Do your knees hurt? These 6 reasons could be behind it, says an expert

Knee pain is often associated with older adults, but guess what? Younger adults can suffer from knee pain too. If you are someone who’s undergoing this, even though you are too young, then there can be various reasons behind it.

A sedentary lifestyle and the stress associated with work and personal life is increasing the incidence of such cases. As we age, our bones become weaker, which is an explanation in itself. But why does it happen to younger adults?

Well, Dr Dhananjay Gupta, Director, Orthopedic, Replacement and Reconstructions at Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj tells us six reasons why it happens. 

1. High physical activity

Excessively pushing your body, while working out can lead to injuries. Moreover, abnormal angle and high-intensity workout can also damage the cartilage. Dr Gupta says, “Articular cartilage injury amounts to almost 75% of the total cases, where young patients complain about knee pain. Whereas 17% of the cases are because of ligament injuries.”

So, understand what your body is saying and don’t exert yourself to such an extent.

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2. Congenital abnormalities

“Joint disorders, bone and cartilage diseases are congenital abnormalities that affect your knees. Such abnormalities may or may not be isolated to the knee,” says Dr Gupta.

3. Presence of tumours

If you notice swelling and pain in your knee joints, then you should definitely get checked to rule out any chances of the tumour. Dr Gupta says, “About 2-4% of the visiting patients with the complaint of knee pain are diagnosed with tumours, which can sometimes get cancerous as well. So, though the percentage is not very high, you shouldn’t be taking any risks.”

4. Childhood deficiency

Deficiency of various vitamins and nutrients during childhood can make the bones weak. If you are extremely low in vitamin D, then it can aggravate knee pain in younger adults. So, make sure you are incorporating all the necessary vitamins and minerals, as part of your diet. You need these nutrients even more, if you have been undernourished in your childhood.

5. Infections

“Septic arthritis or infectious arthritis are both bacterial infections. The common symptoms of infection, apart from the pain is an inflammation in your knee joint. Such cases only amount to 1% of the total cases,” says Dr Gupta.

6. Juvenile arthritis

Another reason behind your stubborn pain can be juvenile arthritis. It is marked by inflammation of the joints. If you have joint swelling, pain, and stiffness that just doesn’t go away, then you might have juvenile arthritis. So, it’s best to get yourself checked.