What Causes Knee Pain When Squatting?

Knee pain when squatting can be very irritating especially for those who are exercise lovers. But two conditions are very important, like first of all, try to perform it in an appropriate way and the second one is to be healthy enough to perform it. There are many causes associated with knee pain when squatting so it is always recommended by a pain management clinic to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Reasons Associated with Knee Pain 

Here are given reasons which are associated with knee pain when squatting.

• Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)

In this type of syndrome, a person mostly feels pain on the outside of the knee as upon squatting the thick band tightens. This band of thick tissues move down the outer thighs to the outward direction of the kneecap. This type of tug on the kneecap, increasing pain and friction and resulting misalignment. Along with pain, Iliotibial Band Syndrome is also referred as inflammation and snapping sensation

• Tendonitis

Main function of tendons is to connect bones to the muscles. Actually, as the name describes, tendonitis of the knee can occur due to strain and excessive use of tendons covering the knee resulting in swelling. Tendonitis is more likely to occur due to recurring movements, especially if these put a lot of stress on the tendon. Mostly, people make recurring moves while working in a manual job or playing sports.

• Knee Bursitis

Knee bursitis is one of the common reasons which result in knee pain when squatting. Main function of bursa is to protect the structures surrounding the knee by acting as a cushion. They act by reducing strain and tension on tendons and ligaments as the knee moves. Friction, recurring overloading can result in knee bursa to be inflamed, resulting in excess fluid to accumulate in the bursa causing a soft pocket of localized swelling.

• Patello-Femoral Pain Syndrome 

When the patella is maltracked, it causes the knee to move through its range, resulting in knee pain while squatting. Normally, this occurs due to an imbalance of muscles in the hips or quadriceps. As you begin or end the squatting movement, you may feel as though your knees are collapsing inward towards each other.

• Weak Hips

Sometimes the most serious problem becomes the weak gluteal muscles present in the hips. These muscles do not support the knees to squat easily. 

Diagnosis of Squats-Induced Knee Pain

According to Pain Management Fort Worth, for accurate treatment of knee pain either when squatting, sitting or standing, there is always a requirement of proper diagnosis. So, here are steps which doctors may use to confirm the causes and problems related to knee pain when squatting.

Doctor may ask you relatable questions along with some tests. First of all, he will take your health history which may include history of illness, medication history, and family history.

• Physical Examination

When testing the squatting mechanisms, ankle mobility is an important factor because it can affect your overall body posture.Moreover, your physical examination might include

• •  Evaluating the level of motion of your knees,
  • redness and swelling signs
  •  Assessing mobility of ankle 
  • Tenderness

• Imaging Tests

Furthermore, your physician to check the underlying cause of knee pain may ask you to perform an MRI scan or X-ray. X-ray is very important to reach the root cause by finding any fractures and signs of injury.

On the other hand, MRI would be very helpful as it reaches the problems related to the soft tissues like the cartilages, and the tendons.

Home Remedies That Will Help You With Knee Pain

First of all, it is recommended to book an appointment with the doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. But this situation depends on the severity of the problem. It means that if the problem is not severe then you can try home remedies to get rid of pain. 

Here are given some tips to help you get rid of it:

• Have a record of your daily activities. If you are feeling pain while performing some activities then try to avoid them until you get better.
• Most important thing is to allow the knee to take rest and stop exerting too much weight on it.
• Maybe arthritis can be the reason for knee pain during squatting.In this case, application of heat could be a helpful remedy.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs like Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are always considerable in relieving pain as well as inflammation in the knees.
• Consulting with a professional massage therapist can help you in relieving pain and stress in the muscles covering the joints.
• Applying ice for 20 minutes with the gap of 15 to 20 minutes could help you in relaxation and relieve pain. Make sure not to apply ice directly instead wrap it in a towel.
• Also, try to elevate legs at a level above your heart.
• Elastic wrap or bandage could also be the considerable choice to place around the knee.

Recovery

Following things may affect your recovery time like:

• The treatment you choose
• How much rest you take
• Severity of the injury

Moreover, you can feel better by taking rest and treating at home with the passage of time. Physical therapy may also help you recover soon to work on imbalance on the muscles. On the other hand, surgery may require a longer duration in comparison to without surgical treatment. 

Summary

Most important thing is that squatting is a part of exercise and it has a lot of benefits related to physical appearance. So, while performing squats one should try to do it in the proper way. But, if the reason behind knee pain is internal problems then it is better to consult a doctor to find the reason behind knee pain when squatting. Doctor after using some techniques will give you a proper treatment plan and depending upon the severity of the problem in the knee may suggest some kind of surgery.

Note: Never self-prescribed medications without doctor opinion.