What can cause pain when pressing on the inside of the knee?

When you press on the inside of your knee, it might hurt because the soft tissues in that area are irritated. One common cause is pes anserine bursitis. This happens when a small, fluid-filled sac called a bursa, which sits near where three tendons come together on the inner knee, gets swollen and inflamed. Another possible cause is saphenous neuritis, where the saphenous nerve, a small nerve running along the inside of your knee, becomes irritated, leading to pain. Other possibilities can include issues with the medial collateral ligament (MCL) or a tear in the meniscus, but these usually hurt more than just tenderness only on pressing. In simple terms, sometimes the pain is like a red, swollen spot that gets sore when touched because a part of the knee is dealing with irritation from overuse or injury. To help identify what might be causing your specific knee pain, try our free AI symptom checker for personalized insights based on your symptoms.