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Causes of Knee Pain
       Knee pain is perhaps one of the most feared pain disorders. Knee injuries occur quite often in sporting events, and carry with them the stigma of impending knee surgery. The normal functioning of the knee joint depends greatly on the "balance" of muscular effort during walking, running, and other activities. Active trigger points in the muscles of the thigh can disturb this "balance", and alter the normal mechanics of the knee joint itself. These trigger points frequently refer pain to the knee joint directly, and this pain must be understood as a warning that these thigh muscles have been overloaded and need time to recover. Besides pain, these trigger points frequently can cause a sudden buckling or weakness of the knee. Many types of knee pain, as well as stubborn post-surgical cases, respond very well to Trigger Point Therapy.

The Muscles and Trigger Points that cause Knee Pain
      Muscle groups in the front and back of the thigh, as well as the calf, can contain trigger points that produce pain in the front and back of the knee. The three muscle groups that are typically involved in knee pain disorders are:
  • The Rectus Femoris
  • The Vastus Medialis
  • The Biceps Femoris
     The Rectus Femoris is a large muscle found in the front of the thigh,and is part of the Quadriceps muscle group. It attaches to the pelvis above the hip joint and runs downward to attach to the knee cap (patella) and lower leg bone (the tibia). When it contracts, it raises the knee by flexing the hip joint and/or straightens the leg by extending (straightening) the knee joint. Trigger points in this muscle refer pain directly over the knee joint, and may also produce a weakness in the knee that is felt when walking down stairs.
      The Vastus Medialis is part of the Quadricep muscle group and is found on the front and inside thigh region. It attaches along the large thigh bone (the femur) and runs down the thigh to attach to the knee cap (the patella) and to the larger of the lower leg bones (the tibia). Like the other Quadricep muscles, the Vastus Medialis contracts to stabilize the knee during walking and running, and to extend the leg at the knee joint. Trigger points in this muscle produce a deep, 'tooth-ache' type of pain in the knee joint. Overtime, these trigger points will cause the knee to unexpectedly buckle during walking.
      The Bicep Femoris is part of the Hamstring muscle group that is found on the back of the thigh. It attaches on the pelvic bone and the femur (thigh bone), and extends downward to attach to the smaller lower leg bone (the fibula) just below the outside aspect of the knee joint. When the Bicep Femoris muscle contracts, it flexes the knee to bend the leg. It is heavily used in walking, running and other activities. Trigger points in this muscle refer pain to buttock, back of the thigh, and back of the knee regions. The pain is felt during walking, sitting, and may disturb sleeping. The muscle weakness created by these trigger points, will frequently cause the other thigh muscles to become overloaded and develop their own trigger points.
Important: The following content is provided for information purposes only. A proper diagnosis of any condition requires a physical examination by a licensed doctor.