Our Services / Knee Pain

Your knees give you the ability to stand, walk, and bend. The daily wear-and-tear placed on your knees makes them a common source of pain. And, if you play sports, your risk of knee pain is even greater. Jacob Katz, MD, at Katz Medical Group provides comprehensive care for knee pain. To get help for your knee pain from a patient-centered physician, call the office most convenient to you or schedule an appointment online today.

What causes knee pain?

Aging and injuries are the common causes of knee pain. Your knees are large weight-bearing joints that endure a great deal of stress on a daily basis. 

You rely on your knees for walking, bending, and lifting. High-impact activities, like jumping or running, place even more stress on your knees. The daily wear-and-tear and added stress from physical activities may lead to injuries that result in knee pain. Common causes of knee pain include:

• Sprains 
• Cartilage tears
• Ligament tears
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Fractures
• Dislocations
• Arthritis

Arthritis is a common cause of knee pain, usually from osteoarthritis, an age-related form of arthritis. You can also develop post-traumatic osteoarthritis following a knee injury. 

When should I seek help for knee pain?

You can manage mild knee pain with at-home care. However, you should seek help for your knee pain from Dr. Katz if the pain is moderate to severe, occurs after an injury, has swelling associated with pain, or worsens over time.

Dr. Katz also recommends you come in for a knee pain evaluation if your discomfort fails to go away within a few days of at-home care. 

What happens during a knee pain evaluation?

Dr. Katz takes a collaborative approach to care, working closely with you when you come in for help with your knee pain. He asks detailed questions about your pain, including the location of your pain, type of discomfort you feel, and the activities that make it worse. Dr. Katz takes the time to learn who you are and what activities you perform that may have predisposed you to the injury. 

For knee injuries, Dr. Katz asks about the details of the accident that causes the injury.

He examines the knee, assessing mobility, flexibility, and strength. Dr. Katz can determine the cause of your knee pain after a history and physical exam, he may be able to look deeper by conducting an in-office ultrasound of the knee if needed, but he may request an X-ray or MRI scan if needed as well.

What types of treatments can improve my knee pain?

Dr. Katz spends time talking to you about your knee pain diagnosis and treatment options. The types of treatments that can improve your knee pain depend on the cause, its severity, and your daily routine.

Some of the treatments Dr. Katz might recommend to help ease your knee pain include:

• Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE)
• Activity modification
• Bracing
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Physical therapy
• Joint injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Shoe modification 

Taking a holistic approach to care, Dr. Katz develops plans that not only reduce your knee pain, but also improve your overall health and well-being. 

When medical interventions fail to ease your knee pain, Dr. Katz helps identify challenges and possible solutions to take the treatment to the next stages.

For a holistic and collaborative approach to knee pain from a compassionate physician, call Katz Medical Group or schedule an appointment online today.