Overview
The first step toward managing knee pain is making sure you have a proper diagnosis. Your knee can become painful because of ligament, tendon or muscular problems or changes to the bone. It may also be because of one of the hundred forms of arthritis. To help your doctor diagnose what is causing your knee pain, it is helpful to keep track of your symptoms. Certain symptoms are indicative of arthritis.
Pain
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons claims that if your knee pain is because of arthritis, it most likely will come on gradually and then become progressively worse. This is different from an injury, in which a sharp, immediate pain gets better with time. Osteoarthritis pain in the knee may be worse with activities such as climbing stairs, getting up from a chair or other movements in which you need to bend and place weight on your knee. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), your pain may be worse in the morning and after periods of inactivity. With RA, you may also experience periods of flares and remissions. Osteoarthritis pain can occur on just one side of the body, whereas rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect both knees equally.
Stiffness and Swelling
In the case of osteoarthritis, you may find that your knee becomes stiff and hard to move. This can occur after periods of being sedentary, and without proper exercise, you may lose flexibility in the knee joint. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause swelling and inflammation. Your knee may also become red and warm to the touch, and you may develop a low-grade fever. The Mayo clinic states that with RA, the joint may become deformed as the disease progresses. With both forms of arthritis, you may find that the weather affects your knees.
Weakness
According to the Arthritis Foundation, both forms of arthritis may cause sensations such as grating, locking or popping in your knee. Your knee can become unstable and may feel like it is about to give out on you when you move in certain ways. Your arthritis may cause you to walk with a limp as you attempt to take pressure off of your knee.
Note – This information has been taken from different internet sources.