help if you have any of the following five signs:

1. Pain characteristics

Seek medical attention when your pain:

• Is severe (even when not bearing weight)
• Gets worse
• Doesn’t improve after a few days
• Doesn’t improve with over-the-counter medications
• Persists when resting
• Wakes you up when sleeping
• Stops you from using the knee

Pain that interferes with daily activities is a sure sign you should see a healthcare provider.

2. Pain plus other symptoms

Knee pain may occur with other symptoms, such as:

• Swelling
• Redness
• Bruising
• Fever
• Tenderness to the touch
• Visible joint deformity
• Limited range of motion
• Inability to straighten the knee
• Hearing or feeling a popping sensation
• Inability to put weight on the knee

These symptoms are telling you to have your knee examined right away.

3. Knee pain after an injury

Knee pain after an injury, whether a direct hit during athletics, a fall, or another accident, should be examined immediately.

A knee injury that needs treatment can begin with mild symptoms that slowly develop or symptoms that change. As a result, you may be tempted to stay active, which can cause further damage to the injured tissues.

Getting an evaluation after a knee injury will reveal the extent of the joint damage, allowing you to start treatment that promotes healing and recovery.

Here’s one example showing why seeking medical care is crucial after an injury. If you tear the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), swelling will appear within 24 hours (but not necessarily immediately). And then, the swelling can go down on its own (without treatment). 

After the swelling improves, you may return to your usual activities, causing further trauma to the ligament and worsening the injury.

4. Knee instability

The joint may be unstable if your knee feels weak, wobbly, or like it will buckle when walking. Instability is a sign of ligament damage. Without prompt treatment, the ligament can’t heal well enough to regain its original strength, resulting in chronic knee instability.

5. Pain only when active

Knee pain that appears only during athletic activities is another sign that you should see a healthcare provider and get an evaluation. Pain that begins after you start walking or running signals an overuse injury.

This type of injury develops gradually. Without rest and treatment, an injury that starts as a minor tear and inflammation will keep getting worse. Eventually, you can end up with a torn tendon, muscle, or ligament and severe pain.

Not sure if it’s time to seek help?

If you’re unsure whether you should seek help, don’t hesitate to call Florida Pain Medicine. We will learn about your symptoms and help you decide the next step. Alternatively, you can use online booking to request a knee evaluation.