During the physical exam, your doctor is likely to:
Check your knee for swelling, pain, tenderness, warmth, and any visible bruising.
They will also see how far you can move your lower leg in different directions.
They may push on or pull the joint to check the strength and condition of the structures in your knee.
Imaging Tests
In some cases, your doctor might suggest tests like:
X-Ray
Your doctor may first recommend an X-ray, which can help find broken bones and signs of joint wear and tear.
Computerized tomography (CT) scan.
A CT scanner takes many X-ray images from different angles to make detailed cross-sectional pictures of your body. CT scans can help find bone issues and small fractures. A special type of CT scan can accurately detect gout even when the joint isn’t swollen.
Ultrasound
This uses sound waves to make real-time images of the soft tissues around your knee. Your doctor may move your knee into different positions during the ultrasound to check for specific problems.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
An MRI uses radio waves and a strong magnet to create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is especially useful for showing injuries to soft tissues like ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscles.
Lab Tests
If your doctor thinks there might be an infection or inflammation, you might have blood tests.
Sometimes, they might also do a procedure called arthrocentesis, where a small amount of fluid is taken from inside your knee joint with a needle and sent to a lab for testing.
Treatment
The knee pain treatment singapore will depend on what is causing your knee pain.
Medications
Your doctor may give you medicine to help ease your pain and treat the condition causing it, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
Therapy
Strengthening the muscles around your knee can help make it more stable.
Your doctor may suggest physical therapy or certain types of exercises based on the specific problem you have.
If you are active or play sports, you might need exercises to fix movement patterns that are hurting your knees and to improve your technique during your sport or activity.
It’s also important to do exercises that improve flexibility and balance.
Arch supports, sometimes with a wedge on one side of the heel, can help take pressure off the part of the knee most affected by osteoarthritis.
In some conditions, different types of braces may be used to help protect and support the knee joint.