When To See A Knee Doctor | Richmond, VA

When to See a Knee Doctor

Knee pain can come about suddenly or slowly over time. Sudden knee pain often occurs after an injury and is known as acute knee pain. When it develops over time, it is called chronic knee pain. Know when to see a knee doctor by following our easy guide:

Acute Knee Pain

If your knee pain is the result of a forceful injury, from a fall or football tackle for example, heard a loud “pop” sound, or experiencing a lot of pain or swelling you should see a knee specialist as soon as possible.

Not getting the right treatment at the beginning of an injury can lead to more injuries later and a longer recovery time.

For severe injuries, such as ACL tears, surgery is often necessary. Without surgery, most active patients will experience episodes of their knee giving out. Each time this happens further damage can occur to meniscus and cartilage, which can lead to arthritis later.

If you have an injury that results in severe pain or deformity you should book an appointment to see a knee specialist. Otherwise you can consider:

• Over-the-counter pain medication
• Ice
• Rest
• Elevation

If the pain doesn’t go away or is getting worse, you should see a knee specialist. Unless there is a deformity of the leg or concern for an infection, patients usually are better diagnosed by a orthopedic doctor in the office instead of visiting an emergency room or urgent care center. 

Chronic Knee Pain

“Chronic” means that the pain has been present for weeks, months or even years. A longer duration of symptoms could mean that more damage is occurring. For some people knee pain can become serious enough to disrupt everyday activities like walking up and down stairs or even sleeping comfortably.

Knee Arthritis, a common cause of pain, may cause:

• Pain with activities
• Limited movement
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Giving-way

Cartilage damage, ligament injuries and other conditions can also occur slowly over time and cause chronic knee pain.

Richmond’s Knee Specialist

Dr. Goradia is a Fellowship Trained knee and shoulder specialist practicing in Richmond’s West End and Chester, VA. He is one of the first orthopedic surgeons in the U.S. to be certified in sports medicine as a subspecialty.

He doesn’t believe in a one-size fit all approach to knee injuries. He takes the time to fully evaluate each patient, make the right diagnosis and develop a customized treatment plan using the least invasive approach possible.

Read more about Dr. Goradia, patient success stories, common causes of knee pain including arthritis, meniscus and ACL tears.