Why are my knees hurting?

Sore knees collect confident labels from product pages and search results alike, and the cause of yours is a question that needs an exam.

How common knee problems are

MedlinePlus reports that knee problems are very common and occur in people of all ages. It also names osteoarthritis as the most common disease affecting the knee. You can read both points in the MedlinePlus overview of knee injuries and disorders.

Why a general fact about knees will not name your pain

Those two statements describe knees as a group, and they do not tell you what is wrong with yours. A name attached to your pain without an examination of the joint claims more than anyone can know. The same goes for a brace or supplement sold as the fix for "knee pain" in general. For broader reading, the WebMD pain management center is a place to compare, though its news items and product mentions deserve the same questions as any advertisement.

Questions to take to your knee appointment

Write down where each knee hurts, when it began, which activities set it off, and what you have already tried. Read the OrthoInfo guide to arthritis of the knee and check whether your notes resemble what it describes. Then take the notes to a clinician in Totowa or nearby and ask what they think is causing the pain, what would confirm it, and which options have published research behind them. The American Academy of Pain Medicine is one professional body to look at if you want physicians who focus on pain.

Only an exam names the cause

How common knee problems are tells you little about your own knee. The cause of your knee pain is a question for an exam.