If your knees swell, read this: it may be for these reasons

The knee is the joint largest body (and one of the most complex), which means that it is also one of the most likely to have problems. This may include a series of diseases that go from chronic conditions even acute injuries that cause swelling in the zone. Medically known as edema, it can make everyday movements like walking or squatting difficult or even painful.

Do you know that it is a very delicate area? They are responsible for body weight. They suffer the daily activity and the sports that we decide to practice. One of the least hurting is swimming. In addition, yoga helps strengthen both muscles and tendons, protecting the bones of the knees.

But to deflate them, you must find out what's happening on your knees so you can look for the best treatment. In 'Prevention', doctors explain some of the common culprits behind this problem.

Injury or infection

Whether you have suffered a fall during training or that you have hit With the table, swelling is a normal reaction to injuries. In fact, "they are the most common reason in younger and healthier patients," he says. James Gladstone, head of sports medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System. These swellings they are an inflammatory response. Immediately after the shock, blood flow increases in the area releasing fluids, proteins and white blood cells to heal.

Baker's lump is usually not too painful and in some cases disappears on its own, but it is necessary to know the underlying cause

Perhaps it is the most serious cause in the joint. Go to the doctor because when an infection enters the knee, "it swells, turns red and heats up quickly," says Gladstone. If left untreated, it can affect the entire body, causing fever and body tremors. Although a badly cleaned wound may be the cause, other infections (in the urinary tract or in the expiratory tract) can pass through the bloodstream and get there. Be careful.

Arthritis

Arthritis It is particularly common in the knee. It develops over time (often as we get older) and generally causes the area to swell, become stiff and become painful or difficult to move.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, these 'natural hinges' are most frequently affected by two forms of this disease: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In the first (the most common form), the cartilage, which protects the ends of the bones, wears out over time. Meanwhile, in the second, the immune system attacks the joint and damages connective tissues And the bones

Drop

Technically, gout occurs when you have high levels of uric acid (found naturally in the body) and urate crystals accumulate in the joint, which causes severe pain, swelling and redness. Although this disease usually appears in the big toe base, It can affect the whole body, including knees, wrists and fingers.

According Dan paull, director of an orthopedic company, "gout often appears on the extremities because these joints tend to have a cooler temperature, a more acceptable environment for crystal formation." People with a history of the condition are more likely to have it in this area. According to the US National Library of Medicine, men, overweight people and those with a family history They are the most likely to suffer it.

The knee is the largest joint in the body, which means that it is also one of the most likely to have problems

It is also possible that it is pseudo drop or disease due to deposition of calcium pyrophosphate crystals. It consists of the intra or extra-articular deposit of these formations. The manifestations are varied and may be minimal or include intermittent attacks of acute arthritis or degenerative arthropathy.

Baker's cyst

Also known as popliteal or synovial bumpsThey are cysts filled with fluid that develop in the back of the knee. "They are quite common and there is nothing to be alarmed about," says the expert.

"Deep in the knee joint, there is a capsule of thin tissue between the bones. When there is some kind of damage, the swelling inside the knee joint causes pressure and pushes fluid into that area, essentially creating what It looks like an inflamed ball in the back. It is not usually too painful and in some cases, disappear by themselves, but often reappear if the underlying cause is not treated.