What could prevent me from putting weight on my knee?

Your knee is like a hinge that helps your leg move smoothly. Sometimes, this hinge can start to hurt if there is a problem inside the knee. One common reason is knee osteoarthritis, where the cushiony cartilage that protects the bones in your knee wears down. This makes the bones rub on each other, which hurts and makes it hard to put weight on the knee. When the knee hurts or swells, it is natural to try and rest it so it does not feel worse. Also, if you have had an injury like a fall or a twist, it might hurt too much to stand with weight on it. Another issue can be weak muscles around the knee. If these muscles are not strong enough, your knee has to work harder, which can cause pain when you put weight on it. If you have difficulty bearing weight on your knee, you can start by using a free symptom checker to better understand what might be causing your discomfort, and then see a healthcare professional to work on ways to help it feel better, like exercise or other treatments.