View the Health Heart Book

Free

E-Newsletters

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer
Connect with others who've been there. Share stories. Learn. Join Mayo Clinic's
online community.

Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

The location and severity of knee pain may vary, depending on the cause of the problem. Signs and symptoms that sometimes accompany knee pain include:

  • Swelling and stiffness
  • Redness and warmth to the touch
  • Weakness or instability
  • Popping or crunching noises
  • "Locking," or inability to fully straighten the knee

When to see a doctor
Call your doctor if you:

  • Can't bear weight on your knee
  • Have marked knee swelling
  • Are unable to fully extend or flex your knee
  • See an obvious deformity in your leg or knee
  • Have a fever, in addition to redness, pain and swelling in your knee
  • Fall because your knee "gives out"
Causes Definition
References
  1. Questions and answers about knee problems. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Knee_Problems/default.asp. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  2. Huddleston JI, et al. Hip and knee pain. In: Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders Co.; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/211216621-3/1029261530/1807/290.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3285-4..10042-7--s0010_1200. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  3. Anderson RJ, et al. Evaluation of the adult patient with knee pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  4. Common knee injuries. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://www.orthoinfo.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00325. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  5. Zeller JL, et al. JAMA patient page: Knee pain. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;297:1740.
  6. Pallin DJ, et al. Knee injuries. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00054-2--s0150&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00054-2--s0460&uniq=211216621&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&sid=1029279549. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  7. Pseudogout. American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/pseudogout. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  8. Pallin DJ, et al. Diagnostic strategies. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00054-2--s0150&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00054-2--s0470&uniq=211216621&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&sid=1029395050#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00054-2--s0100%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-323-05472-0. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  9. Care of the aging or post-traumatic knee. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00344. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  10. Knee bracing: What works? American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/injuries/490.html. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  11. Roberts WN. Intraarticular and soft tissue injections: What agents to inject and how frequently? http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  12. LeBlanc KE, et al. Musculoskeletal disorders. Primary Care Clinical Office Practice. 2010;37:389.
  13. Knee implants. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00221. Accessed July 23, 2010.
  14. Anderson BC. Patient information: Knee pain. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 26, 2010.
  15. Acupuncture for pain. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/acupuncture-for-pain.htm. Accessed July 26, 2010.
  16. Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 26, 2010.
DS00555 Sept. 9, 2010

© 1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger