Ever hit the gym, only to have your workout sidelined by a throbbing knee? Or maybe those weekend hikes leave you wincing with each step. When you’re young and active, you might not feel like sitting out of the fun – or even everyday activities – when your knees hurt.

Your knee is your body’s largest joint, and it’s comprised of a complex combination of bones, tendons, cartilage and ligaments that all work together to help you walk, bend, jump and twist. When your knee joint hurts and you haven’t experienced a new injury, you may be sidelined from activities for any of these common reasons.

1. Old Injuries

A knee injury doesn’t always heal completely or correctly, leading to ongoing pain that may come and go. An example of this would be an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear that occurred during high school. Years later, that ACL injury could still cause you slight pain and knee instability – even during simple activities such as walking.

If the pain is minor, you can treat it at home. However, you should call your healthcare provider if you aggravate an old injury and develop additional swelling or numbness, instability of your knee, or your knee problems prevent you from bearing weight.

2. Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries can occur when you repeatedly perform the same movements, putting excessive stress on the soft tissues surrounding your knee. Overuse injuries can develop during exercise or sports, but you can also overuse joints at work or even in less intense activities such as gardening.

Overuse can cause common injuries such as bursitis and tendinitis, but it may also cause chronic strain. Overuse allows your muscles or tendons to undergo microscopic tears or stretches. Over time, these micro-injuries can accumulate, causing chronic strain.

Overuse injuries can often be treated at home but call your medical provider if the pain interferes with your quality of life.

3. Degenerative Disease

While osteoarthritis is most commonly found in people ages 55 and older, young adults’ knee pain could also be caused by other forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and gout.

Your primary care provider can treat early osteoarthritis and recommend lifestyle changes, medications and exercises to help relieve the pain, but you will need a referral to a specialist for other types of degenerative disease. These experts include rheumatologists and orthopedists who will provide more specialized diagnosis and treatment.

Treating Knee Pain

The easiest way to prevent knee pain is to avoid injuries in the first place. Lose weight if you are overweight to relieve extra pressure on your knees, and wear shoes that fit well and have good cushioning.

Minor knee pain can be treated at home with the RICE method: rest, ice, compression and elevation.

• Rest and avoid activities that cause pain.
• Ice can help relieve pain and swelling, but don’t leave it on too long. Instead, ice your knee for 15 or 20 minutes at a time every four hours.
• Compression bandages on the knee can provide support and help reduce swelling.
• Elevate your knee above the heart to reduce swelling.

You may also want to take over-the-counter medicines if you have knee pain, as acetaminophen can help relieve pain but not swelling, and ibuprofen can do both.