Knee Pain Diagnosis Symptom Checker
If you’re not sure what might be wrong with your knee, our self-diagnosis tool is a good place to start.
It won’t replace a real doctor and cannot give a definitive diagnosis but it may help you better understand your symptoms.
1
Select your injury body area & symptom(s) below
2
Select from list of possible conditions
Disclaimer: This tool is for information purposes only and provides only an approximate guide as to what may be wrong with your joints. It should not be used instead of seeking professional medical advice or diagnosis.
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Why Does My Knee Hurt?
If you are experiencing knee pain when walking, knee pain when bending, knee pain when resting, or are hearing popping/clicking in your knee, etc., it may be a minor concern or indicator of a serious issue.
Knee pain is usually caused by traumatic injuries, repetitive motion injuries, long-term wear & tear, or tissue disorders. Below are injuries that are common causes for knee pain, but it is best to enter your symptoms into our Knee Pain Diagnosis Symptom Checker to gain a better understanding of your injury.
Common Knee Injuries
- Meniscus tear: a tear in the cartilage in the knee. The knee often becomes unstable and the forces of weight-bearing concentrate onto a smaller area of the tibia, leading to arthritis.
- Ligament tear: a tear of any of ligaments in the knee: PCL, MCL, LCL, and the most common ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).
- Osteoarthritis (OA): osteoarthritis, or OA, is characterized by cartilage damage that, over time, exposes the underlying bone. Rubbing against the exposed bone produces symptomatic pain, inflammation, swelling, and stiffness.
- Patellar dislocation: a patellar dislocation, or kneecap dislocation, is usually caused by either direct trauma to the knee or from a sudden twist or pivoting of the leg. A dislocation occurs when the patella shifts out of its normal position in the front of the femur.
- Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD): a disease in which localized osteocartilaginous separation at the level of the subchondral bone causes damage to the protective articular cartilage cover, subsequently producing pain and swelling. If untreated, this can lead to loose bodies in the knee.
- Bursitis: an injury or inflammation of the bursa, the tiny, fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body.
- Baker’s cyst: an accumulation of fluid in the back (posterior) of your knee.
Knee Pain Diagnosis Chart
Below is a chart that provides an approximate guide as to which part of the anatomy may be injured based on the location of your knee pain. It is for informational purposes only and should not be used instead of seeking professional medical advice or diagnosis.
An Alternative to Knee Replacement: the BioKnee®
The BioKnee® program combines Dr. Kevin Stone's most innovative surgical procedures to create a revolutionary treatment for arthritis. The program has permitted hundreds of people with moderate to severe arthritis to stay active and delay or avoid a total knee replacement.