GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF KNEE PAIN

Abstract

Knee joint is the largest synovial joint in the body, combined considerable mobility
and strength with the stability necessary to lock the knee in the upright
position. A bicondylar hinge joint, the knee is made up of three functional units;
the medial and lateral tibiofibular compartments and the patellofemoral joint.
The superior tibiofibular joint is included in the knee complex, which is often
forgotten as a source of lateral leg and knee pain. It needs to be examined
routinely in movement disorders of both the foot and the knee1.
In the musculoskeletal disorders, knee (OA) is one of the most common disorders
which affect the patients and it exceeds prevailing articular disorder. It is also
the major cause of disability and socioeconomic burden2.
The diagnosis of the knee can be done with considerable certainty and many
conditions are easily curable. History is of critical diagnostic importance. The
knee pain is usually Well localized and many of the tissues are accessible to
palpation. Pain originating from the knee is limited to the four dermatomes
which may also be affected by pain arising from the lumbar Spine L2 (left) L3
(right)3.