New Insights Into Knee Pain

The knee is one of the largest joint in our body. Pain in the knee can be related to several underlying conditions such as arthritis, or can be a result of injury or overuse. As we age, our joints’ surfaces roughen; natural lubrication and cartilage diminish, resulting in knee pain due to the friction of bones grating together. Although pain from knee osteoarthritis(OA) has long been considered a chronic condition, the reason for the fluctuation in knee pain is not well understood.

Why do I have pain in the knee? Some of the more recent studies has identified 3 areas of concern that can cause knee pain:

• Bone marrow lesion (Wear and Tear)
• Synovitis
• Effusion

According to MRI study in 2013, a big source of pain for people above 60 years old is caused by bone marrow lesion (BML) also known as worn out cartilage (see picture on right). Findings from the study also highlighted that as the size of the wear & tear increases, the greater the amount of joint narrowing and knee pain which results in worsening of osteoarthritis. It was concluded that with lesser amount of bone and cartilage damage, this would help to decrease and reduce the frequency of knee pain and severity. More must be done to protect our cartilage and reduce the amount of wear and tear.

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