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If your knee hurts and won't straighten, it may be dangerous. Even a little injury can make the knee hurt when straightened, unpleasant and limit range of motion.  How can we determine if your knee discomfort is severe? If your knee can't fully straighten, you may have a serious knee injury and need medical attention.  

Causes of Knee Hurts When Straightened 

Your knees may hurt as you straighten. This could indicate a serious injury or illness. Some medical conditions might induce knee pain when standing:

Mass Imbolication

When knee-supporting muscles are weak, flexible, or uncoordinated, muscular imbalance occurs that causes muscle behind the knee to hurt when straightened. Muscle strength and weakness can affect knee alignment and movement. Straightening the leg can cause knee pain. Standing up might induce knee pain due to muscle imbalances. 

If the hamstring muscle in the back of the leg is substantially larger than the quadriceps muscle in the front, the knee may be unstable. The forces exerted on the knee may not be evenly distributed, which causes the back of the knee to hurt when straightened. Some knee portions may be put under additional pressure. ITB is a connective tissue band on the outside of the thigh. If tight, it might upset the knee's muscular balance. This imbalance might affect knee function and cause the side of the knee to hurt when straightened. 

Weakness in Stabilizing Muscles

Hip abductors and external rotators can modify how the body moves, making knee lifting unpleasant. Straightening your knee might cause pain and make daily life difficult. Find out why this pain is happening and get the proper treatment to reduce symptoms and prevent further damage. For successful recovery, early intervention and proactive control are crucial. 

Jumping Knee

Medically, patellar tendonitis is inflammation. Also called jumper's knee. Your patellar tendon connects your tibia and patella. Sports that involve repeated ground contact can induce a jumper's knee. It occurs when you jump on hard surfaces frequently, such in basketball.  Inflamed patella tendons weaken and can rip if untreated. Male non-elite athletes have twice as many cases as females. Sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations, and tendon rips are frequent knee ailments. These can result from falls or knee hits. 

Knee Sprain

Overstretching or tearing knee muscles. Twisting with your foot on the ground, like when landing awkwardly in sports, might injure your knee. 

• Ligament Rupture: A knee ligament ruptures completely and breaks into two parts. This is more severe than knee spraining and may require surgery. 

• Muscle Damage: A knee-connected muscle tears when stretched too far. Sports, movement, and muscle overuse can cause it. A knee fracture is a broken bone. Falling or being injured generally causes this, although knee osteoporosis can weaken bones and break easily. 

• Dislocation: Patellar dislocation causes 2%–3% of knee injuries. Your elbow usually moves to the side at this point. Most knee injuries are caused by direct blows or twists. 

Osteoarthritis/Bone Spur

Osteoarthritis increases the risk of knee arthritis and bone-breaking diseases. It can pain, stiffen, and enlarge the knee, especially the knee hurts when straightened and bending. Osteoarthritis changes like bone spurs can cause discomfort and alter joint function. Because joint changes are more visible when the leg is stretched, stretching can be uncomfortable. 

Treatment for Knee Hurts When Straightened 

Knee hurts when straightened treatments include physiotherapy, steroid shots, regenerative treatments, and knee surgery. Surgery is frequently considered for severely injured knees or when other procedures fail. 

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy begins with a medical history, symptom list, and physical exam. Pain management in Dallas may examine your knee, hip, lower back, and ankle. 

They will examine your knee for discomfort or stiffness and how it bends and straightens. They will also examine your walking style to see if you require braces. Your knee specialist in Dallas will likely prescribe an exercise to strengthen knee muscles and improve range of motion after reviewing your symptoms. Knee treatment without surgery including acupuncture, manual therapy, massage, and electrotherapy can reduce pain and enhance movement.

Injections of Steroids

When physical therapy, rest, and other non-invasive treatments fail, some patients receive steroid shots. Doctors for knee pain recommend steroids that reduce pain and edema.  Being detrimental to most orthopedic tissue, they damage cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. 

Surgery

Orthopedic surgery in Dallas is increasingly used to treat knee issues. Many types of surgery exist. Meniscus "repair," a popular surgery, is confusing to most patients.  People with torn knees should do this.  Few meniscuses are fixed.  Instead, a meniscus piece is removed. This has major knee implications over time, including:

• More people have knee arthritis.

• Meniscus tears increase knee replacement risk by 2.5 times.

• Most importantly, a 2013 study found that meniscus surgery was no superior to physical therapy.

What If Your Knee Hurts When Fully Unfolded?