Medial knee pain is pain in the knee that occurs on the inside part of the joint. This pain can be caused by several conditions, so before any treatments can be done, you will need to find out what the cause of the pain is. This may necessitate a trip to the doctor to diagnose a specific cause. The severity of the medial knee pain will also help dictate the best course of treatment, and if pain is felt in the joint, it is important to cease activity as soon as possible and allow the knee to rest.
For many cases of medial knee pain, the RICE treatment will be sufficient to alleviate the pain. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The RICE treatment is often adequate to treat mild tendinitis, sprained ligaments, strained muscles, arthritis, and other conditions. If the RICE treatment is not sufficient to treat the medial knee pain, you should see a doctor immediately. The pain can be caused by severe conditions such as bone fractures, nerve damage, arthritis, cartilage damage, and dislocation, so it is best to get an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible.
A sprain is a common cause of medial knee pain. This occurs when the ligaments of the knee are stretched beyond their means, and slight to moderate tearing occurs in the fibers that make up the ligaments. In the case of minor to moderate sprains, the RICE treatment is enough to keep swelling down, promote blood flow, and encourage faster healing time. After the injury has begun to heal, a doctor may recommend you wear a knee brace to provide compression that encourages blood flow as well as extra stability. In more severe cases of a knee sprain, a doctor may recommend a more aggressive treatment, and it is likely that you will be off your feet for several weeks to allow the injury to heal.
Muscle and ligament tears are much more serious conditions that will require medical attention. A small to moderate number of such injuries will require a surgery to fix the issue, as the fibers may sometimes need to be reattached manually. In most cases, however, adequate rest will allow the muscle tissue or ligament tissue to repair itself. Cartilage damage is more serious and can lead to other serious issues; since little blood flows to cartilage in general, healing time can be delayed significantly and scar tissue may form. See a doctor to make sure this medial knee pain is treated as thoroughly as possible.
