An injury or arthritis most likely causes pain outside the knee. A doctor can determine the cause based on your other symptoms and the results of imaging tests.
Pain on the outer (or lateral) part of the knee can happen due to an injury or arthritis. It may also result from inflammation in a band of tough fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of the thigh and attaches to the front of the tibia (shin bone).
Lateral knee pain is
Treatment and recovery time depend on the cause and severity of your symptoms. Doctors often recommend conservative or nonsurgical treatment, but in some cases, surgery may be necessary.
Here are common causes of lateral knee pain and how they’re diagnosed and treated.
The iliotibial band is a thick strip of connective tissue that runs from the outer hip down to the shinbone.
Symptoms
Repetitive bending and straightening the knee under intense circumstances can cause it to tighten and become inflamed. The iliotibial band may also irritate nearby tissue. This injury typically causes pain on the outer part of the knee, but people may also feel it on the outer thigh.
Treatment
For ITBS, a doctor may recommend rest and a slow return to activity once you feel better. IT band exercises and stretches may improve iliotibial band flexibility and knee strength. Other treatments include:
- ice
- anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- corticosteroid injection to reduce inflammation
- physical therapy
- using a foam roller
The menisci are two tough, rubbery pieces of cartilage that sit in between the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shinbone). The medial meniscus is on the inside part of the knee, while the lateral meniscus is on the outer side.
Symptoms
The lateral meniscus is often torn during a sudden twisting motion when the foot is planted, and the body turns to the side. Athletes who make sudden change-of-direction moves are especially vulnerable to this injury. This can include people who play:
- football
- soccer
- tennis
- basketball
A torn lateral meniscus may also develop slowly as the cartilage becomes less resilient with age. These tears can occur without a noticeable injury but cause significant pain.
Other symptoms of meniscus tears include:
- a locking sensation when attempting to straighten the leg
- swelling
- pain when squatting or bending the knee
- snapping
Treatment
Only the very outer portion of the meniscus has a healthy blood supply, and therefore most meniscus tears do not heal on their own. However, small tears can be treated without surgery through some combination of:
- rest
- ice
- bracing or compression
- physical therapy
- injections
When to see a doctor
See a doctor or healthcare professional for lateral knee pain if:
- Your pain is severe.
- You have swelling or instability.
- You can’t bear weight on the knee
- You can’t fully extend or flex your knee.
- You hear a popping sound when you move your knee.
- You can see a bump or deformity of your knee or near your knee.
The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) is one of the four main ligaments of the knee. It connects the outer side of the femur and tibia and is primarily responsible for stabilizing the outer aspect of the knee.
An LCL injury (sprain) is often the result of a blow to the inside part of the knee. This causes the LCL to stretch beyond its typical range of motion and can result in partial or complete tearing of the ligament.
Symptoms
Symptoms may include:
- soreness on the outside of the knee
- swelling
- stiffness
- instability, or a feeling that the knee is unstable and going to buckle or give out
Treatment
Treatment is typically nonsurgical, using things like the RICE method, bracing, and physical therapy. If the LCL has a severe tear, surgery may be necessary.
The posterolateral corner (PLC) is the area where several tendons and ligaments come together at the back and outside of your knee. The structures that help stabilize your knee and make up the PLC include:
- the fibular collateral ligament
- popliteofibular ligament
- popliteus tendon
- biceps femoris tendon
- iliotibial band
This injury occurs from a blow to the outside or back of the knee from things like falls, sports injuries, or car accidents.
Symptoms
Symptoms of PLC injury include:
- pain in the back of the knee, side of the knee, or both
- knee instability during activities like walking, twisting, or climbing stairs
- swelling and bruising around and behind the knee
- numbness or weakness of the leg or foot
Treatment
Treatment generally involves surgery to repair, replace, or reconnect ligaments or tendons.
PLC injuries are graded based on the severity of ligament tear. More severe grades require surgery.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is also called runner’s knee or jumper’s knee because it is commonly associated with athletes, though nonathletes can get it, too. While this injury is characterized by pain in the front of your leg around your kneecap, for some people, it can cause pain in the side of your knee or leg.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is caused by overuse use or if the knee is pushed to the side when your leg bends (malalignment of the kneecap in the trochlear groove).
Patellofemoral pain syndrome may also be caused by arthritis behind the kneecap or cartilage defects behind the kneecap.
Symptoms
Symptoms of patellofemoral pain syndrome include pain that is:
- in the front of your knee after you sit for a long period of time with your knees bent, such as when you drive, fly in a plane, are in class or a theater
- occurs after a change in your activity level or intensity, playing surface, or equipment
- is accompanied by popping or crackling sounds in your knee when you engage in activities that use your knees, like climbing stairs or standing after you’ve been sitting for a while
- related to exercise and other activities that involve repeatedly bending your knee, like:
- running
- jumping
- squatting
- climbing stairs
Treatment
The main treatment options for patellofemoral pain syndrome include changing your exercise routine or switching to low impact exercises. If you have overweight, losing weight may help reduce the pressure on your knees.
Employing the RICE method may help. That includes:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevate
If other methods don’t help, your doctor may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, to help reduce swelling and relieve pain and physical therapy.
If noninvasive treatment doesn’t help, surgical treatment may be necessary. Surgical treatment for patellofemoral pain syndrome may involve knee arthroscopy or open surgery called a tibial tubercle transfer to help realign your kneecap.
Popliteal tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendon located behind the knee. It may be caused by overuse, running, jumping, and other activities that involve sudden changes in movement.
Symptoms
The symptoms of popliteal tendinitis include:
- pain in the back of the knee that gets worse with activity
- swelling and tenderness near the tendon
- difficulty bending your knee
- there’s a popping or clicking sound when you move your knee
Treatment
Typically treatment involves the RICE method, stretching, strength training, and antiinflammatory medications. Severe tendinitis may require surgery to repair.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and affects more than
Symptoms
With osteoarthritis of the knee, you may experience pain, stiffness, or loss of joint movement can follow.
Some people have more significant wearing of the cartilage in the outer compartment of the knee joint, and this can lead to lateral knee pain. This can include people with a bowed leg.
Treatment
The Osteoarthritis Research Society International recommends several nonsurgical options for treating arthritis of the knee. These include:
- strength training to help the muscles surrounding the knee better support and stabilize the joint
- biomechanical devices, such as knee braces, to support the knee when walking and doing other activities
- water- and land-based exercises to help improve knee flexibility and function
- weight loss, if indicated, to relieve pressure on the knees and other joints
- injections, including steroids or hyaluronic acid
- low impact exercises, such as using a stationary bike
For people with advanced arthritis and severe pain, surgical options include partial or total knee replacement if they have not had success with other forms of treatment.
The tibial plateau is located at the top of the shin at the knee.
Symptoms
A break on the outer or lateral part of the tibial plateau can cause considerable knee pain. A lateral tibial plateau fracture often results from a vehicle accident or a bad fall directly impacting the outer knee.
Treatment
If the bones are still aligned, bracing may be effective, and surgery may not be required to treat the injury. If not, you may need surgery to place the affected bones in their proper position and secure them with screws or plates.
A knee contusion is a clinical term for a bruised knee. A soft-tissue contusion is limited to the skin and muscle tissue, but if the injury is deep enough to hurt the bone, it’s called a bone contusion.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a contusion of the soft tissue of the knee include:
- a small, swollen bump
- skin discoloration – turning red, blue, or black
- pain if you press on the area
Symptoms of a contusion to the bone near the knee include:
- pain that’s more severe than a typical bruise and that lasts longer
- knee pain when you straighten your leg
- stiffness, swelling, or tenderness
Treatment
When a bruise occurs on the outer knee, lateral knee pain can linger for a few hours or days, depending on the injury’s severity. Usually, ice, rest, elevating the knee, and gentle stretching can relieve symptoms and allow the lateral knee to heal.
For minor lateral knee injuries, rest and conservative (nonsurgical) measures are all that are needed for healing. However, ligament tears, meniscus tears, and advanced arthritis may require surgery.
More serious tears often require surgery to either repair the tear or trim off the damaged portion of meniscus tissue.
Recovery time differs depending on the type of injury, its severity, and the physical therapy you’ve been prescribed. Some examples of the typical recovery times before you can return to typical activities include:
| IT band syndrome | Lateral meniscus tears | LCL sprains or tears | Osteoarthritis |
| 4 to 8 weeks, depending on severity and how well you stick to physical therapy | a week to a month for minor injuries and several months if surgery is required | a week to a month for minor injuries, and several months if surgery is required | nonsurgical treatments can help immediately, but if you need surgery and physical therapy, recovery can take several months |
With all major knee injuries, physical therapy is usually all you need to help you regain strength and full range of motion.
Knee injuries can affect athletes and people of all ages. Because knee injuries can worsen without rest and proper treatment, doctors recommend having lateral knee pain evaluated. An orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee injuries can help diagnose and treat your injury.
If you’re a runner, once you return to running, you should gradually build up the miles you run each week and try to run on even, flat surfaces as much as possible. Uneven terrain and banked running tracks can lead to ITBS and other knee injuries.
Following the advice of healthcare professionals can help you avoid complications and reduce the likelihood of a repeat injury.