The knee is essentially made up of four bones. The femur, which is the large bone in your thigh, attaches by ligaments and a capsule to your tibia. Just below and on the outside of the leg, next to the tibia is the fibula, which runs parallel to the tibia. The patella or what we call the knee cap, rides on the knee joint as the knee bends.

When the knee moves it not only bends and straightens but there is also a slight rotational component in this motion. The main muscles of the knee which pass over the knee joint are the quadriceps and hamstrings. However, it is the ligaments which are the vital component of the knee joint, as they bind the joint together. This is why ligament tears can be serious and often require repair.

Knee pain can be the result of local knee problems, including continual wear and stress on the knee joint, as well as injury or a sudden movement that strains the knee. Below are a few of the more common causes:

Sprained or strained knee ligaments and/or muscles
A sprained or strained knee ligament or muscle is usually caused by a trauma to the knee or a sudden movement (usually twisting) of the knee. Symptoms often include pain, swelling, and difficulty in walking.

Torn cartilage
Trauma to the knee can tear the menisci (pads of tissue that act as shock absorbers between the two large bones). Any compression and/or twisting movement can cause pain, plus locking of the knee occurs.

Tendonitis
Inflammation of the tendons resulting from overuse of the tendon during certain activities such as running, jumping, or cycling.

Arthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that affects the knee, particularly if there is excessive weight on the joint for a period of time (i.e. being overweight).

Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the knees by causing the joint to become inflamed and by destroying the knee cartilage.

Apart from the local knee problems, knee pain is usually a result of problems in areas above and/or below the knee, i.e. the hip, pelvis or foot. For example, an over-pronated foot (fallen arch) causes the whole leg to rotate abnormally, which over time can lead to pain in the knee through a developed stress pattern.

Myosteo-practitioners are able to assist with a variety of knee problems, bringing to the table both anatomical knowledge and the whole body approach to dealing with the complaint. This means they will check and release areas above and below the knee in order to ascertain the underlying cause of the problem. Also see sport injuries.