There are various injuries and conditions that can cause chronic knee pain, which might mean you need knee replacement surgery. These include:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is when the smooth cartilage that protects your joint surface deteriorates over time. As well as pain, it can also cause swelling and pain in your knee.
It is important to remember that arthritis symptoms affect everyone differently. Some people suffer severe pain as a result of osteoarthritis and struggle to perform everyday activities. Others find that their symptoms are less severe and do not occur as regularly.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects more than 400,000 people in the UK. It is an inflammatory joint condition caused by an autoimmune process that makes your body mistakenly attack its healthy cells. This often causes chronic joint pain and deterioration. Joints affected by RA are usually surrounded by inflamed tissue.
Post-traumatic knee arthritis (kneecap traumatic arthritis)
A broken kneecap happens when the small bone at the front of your knee breaks. It is usually caused by a traumatic knee injury during sport and can lead to kneecap arthritis.
Septic arthritis
This is a much less common form of arthritis. It's a severe joint infection that can be caused by a traumatic injury to your joint, including a bite or wound. It can also happen as the result of an infection following surgery. Septic arthritis requires immediate medical attention. The damage caused by septic arthritis can lead to the need for knee replacement surgery.
Symptoms that indicate you might need knee replacement surgery
Not everyone with knee pain needs a knee replacement operation, but there are some common symptoms that indicate you might need a knee joint replacement, including:
- Persistent knee pain that limits your movement
- A change in the appearance of your knee
- Knee pain when bending down
- Knee pain while exercising
- Knee pain during sex
- Severe knee stiffness
- Knee pain when walking
- Knee pain at night
- An inability to support your body weight on one leg
- Limited relief from other forms of treatment you've tried