Knee pain reference
Sore knees? Start with where it hurts.
Location narrows the field faster than anything else. Pick the area below to find the conditions most often associated with it, what tends to help, and how the relevant supports compare on published specifications.
Start with the location
Where does it hurt?
- 1Around or behind the kneecapWorse on stairs, squatting, or after sitting a long while — often patellofemoral pain
- 2Just below the kneecapA findable sore point on the tendon, worse with jumping or landing
- 3Outer side of the kneeBuilds predictably during a run or ride, sharper going downhill — often IT band syndrome
- 4Inner side of the kneeTender along the joint line, sometimes with catching or giving way
- 5Deep or all over, with stiffnessStiff first thing, grinding sensation, worse after a long day — often osteoarthritis
- 6Behind the kneeFullness or tightness at the back, sometimes a visible bulge
How this site works
EndSoreKnees does two things. It explains common causes of knee pain in plain language, sourced to public orthopedic and health bodies. And it compares knee supports — sleeves, straps, hinged braces, offloading braces — on their published specifications: closure type, hinge design, sizing method, materials, weight, and warranty terms.
We have not physically tested any product on this site, and we never claim to have. Specification comparison is something we can do accurately without touching a product. Telling you how a brace feels after four hours of wear is not, so we do not pretend to.
Every figure in a comparison table is traceable to a manufacturer specification sheet or retailer listing, with the date it was retrieved. Anything we could not verify is marked UNVERIFIED rather than filled in with a plausible guess. The reasoning is set out in full on the how we compare products page.
Conditions covered
Patellofemoral pain
Pain around or behind the kneecap. The most common cause of knee pain in active adults.
Knee osteoarthritis
Stiffness, grinding and load-related pain from joint surface wear. Common with age.
IT band syndrome
Outer-knee pain in runners and cyclists that arrives predictably at the same point each session.
Patellar tendinopathy
A sore point just below the kneecap, associated with jumping and landing sports.
How knee braces work
Sleeve, strap, hinged, offloading — what each type is designed to do, and which specifications matter.
All conditions
The full index, organised by where the pain is felt.
When to stop reading and call someone
See a clinician promptly if any of these apply
- You cannot bear weight, or the knee gives way underneath you
- The knee is locked and will not fully straighten or bend
- There was a pop or snap at the moment of injury, or rapid swelling within a few hours
- The knee is red, hot, and swollen, particularly with fever — this can indicate joint infection and is urgent
- There is obvious deformity, or the knee looks clearly different from the other one
- Numbness, pins and needles, or coldness below the knee
- Pain has not improved at all after several weeks of sensible self-care
Nothing on this site is a diagnosis. Knee conditions overlap heavily in how they present, and they are distinguished by examination and imaging rather than by reading. These pages exist to help you have a better-informed conversation with a clinician, and to understand what you are buying if you decide to buy something.
Sources
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo — patient education library. [URL NEEDS VERIFICATION]
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Health topics. [URL NEEDS VERIFICATION]