Knee pain is pain or discomfort you feel in or around your knee joint.
Joints are places in your body where two bones meet. Your knee joint connects your thigh to your lower leg. It’s where your thigh bone (femur) meets your shin bone (tibia).
The knee is the biggest joint in your body, and it absorbs and supports a lot of your weight as you move. That’s why it’s one of the most commonly injured joints. Knee pain can be a temporary, short-term problem, but it can also be a chronic (long-term) issue that needs diagnosis and treatment by a healthcare provider.
Where you feel knee pain usually depends on which part or parts of your joint are damaged. You might feel pain:
Close to the surface above or behind your knee (usually an issue with your muscles, tendons or ligaments).
Deeper inside your knee (pain that comes from your bones or cartilage).
In multiple parts of your knee or leg. Knee pain can sometimes spread (radiate) to other areas. You may feel pain on one side that sometimes feels like it’s coming from the back of your knee. Pain can also radiate to areas around your knee, like your lower leg or thigh.
