Non-Surgical Knee Care

Advanced Knee Care Near You in New Jersey

From arthritis to muscle sprains, knees are susceptible to a wide range of conditions. If you are struggling with pain in your knees, Kurdali Spine & Pain can provide relief. We offer non-surgical treatments for all types of knee pain with same-day diagnosis and care at locations near you in New Jersey. Learn more about knee pain and discover the relief that awaits.

Key Takeaways

Knee pain refers to any pain or other symptoms that originate in the knee.
Common symptoms of knee pain include pain, swelling, stiffness, a clicking or crunching sensation, locking, giving way, and an inability to fully extend the knee.
Common causes of knee pain include muscle strains, tendonitis, bursitis, ligament injuries, meniscus injuries, and arthritis.
Kurdali Spine & Pain provides non-surgical relief for neck, back, nerve, muscle, and joint pain, offering same-day treatment for patients in New Jersey.

What Is Knee Pain?

Knee pain is any type of pain that originates in or around the knee. The knees are important joints. When you are on your feet, they support almost all your body’s weight. At the same time, they provide stability and mobility for walking, running, and jumping. This combination of strength and flexibility makes them vulnerable to stress. Repetitive movements, age-related degeneration, and injury can damage structures in the knee, leading to pain.

The knees are the largest and most complex joints in the body. They rely on all their components to operate effectively, including:

Bones: The knee joint contains several bones, including the thigh bone (femur), shin bone (tibia), fibula, and kneecap (patella).
Cartilage: This smooth, tough tissue creates a cap over the ends of bones, protecting the bones while letting the joint flex without friction.
Ligaments: The knee contains four ligaments that connect bones to one another, locking them in place and keeping the joint stable.
Muscles: These bands of fibrous tissue stretch and contract to pull and move the bones, enabling all kinds of movements.
Nerves: These carry information and instructions between the knees and the brain, letting you understand and control how your knees move.

If something goes wrong with even one of these structures, you may experience pain and a reduced ability to move the knee.

What Are the Common Symptoms of Knee Pain?

Many different conditions cause knee pain, and each one presents with slightly different symptoms. Different patients may also experience knee pain differently. Common signs of a knee condition or injury include:

The type of pain (sharp, stabbing, aching, etc.) and its location can be important clues to its cause. Pay attention to whether the pain is felt primarily on the front of your knee, behind the knee, on the inside edge, or on the outside. Also, pay attention to when the pain started and whether it gets worse while performing certain activities, like sitting or exercising. The more information you can provide Dr. Basil Kurdali about your pain, the more accurately he will diagnose your condition.

What Are the Causes of Knee Pain?

Knee pain has many different causes depending on which part of the knee is damaged. Some conditions occur suddenly due to a traumatic injury, while others build up over time. Knee pain can also be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). Kurdali Spine & Pain offers treatment for the following conditions:

Muscle Strains

Muscle strains, often called pulled muscles, occur when muscle fibers are stretched or torn. They are often caused by overexertion, such as running or lifting a too-heavy object. Strains can be mild to severe with symptoms that include pain, stiffness, tenderness, and loss of leg strength. People who participate in sports or labor jobs are more likely to experience a strain.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon, or the band of connective tissue that attaches muscles to bone. The inflammation causes stiffness, swelling, and pain, usually at the front of the knee. Also called runner’s knee, this condition is common for runners, skiers, cyclists, and other athletes in sports that require heavy running or repeated jumping.

Bursitis

Bursitis is swelling of the bursae, which are small sacs of fluid that cushion the joints. Knee overuse creates repeated pressure on the bursae, irritating them and causing them to swell up. Signs include swelling, stiffness, and pain in the front of the knee. Bursitis is common in patients who run, do high-impact sports, or work jobs that require repetitive movement.

Ligament Injuries

Ligament injuries occur when a sudden movement or blunt trauma forces the knee outside of its normal range of movement. This stretches or tears a ligament, causing the knee to destabilize. Patients often feel or hear a sudden pop before their knee buckles. Ligament tears cause sudden pain, swelling, and an inability to put weight on the joint.

Meniscus Injuries

Meniscus injuries are tears to the meniscus, or the thick ring of cartilage that cushions the knee joint. A sudden twisting or pivoting motion may create excessive stress on the meniscus, causing it to tear. The meniscus may also wear down through repetitive movement or age-related degeneration. Signs of a meniscus injury include locking up and clicking in the knee.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a common degenerative condition caused by age and wear and tear. Over time, repeated stress on the knee causes the cartilage to break down. The cartilage becomes stiff and rough, creating friction whenever the knee bends or extends. While arthritis affects joints throughout the body, the knees are often the first joints to show symptoms.

When to Seek Care for Knee Pain

Not all knee pain is serious. Mild aches, muscle tightness, and stiffness will usually go away on their own, especially if the patient rests and lets their knee recover. If the pain is serious, however, patients should contact a doctor. These are some signs that knee pain requires medical attention:

If a patient notices any of the above signs, medical care is likely necessary. Kurdali Spine & Pain provides advanced treatments to relieve pain and facilitate a successful recovery. Treatment ensures that injured tissues heal correctly, helping to prevent long-term complications and reduce the risk of a second injury. It also provides more effective ways to manage chronic pain.

How Is Knee Pain Diagnosed?

Because so many different conditions can cause knee pain, it is important to identify the cause correctly before beginning treatment. Patients at Kurdali Spine & Pain are evaluated promptly to provide a same-day diagnosis, letting them progress quickly into the treatment phase. We do all we can to eliminate delays in our patients’ care, providing a smooth path to relief.

A knee pain diagnosis begins with a thorough physical examination. Dr. Kurdali examines the knee, tests its range of motion, and asks about the patient’s symptoms and when they began. If he has reason to suspect a ligament or meniscus injury, he will follow up with medical imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) produces images that are used to accurately locate and identify soft tissue injuries. Same-day testing and results provide a clear understanding of the patient’s condition, helping Dr. Kurdali plan the best possible treatment.

What Are the Knee Pain Relief Options at Kurdali Spine & Pain?

Once he understands the cause, Dr. Kurdali moves on to develop a treatment plan. Patients at Kurdali Spine & Pain receive treatment on the same day of their first visit. Rather than making patients wait to experience relief, Dr. Kurdali moves quickly into treatment to ensure that they go home in less pain. He focuses on clinically proven, non-surgical treatments, including:

Home Care

Many treatment plans begin with home care. Dr. Kurdali guides patients in the steps they can take at home to reduce pain. These may include activity modifications, resting to allow recovery, and the rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) method.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is frequently recommended for knee pain. This approach uses targeted exercises to rebuild strength and flexibility in the joint. By strengthening the muscles, physical therapy also improves the knee’s stability to prevent additional injuries.

Medications

For short-term pain reduction, medication can help to relieve symptoms. Dr. Kurdali will determine whether over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or prescription drugs are most appropriate for the patient’s pain.

Joint Injections

Joint injections deliver corticosteroids, a strong anti-inflammatory medication, directly into the knee joint. Dr. Kurdali utilizes ultrasound technology to make sure the medication is delivered in the exact part of the joint where the pain and inflammation reside. The medication provides powerful localized relief that takes effect within a few days and can last up to several months, giving the joint time to heal.

Why Choose Kurdali Spine & Pain?

Patients who are struggling with knee pain can find relief at Kurdali Spine & Pain. We are led by Dr. Basil Kurdali, a board-certified pain management specialist with extensive training and experience in medical treatments. He applies this expertise toward delivering accurate diagnoses and advanced medical treatments with an emphasis on non-surgical care. Patients receive same-day treatment, leaving our office with a diagnosis and less pain than they had when they arrived.

We also do everything in our power to keep patients out of surgery. Our treatments work to relieve symptoms and promote healing without surgical intervention, a long recovery time, or scarring. If surgery is unavoidable, however, Dr. Kurdali has an extensive network of trusted specialists whom he can recommend to provide high-quality care.

Get Knee Pain Relief Near You in New Jersey

Do not let knee pain interfere with your everyday mobility and quality of life. Kurdali Spine & Pain provides a full range of non-surgical relief options for neck, back, nerve, muscle, and joint pain, helping patients get back to pain-free living. Contact us today to learn more about our patient experience and treatment options or to schedule an appointment at one of our locations near you in New Jersey.

Knee Pain FAQ

When is knee swelling concerning?

Knee swelling is cause for concern when there is extensive swelling, redness, and heat in the knee, or when the swelling does not go away after several days.

When is medical imaging recommended for knee pain?

Medical imaging is necessary for knee pain when there is reason to suspect a torn ligament or meniscus. Red flag signs include significant swelling, visible deformity, an inability to bear weight on the knee, or an inability to fully extend the knee.

What insurance does Kurdali Spine & Pain accept?

Kurdali Spine & Pain works with all major insurance carriers, including Medicare. We discuss options with patients and help them understand their coverage options.