What Causes Knee Pain to Be Intermittent?

Reviewed by Courtney Bloomer, DO

Emergency Medicine

Intermittent knee pain often occurs when the joint is stressed by activities or when inflammation comes and goes, such as in osteoarthritis. This type of pain can be linked to changes in the joint structure and varying levels of activity throughout the day.

Explanation

Intermittent knee pain means that the pain comes and goes instead of being present all the time. Studies have shown that this type of pain is often related to the joint changes seen in osteoarthritis. When the cartilage in the knee wears down or the joint becomes inflamed, pain can occur during times of increased activity or stress on the knee. For example, after a long walk or when the knee supports extra weight, the pain might start. When the joint is resting, the pain can lessen or go away completely. Other factors like the duration and severity of osteoarthritis, muscle weakness, or past injuries can also play a role. Additionally, the body’s response to everyday stress may cause the pain to flare up from time to time. This means that even if a person does not feel constant pain, the knee can still be affected by these internal and external factors, leading to episodes of discomfort that come and go.

(References)

Carlesso LC, Hawker GA, Torner J, Lewis CE, Nevitt M, Neogi T; Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study Group. Association of Intermittent and Constant Knee Pain Patterns With Knee Pain Severity and With Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis Duration and Severity. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021 Jun;73(6):788-793. doi: 10.1002/acr.24194. PMID: 32198833; PMCID: PMC7502437.
Davison MJ, Ioannidis G, Maly MR, Adachi JD, Beattie KA. Intermittent and constant pain and physical function or performance in men and women with knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative. Clin Rheumatol. 2016 Feb;35(2):371-9. doi: 10.1007/s10067-014-2810-0. Epub 2014 Nov 8. PMID: 25376465; PMCID: PMC4630161.
Hoteit F, Erhmann Feldman D, Carlesso LC. Factors Associated with Intermittent, Constant, and Mixed Pain in People with Knee Osteoarthritis. Physiother Can. 2021 Nov 20;74(3):267-275. doi: 10.3138/ptc-2020-0093. PMID: 37325210; PMCID: PMC10262826.

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