Specialist orthopaedic care

Arthritis
& other Knee Conditions

Knee pain is an extremely common complaint, and there are many causes. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause. If you have knee pain, some common causes include:

Arthritis

Arthritis is among the most common causes of knee pain in the general population, and there are many treatments available. In essence this is wear and tear of the joint surfaces. The commonest type of arthritis is osteoarthritis and there is a range of severity and patterns.

Cartilage (meniscal) and joint surface tears

These are the most common types of problem for which patients seek help for, in the presence of persistent symptoms. These problems vary widely in extent and severity, which effects degree of symptoms and loss of function.

Ligament injuries​

The most common of these injuries are to the inner (medial collateral) and anterior cruciate ligaments. Multi-ligament knee injuries are rare but serious types of injury.

Trauma

Cartilage tears and ligament injuries commonly occur during athletic activities and cause discomfort and instability.

Bursae and cysts​

Bursae and cysts are swellings of the knee joints and kneecap, caused by kneeling or underlying knee conditions.

Tendinopathies​

Tendinopathies are diseases of tendons or conditions such as tendinitis and tendinosis.

Synovitis

Inflammation ​of the linings of the joint (the synovium) which will almost always occur with any acute or chronic knee condition.

Find out about Treatments & Surgery

Treatments