There are many injuries and diseases that cause knee pain, stiffness, instability or other problems. Explore the content below to learn more, or find the best doctor at HSS for your particular knee pain or mobility issue.
Knee pain can arise from many injuries and conditions. The type of specialist you consult see may depend on several factors – most especially, whether or not you have had an acute injury, such as by twisting your knee during sports activity or experiencing an impact during a fall or other accident.
HSS offers a multidisciplinary approach to knee care. Our orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine doctors provide acute injury treatments that may be surgical or nonsurgical. For pain that arises when there has been no obvious injury, you may benefit from treatment by a physiatrist, rheumatologist or physical therapist.
Each case is different, but here is some general guidance on finding the right doctor for your specific knee pain or condition.
Regardless of which specialist you consult first, an accurate diagnosis usually requires radiological imaging such as X-rays or MRIs), and this imaging should be reviewed by a radiologist with musculoskeletal expertise.
The knee is a complex joint formed where four bones meet. These are:
Cushioning cartilage lines the spaces where these bones meet. These include the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) meniscus. These fibrous, disc-like cartilage bodies lie between the femur and the tibia to provide shock absorption and stability in the joint. Four ligaments help stabilize the joint:
To facilitate movement, several tendons connect the knee bones to the leg muscles. Of these, the quadriceps and patellar tendons are the most commonly affected by injury.
Watch animation videos that illustrate and explain various knee conditions and injuries, including surgical treatments. (Each surgical animation provides only a general overview of a particular orthopedic procedure. HSS surgeons tailor each operation to the individual patient.)
To learn more about specific knee injuries, conditions, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, explore the web pages below.