Pain under your kneecap is often due to a breakdown in cartilage (especially under your patella), which causes inflammation. It can also stem from tiny tears in your tendons that cause inflammation, or tendinitis.
Patellar tendinitis is a common overuse injury, caused by repeated stress on your patellar tendon. The stress results in tiny tears in the tendon, which your body attempts to repair. But as the tears in the tendon multiply, they cause pain from inflammation and weakening of the tendon.
The tibia is the lower leg bone. Also called the shin bone, it is the second longest bone of the body, and is located below the knee.
Jumper's knee, also known as patellar tendonitis, is a condition characterized by inflammation of your patellar tendon. This connects your kneecap (patella) to your shin bone (tibia). Jumper's knee weakens your tendon, and, if untreated, can lead to tears in your tendon.
If you ontinue with your activity in the presence of pain, you initially can continue to exercise or perform at a normal level. However, if you continue to exercise and don't rest, the pain will become more persistent and will be present before, during and after activity.
Knee bursitis is inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac (bursa) situated near your knee joint. Bursae reduce friction and cushion pressure points between your bones and the tendons, muscles and skin near your joints.
Knee bursitis can be caused by: Frequent and sustained pressure, such as from kneeling, especially on hard surfaces. Overuse or strenuous activity. A direct blow to your knee.
Pain on the front of the knee can be due to bursitis, arthritis, or softening of the patella cartilage as in chrondromalacia patella. Pain on the sides of the knee is commonly related to injuries to the collateral ligaments, arthritis, or tears to the meniscuses.
Calf Muscles
Just below the knee on the back of the shin are the calf muscles, soleus and gastrocnemius.
Does patellar tendonitis go away? With the appropriate treatments, patellar tendonitis will likely go away, but your doctor or physical therapist may suggest strengthening and flexibility exercises to help keep patellar tendonitis from returning.
What are shin splints? The term “shin splints” describes pain felt along the front of your lower leg, at the shin bone. This pain concentrates in the lower leg between the knee and ankle. Your doctor may refer to the condition as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS).
Resting and bracing the knee gives a tendon time to heal. In most cases, mild patellar tendonitis heals in a few weeks. If the pain continues, a doctor or physical therapist can recommend further treatment options.
The most common symptoms of bursitis include joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and tenderness; because these symptoms are also common to arthritis, bursitis is often mistaken for arthritis.
Walking can aggravate the symptoms of knee bursitis, so it's important to listen to your body and take it easy if you're experiencing pain. However, walking is not likely to cause further damage to the joints and may help reduce inflammation.
Housemaids knee (prepatellar bursitis) is a condition that affects the lower leg and the kneecap caused by inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac (the bursa) in front of the kneecap. The pain can be excruciating, especially when you're on your feet all day long.
What is plica syndrome? A plica is a fold in the membrane that protects your knee joint. Most people have four folds in each knee. Sometimes the plica located in the middle of your knee becomes irritated. This is called plica syndrome and it's characterized by pain, swelling and instability.
Varicose Veins and Venous Insufficiency. Your lower legs might get physically swollen due to swelling of the leg veins. The varicose vein is a condition in which superficial skin veins become twisted and inflamed. This also pushes the fluid into the surrounding tissues.
Pain and tenderness at the base of your kneecap are usually the first symptoms of patellar tendonitis. You may also have some swelling and a burning feeling in the kneecap. Kneeling down or getting up from a squat can be especially painful.
Patellar tendinitis is one of the several differential diagnosis of anterior knee pain. The diagnosis can be mistaken for other disorders or injuries, such as bursitis, meniscal tear, chondromalacia or other causes of the patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Bracing & Support
Many patients with patellar tendonitis need to wear a brace to support the patellar tendon. These braces for jumper's knee work by applying pressure to the tendon to help alleviate pain.
Pain and swelling may be present between your kneecap and where the tendon attaches to your shinbone (tibia). Knee pain may at first appear only as you begin exercising or just after an intense workout. This injury can worsen over time until it begins to interfere with your daily activities.