What could cause knee pain when pressure is applied?

There are several reasons your knee might hurt when you press on it. Sometimes, the pain comes from patellofemoral pain syndrome. This means the area around your kneecap is sore, especially when you do activities that put extra force on it. Another common cause is arthritis, where the knee joint becomes inflamed and tender. A small injury inside your knee, like a tear in the meniscus (a cushion inside the knee) or a stretch in the ligaments (the tissues that hold your knee together), can also make it hurt when pressed. Additionally, when extra fluid builds up in the knee, a condition called knee effusion, it can make the joint swollen and sensitive. In each of these cases, even a little pressure may cause discomfort because the tissues are damaged or inflamed. If you are worried about knee pain, you can start by using a free symptom checker to better understand your symptoms before talking to a healthcare provider about the best way to take care of it.