Pain On The Inside Of The Knee: 4 Causes

Pain on the inside of the kneePain on the inside of the knee is one of the most common musculoskeletal pains reported. It is the cause of approximately 6 % of adults visits to their primary care doctors. For those involved in athletics, it is a larger concern.

Probably the 4 most common sources of pain on the inside of the knee include:

  1. 1. Anserine Syndrome
  2. 2. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury
  3. 3. Medial meniscus tear
  4. 4. Medial plica syndrome

Anserine Syndrome

Pain that is a few centimeters below the inside joint line, in many cases is due to Anserine Syndrome. The pes anserinus is 3 tendons that join together and attached on the top inside of the tibia (shin bone). It has been reported that this is the most common cause of pain on the inside of the knee.

Medial Collateral Ligament Injury

Injury to the medial (inside) collateral ligament typically happens when a force strikes the outside of the knee. Examples would be a tackle in football that impacts the outside of the knee. These injuries can potentially affect the stability of the knee joint.

Medial Meniscus Tearmeniscus

The meniscus is a horseshoe shaped cartilage shock absorber on top of the tibia (shin bone). There is a one on the outside of the knee (lateral meniscus) and one on the inside (medial meniscus). A tear in the meniscus typically happens one of two ways: non-contact trauma or due to degenerative wear and tear.  The injury typically happens with a sudden start or stop movement that involves rotation of the knee. For example, a football player running who then plants the foot and makes a quick turn or similar actions in basketball or soccer players.

Medial plica syndrome

The word plica means fold and is essentially a fold that is left over from the days of embryological growth. This plica can cause pain on the inside of the knee when it repetitive bending of the knee causes friction and interferes with normal knee movement.

Examination of pain on the inside of the knee

While it is simple to make a list of the common causes of pain on the inside of the knee, it requires a skilled examination to determine the cause. Because these common structures are in a relatively small area, specific tests must be performed to rule in or out the cause. In fact, depending on the type of trauma, some structures can be injured together; this is true with a medial collateral ligament and the meniscus.

If you are experiencing pain on the inside of the knee, call 314-731-4383 now, to schedule an appointment.  Dr Schmaltz has extensive training in diagnosing knee problems, both in sports injury and orthopedics.