Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness (thigh muscles) is the most important reason for knee pain. As, after 40 years of age, our muscles start getting weak by 8-10% every 10 years. Weak muscles are not able to take on the body weight and this directly exerts stress on articular cartilage and knee joint. Osteoarthritis is most commonly caused by muscle weakness.
Causes
- Growing age
- Less activity or exercising
- Long term conditions like diabetes and heart disease
- Strock
- Long rest due to any injury like a fracture or ligament tear
- Arthritis (Due to joint pain people reduce their activity level)
- Myopathy (Neuromuscular disorders)
Symptoms
- Pain just above the knee
- Pain while climbing stairs
- Pain in getting up from the floor or from a deep squat pose
- Pain and difficulty in using Indian toilets
- In severe cases, there is visual thinning of the thighs
Diagnosis
Symptoms are helped in making the diagnosis because muscle weakness is quite clear with symptoms.
- The doctor examines physically. Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) is enough to test the muscle weakness.
- EMG: To check the nerve activity of the muscle.
- Blood test to check for any other condition or infections.
Treatment
- Change your sedentary lifestyle and be active, go for a morning walk evening walk.
- Take a short break to continue sitting or lying posture.
- Take a diet full of proteins.
- Physiotherapy: Strengthening exercises to the thigh muscles.
Muscle weakness due to other medical condition or disease, then underlying cause needs to be treated.
