Knee pain: which doctor should I see?
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints at any age. It can follow strain or an injury, or build up slowly over months. Here you will learn what may be behind it, when urgent help is needed and which specialist to see.
Book a specialistWhen it is urgent
- After an injury — a fall, a blow or a sudden twist — the knee is visibly deformed, swells up very quickly, or you felt a pop or snap in it.
- After a knee injury, bone shows through the skin or the wound bleeds heavily.
- The knee is hot, red and swollen and you have a fever.
- The leg below the knee is cold, pale or numb.
With these signs, seek emergency help — call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Call 112What it may mean
- Overuse or poor loading — from sport, long walks, squatting or stairs; the pain is usually around or below the kneecap.
- A ligament or meniscus injury — after a twist, a fall or a sudden stop; often with swelling, a feeling of giving way or locking.
- Wear of the joint (osteoarthritis) — more common with age; the pain gets worse with walking and use, and there may be brief stiffness after rest.
- Inflammation of the joint or the tissues around it — the knee is warm, swollen and red, sometimes with no injury.
- Pain coming from the hip or the lower back — felt in the knee, but the cause is elsewhere; the doctor will examine those too.
Which specialist
How to prepare for the visit
Note when the pain started, what makes it worse and what eases it. Bring any X-rays, discharge summaries and earlier test results, and a list of the medicines you take. Dress so the knee can be examined easily.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stop exercising?
With acute pain or swelling, rest the knee until the visit. Whether and how to continue is the doctor's decision after the examination. Book a visit without delay if you cannot put weight on the leg, or the knee gives way, locks, is very painful or badly swollen, even without an injury, or is hot and red, even without a fever.
Will I need an X-ray or an MRI?
Not always. The doctor decides after the examination which test, if any, is needed. If you already have images, bring them.
Orthopaedist or rheumatologist?
For pain after strain or an injury the first specialist is an orthopaedist. With swelling and warmth in several joints without an injury, or long morning stiffness, the doctor may refer you to a rheumatologist.
This information does not replace a visit to a doctor.