Joint pain is a common complaint among people of all ages. A variety of factors cause joint pain, including wear and tear, injury and disease. Explore knee and hip pain and tips for managing discomfort and treatments to get you back to living your best life.
Arthritis and other causes of joint pain
Various factors contribute to joint pain, such as arthritis. Joint pain is when you experience aches or discomfort near your joints, like your knees, hips and elbows.
But the location of pain doesn’t always coincide with an area of problem or the pathology. You can feel pain in your knee, but the problem might originate from somewhere else in your body.
Arthritis is a common cause of joint pain for older adults. Arthritis happens when the cartilage tissue around the joint wears down. As you age, this cartilage gets thinner and the joint can get narrower, which can cause more soreness. Sometimes, this narrowing happens faster, causing severe discomfort.
Other factors include:
- Broken bones.
- Labral (hip) injuries.
- Loss of bone tissue.
- Previous traumas.
- Sports injuries.
- Sprains.
- Tendinitis.
Let’s talk about knee pain
Knee pain can manifest in different ways. Symptoms can vary depending on the underlying causes. Common symptoms include:
- Limited mobility.
- Sharp or dull pain, like a toothache.
- Stiffness.
- Swelling.
- Tenderness around knee.
Nerve vs. orthopedic pain
Knowing what is causing your knee pain helps you know where best to get care.
Nerve pain is associated with burning pain with numbness and tingling feeling.
Joint pain usually has tenderness around the joint.
Keep in mind bone is living tissues and has nerves in it. It’s important to talk with your provider and not try to self-diagnosis.
Take our knee pain self-assessment
Symptoms of hip pain
While hip pain can still come from wear and tear, genetics also play a role.
Some people's hip pain and hip arthritis is correlated to genetics and how you were positioned when a baby in the uterus. This can ultimately lead to your hips to being shaped differently.
Symptoms watch for include:
- Locking or catching.
- Pain in the front of hip or groin.
- Stiffness.
- Sudden and intense pain.
Heavy lifting, movement or vigorous activity can worsen hip discomfort.
Hip pain - is it time to see a doctor?
How to know if your joint pain is serious
As you grow older, the wear and tear on your body causes aches and pangs. But you don’t have to suffer.
One of the first signs that your joint pain is serious is when you're giving away an activity you want to keep. If you’re changing your life to fit your arthritic pain, that’s a good time to go speak with your provider.
Other signs include:
- Change of shape.
- Loss of motion.
- Noisy joints: clicking, grinding or snapping sounds.
- Painful movement.
- Severe pain.
Treadmill vs. elliptical for cardio
Treatments for knee and hip pain
While you cannot eliminate joint pain, you can manage knee and hip discomfort in a variety of different ways:
- Consider physical therapy.
- Do low impact exercises like walking, swimming, elliptical and biking.
- Improve your range of motion by stretching, especially before exercising.
- Reduce swelling and inflammation with topical anti-inflammatory medicines.
- Relieve stress and pressure on knee and hip joints by maintaining a healthy body.
- Try over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines when appropriate.
- Use a warm compress before an activity and a cold compress after an activity.
- Consult with your provider about prescription medicines.
Benefits of total joint replacement
Total joint replacement is a surgical option to treat severely damaged joints when nonoperative treatments haven’t worked. Total joint replacement swaps your damaged joint with a metal, plastic or ceramic device, which replicates the movement of a healthy joint.
For most people, their life is better after joint replacement. It has a meaningful impact on their life.
Total joint replacement is more than a surgical procedure. In many studies, weight has been tied to complications like infection or mechanical issues. Total joint replacement requires lifestyle changes to maximize benefits.
Lessen wear and tear of your joints
There are changes you can make to your daily life to protect and maintain healthy joints, the greatest being exercise. Benefits of exercise for your joints, include:
- Maintains muscle mass.
- Keeps your joint in control.
- Increases your metabolic activity.
- Improves your perception of pain.
Exercise is the most valuable medicine. Be realistic about your expectations. We all have certain capabilities based on the mileage on our bodies.
If you are experiencing joint pain or want to learn more about how to lessen your risk, talk with your primary care provider.
