Knee Pain Location Chart: A Guide to Understand Your Pain

The knee pain location chart is a visual tool used to identify and locate painful areas in the knee joint and correlate them with various injuries and health conditions. It is a straightforward representation that assists individuals dealing with knee pain and healthcare professionals in understanding the nature and location of knee pain and its impact on the surrounding areas. 

It is a pictorial representation that helps pinpoint the area accurately and educate people about causes and treatment options. Keep reading to discover more about its applications and effectiveness, and visit our Joint Pain Relief collection to find out the best treatments for your joint pain.

Diagnosis of knee pain 

Healthcare professionals follow different procedures to help diagnose knee pain. The typical procedure involves an overview of the medical history, physical examination, and lab tests. Knee pain diagnosis also needs an understanding of the underlying health conditions, if any, physical inspection of the location, and prior injuries. 

This approach helps diagnose pain and allows the formulation of treatment plans. Nevertheless, it is the job of medical professionals. Visit Welzo to consult our healthcare professionals.

Location chart  

The following table summarises various types of pain and suggests possible causes. It helps identify the location of the knee pain. 

Top of the knee: This pain is related to patellar tracking syndrome, knee osteoarthritis, chondromalacia and bursitis. 

The bottom part of the knee: This pain is due to patellofemoral instability, patellar tendonitis, osteochondritis dissecans and Osgood-Schlatter diseases. 

The back part of the knee: This pain arises from injuries to the cruciate ligament and Baker's cyst.

The middle part of the knee: This type of pain occurs due to tricompartmental osteoarthritis and a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament. 

Inner knee: This pain occurs due to tears in the medial meniscus, injuries in the medial collateral ligament, knee osteoarthritis and bursitis. 

Outer knee: This type of pain occurs due to tears in the lateral meniscus, injuries in the collateral ligaments, iliotibial band syndrome and knee osteoarthritis. 

Once the cause is confirmed, it is now the work of healthcare providers to diagnose and treat it.

Various types of knee pain 

The pain chart is divided into various segments depending on the location of the pain. Multiple categories of knee pain help understand the condition and formulate treatment plans accordingly. Various possible injuries to the frontal part of the knee are mentioned below (Source: D. W. Elson & colleagues @ Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sheriff Hill, UK). 

Frontal knee pain chart 

It helps understand the conditions that cause and impact knee pain in the frontal part of the knee. These conditions include;

Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's knee)

This condition develops due to the pulling or stretching of the patellar tendon in the knee region and causes excessive stress to the tendon. It causes pain and inflammation and reduces the mobility of the knee. It also results in a severely burning sensation in the knee region. Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) 

In this condition, the knee hurts somewhat and causes a mild to moderate painful sensation. It is also known as a runner's knee and is often due to misalignment and overuse of the knee. The severity of the pain is mild to moderate. 

Infrapatellar Fat Pad Syndrome 

It develops due to the cushioning of the infrapatellar fat pad, which is a cushion-like cushion with fatty tissues pinched between shin bones or thigh bones and kneecap, resulting in the compression of fat pads and local nerves. As nerves are too sensitive, they cause severe pain and reduce flexibility and mobility in the knee region. 

Osteoarthritis 

It causes pain and stiffness in the knee joint due to knee cartilage loss. It causes more friction in the bones, difficulty in the knee during motion, and reduced mobility. 

Posterior pain (pain behind the knees) chart 

This pain helps to understand the areas of pain and conditions responsible for the back part of the knees. It also deals with how it affects the ligaments and joints, various treatment options for this condition, and its identification. Multiple conditions that cause pain in the posterior knees include;

Tear in the anterior cruciate ligament 

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the major ligaments in the knee, connected to the shinbone and thighs. It causes a shaky sensation during walking and, thus, severe pain. 

Tear in the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) 

The tear in the PCL occurs due to a tear in the back part of the knees. It causes pain and reduces movements in the knee during movement. This pain is very severe but remains localised to the back part of the knees. 

Arthritis 

It is a very common cause of knee pain. It happens due to a wear down of cartilage in the joints, resulting in stiffness and more friction. It is very painful and creates sensations of various mobility-related issues, e.g., locked knees. 

Bakers cyst 

This condition occurs due to the collection of synovial fluid in the inflamed bursa. This accumulation causes severe pain and reduces blood flow to the tendon-related region, severely affecting movements. 

Injuries due to hyperextension 

This type of injury occurs when joints move far beyond their normal range. It causes physical impact and shock to the joints, leading to overextension. It injures the cartilage and causes tears in the joint ligaments. 

Inner knee pain chart  

This chart helps understand various issues in the medial or inner knee region. Key issues in this region include;

Injury of the medial collateral ligament 

This injury is similar to the PCL or ACL. In this condition, tears develop in the medial collateral ligament due to excessive stress on this region. This ligament is very important in the knee region and aids in stability. It causes severe pain, impacts movements, and causes poor knee mobility. 

Osteoarthritis 

This condition occurs due to severe cartilage degeneration, resulting in stiffness, reduced mobility, synovial fluid collection in the joints, and more friction. It is a chronic inflammatory condition of the joints.

Meniscal injury 

In this condition, the meniscus on the inner knee side is severely injured, causing damage to the cartilage and small tears. The condition causes reduced mobility, pain, and swelling in the joints. 

Lateral (outer) knee pain chart 

The lateral or outer knee is a minor side that receives impact in case of an injury. However, it does experience many injuries, and the major injuries are, 

Injury of the lateral collateral ligament 

The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) connects the tibia to the outer side of the tibia and is one of the major ligaments in the knee region. An injury to this ligament due to strain or impact causes loss of strength in the outer sides of the knee, stiffness, wobbling, and swelling. 

Iliotibial band syndrome (IBS)

It is a condition in which the iliotibial band, a thick strip of connective tissues running from the shinbone to the outer hip, is severely injured or damaged due to strenuous activities. The condition affects the soft tissues nearby and causes inflammation, reducing movements and pain. It is very common in people who engage in risky exercises and athletes. 

Dislocated patella  

In this condition, the kneecap 'pops' away at the point of the knee joint. It occurs due to sudden impact or force and causes inflammation in the muscles in the nearby region, pain, and immobility in the knee joint. 

Lateral meniscus Injury 

The menisci are very tough cartilages between the tibia and femur. Injuries happen when there is a sudden twist-like motion in the knee region or when the resilience of cartilage wears down due to sudden and frequent activities.

Regardless of the type of pain, our Reliviate Aches & Joint Pain Relief Gel offers a promising solution. Visit our page to buy it and get relief from joint pain. 

Pain chart of the kneecap 

Housemaid's knee 

This condition, also known as prepatellar bursitis, involves inflammation of the bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that reduces friction. It occurs in front of the patella. It reduces mobility, is severely painful, and makes bending or moving the bursa difficult. 

Chondromalacia patella 

In this condition, the cartilage under the kneecap wears down due to strains, overuse and sudden impacts. This cartilage serves as an important shock absorber. Redness, swelling and dull pain close to the joint are among the major symptoms. 

Bipartite patella 

In this condition, the kneecap develops out of two sets of bones instead of just one infused. It mostly doesn't cause any pain and is asymptomatic. However, a minor lockup of the knees increases the risk of injuries. 

Arthritis 

It is a chronic condition in which the cartilage begins to wear down. There are several types, and it often worsens as a person ages. It causes tenderness in the muscles close to the joints and moderate to severe inflammation of the joints. 

Beat the knee pain with Welzo. 

As knee pain is very common and severe, we at Welzo are always there to help you find solutions. Our trained professionals are specialised and understand various forms of pain and essential care. Our collections & product pages, e.g., Pain Relief, Joint Pain Relief, have numerous relevant products. We also have multiple related products, e.g., Deep Relief Joint Pain Gel (100g).

Visit us today to buy these products, mostly available without a prescription. Consult our professionals today through our Private GP Appointment Online to discuss and learn about comprehensive treatment plans for your knee pain.  

Frequently Asked Questions 

How do you describe the locations of knee pain? 

It is necessary to be as specific as possible while describing the locations of knee pain. The doctors use the term, e.g., back, front, inside and outside, to tell the pain locations and understand where exactly it is. On the part of patients, it is advised to inform the healthcare professionals if it is deep or on the surface. 

How do you tell the origin of knee pain? 

The location of the knee pain is useful in identifying the cause. For example, pain on the frontal part is due to bursitis, softness of patellar cartilage as seen in chondromalacia patella, or arthritis. Likewise, pain on the knee side is due to tears to the meniscus, arthritis, or injuries to the collateral ligament. 

What are the different stages of knee pain? 

There are four stages of osteoarthritis or knee pain: early, mild, moderate, and severe. There is also a stage known as pre-osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis, and it occurs due to the breakdown of cartilage. 

How do you know if knee pain is getting serious? 

The pain is likely severe, and it is advised to consult the doctor if a person can't hear his weight on his knees. Being unable to bear weight shows severe pain, locking, buckling, and clicking of the knees. 

What is stage 1 knee pain? 

Stage 1 of knee pain is represented by some signs, e.g., intermittent pains and aches on the inside of the knees and occasionally sharp and short-lived pains that cause occasional swelling. Stage 1 of knee pain means some wear and tear in the joint, but it is often impossible to notice the pain until stage 2, and this stage is painless.

Which knee pain problem is the most severe one? 

Osteoarthritis, a chronic degenerative disorder, is one of the most common and most painful types of arthritis. It mostly occurs in people of advanced age, i.e., past 45 years, and is a progressive disorder that slowly wears down the cartilage. The space between bones is reduced due to wear down, which causes friction.  

Bottom-line 

Understanding the location of knee pain is vital for identifying various causes and pursuing the right treatment options. The knee pain chart mentioned in this article helps concerned people pinpoint the target areas, whether inside the joint or on the sides, back, and front. 

As soon as the pain is identified, we suggest consulting healthcare professionals for accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment options, particularly if it persists and worsens. This guide is intended to be just a starting point, and medical expertise is necessary to ensure long-term knee health and facilitate recovery.