Three causes of pain on the outer side of your knee

Pain on Outer Side of Knee

Avoiding walking your dog regularly? Having more difficulty convincing yourself to work out? Trying not to get out of your chair as often? All these actions are ones you might take if you have pain on the outer side of your knee. 

It’s likely that you’ll end up dealing with knee pain at some point in your life. In fact, one research study reports that 32.2% of men and 58% of women surveyed suffered from knee pain in their lifetime. One place your knee pain might show up is on the outer side of your knee. Physical therapists can help you determine the source of this pain, and they also offer effective treatment options for knee pain. 

These three issues commonly cause pain on the outer side of the knee

There are many issues that can cause general knee pain, but there aren’t as many that can cause pain specifically on the outside of your knee. Three issues that can cause pain in this specific location are: 

  1. Lateral meniscus tears — The meniscus is a cartilage structure in your knee. It’s made up of two C-shaped pieces of cartilage, and the lateral meniscus is the piece on the outer side of your knee. Meniscus tears occur in up to 14% of people. In addition, they’re common in people with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. 
  1. Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) injuries — Like the ACL, the LCL helps stabilize your knee as it moves. Specifically, it helps your knee from turning too far outward. Injuries to the collateral ligaments are fairly common. It’s reported that 25% of people who go to the emergency room for acute knee pain have a collateral ligament injury. 
  1. Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome — The IT band is a long tendon that runs from the buttocks to just below the outside of the knee. Joint misalignment or overuse can cause this tendon to become inflamed. In active individuals, IT band syndrome occurs at a rate of up to 25%. However, this condition hasn’t been reported in people who don’t exercise. 

Excel PT can help treat the pain on the outer side of your knee

Have pain on the outer side of your knee from one of these conditions? Our physical therapy specialists at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help you find effective treatment for it. We offer free screenings designed to pinpoint the exact cause of your pain. Then, our physical therapists will construct a personalized therapy plan for you that’s intended to reduce pain and prevent it from returning. Meeting these goals is possible thanks to therapy methods we use that can include: 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help treat your knee pain or to schedule an initial appointment.