risk factors of knee pain

Introduction

Knee pain is a prevalent issue that affects a significant portion of the population, particularly older adults. Understanding the risk factors associated with knee pain is crucial for developing effective prevention and management strategies. This synthesis aims to consolidate findings from multiple research papers to identify the primary risk factors for knee pain.

Key Insights

Obesity and Overweight:
- Obesity is a significant risk factor for knee pain and knee osteoarthritis (OA) .
- Being overweight also increases the risk of developing knee pain .
Gender:
- Female gender is consistently associated with a higher risk of knee pain and knee OA .
Age:
- Older age is a common risk factor for knee pain and knee OA .
Previous Knee Injury:
- A history of knee injury significantly increases the risk of knee pain and knee OA .
Occupational Factors:
- Jobs that involve kneeling, squatting, or physically strenuous work are associated with a higher risk of knee pain .
Physical Activity and Sports:
- Certain sports and physical activities that risk knee trauma are linked to knee pain.
Psychosocial Factors:
- Job dissatisfaction and psychological factors like seeking social support can influence the persistence of knee pain .
Smoking:
- Smoking has been found to have a non-significant or moderate protective effect against knee pain in some studies, but this is not consistent across all research .
Muscle Strength and Flexibility:
- Reduced muscle strength, particularly in the quadriceps, and poor muscle flexibility are risk factors for knee pain, especially in athletic populations.
Balance and Fall Risk:
- Poor balance and a higher concern about falls mediate the relationship between knee pain and fall risk in older adults.
Socioeconomic Factors:
- Living in deprived areas and having a low level of education are associated with a higher risk of knee pain .

Conclusion

The primary risk factors for knee pain include obesity, female gender, older age, previous knee injuries, and certain occupational activities. Psychosocial factors, muscle strength, and socioeconomic status also play significant roles. Addressing these risk factors through targeted interventions can help in the prevention and management of knee pain, ultimately improving the quality of life for affected individuals.

Risk factors of knee pain

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Current evidence on risk factors for knee osteoarthritis in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Being overweight, obese, female gender, and previous knee injury are major risk factors for onset of knee pain in adults aged 50 and over.

Risk factors for onset of osteoarthritis of the knee in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Obesity, previous knee trauma, hand OA, female gender, and older age are consistently associated with knee osteoarthritis, while smoking may have a protective effect.

A prospective study on knee pain and its risk factors.

Higher age, overweight, smoking, and previous knee injuries are significant predictors of knee pain, while general physical exercise and sports activities do not predict its incidence or persistence.

Intrinsic Risk Factors for the Development of Anterior Knee Pain in an Athletic Population: A Two-Year Prospective Study *

Shortened quadriceps muscle, altered muscle reflex response time, decreased explosive strength, and hypermobile patella are significant risk factors for developing anterior knee pain in an athletic population over a 2-year period.

Individual and occupational risk factors for knee osteoarthritis: results of a case-control study in Germany

Kneeling/squatting is a significant predictor of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis in both men and women, with obesity, genetic predisposition, and certain sports playing a role.

Risk factors associated with poor pain outcomes following primary knee replacement surgery: Analysis of data from the clinical practice research datalink, hospital episode statistics and patient reported outcomes as part of the STAR research programme

Pre-operative factors like mild pain, smoking, deprivation, obesity, and opioid use are significant predictors of poor pain outcomes after primary knee replacement surgery.

Knee Pain and Its Severity in Elderly Koreans: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Impact on Quality of Life

Knee pain is prevalent in elderly Koreans, with risk factors including old age, female gender, low education, manual occupation, obesity, and osteoarthritis, and significantly lowers quality of life.

Reduced strength, poor balance and concern about falls mediate the relationship between knee pain and fall risk in older people

Knee pain in older people doubles the risk of multiple falls, with concerns about falls, knee extension torque, and postural sway being significant mediators of the risk.

Prevalence and risk factors for joint pain among men and women in the West of Scotland Twenty-07 study

Obesity is consistently associated with lower limb joint pain, while smoking and alcohol consumption are not consistently associated with joint pain across the body.

Factors that modify the association between knee pain and mobility limitation in older women: the Women's Health and Aging Study

In older women with recent knee pain, high pain severity, obesity, and activity increase the risk of mobility limitation.

Try another search