When a young athlete has the condition, he or she usually has a throbbing pain that occurs just below the knee joint. You may have pain in the joint at the base of your big toe, or in your foot, ankle, knee, elbow or hand. Muscle force and body weight determine the degree of patello-femoral joint reaction force, which frequently contributes to anterior knee pain following TKA. This in-turn places stress on the knee joint, which results in pain and damage to the structures that make up the knee joint. Other conditions that can lead to knee pain include arthritis, infections, hemarthrosis (blood in the knee joint), cysts and bone tumors. One could also experience a knee pain if there is an infection in the joint. Nonspecific complaints may include global or generalized knee pain, joint line pain, or posterior knee pain. But some knee injuries and medical conditions, such as osteoarthritis, can lead to increasing pain, joint damage and even disability if left untreated. Knee arthritis typically affects patients over 50 years of age. It is more common in patients who are overweight, and weight loss tends to reduce the symptoms associated with knee arthritis. There is also a genetic predisposition of this condition, meaning knee arthritis tends to run in families. Other factors that can contribute to developing knee arthritis include trauma to the knee, meniscus tears or ligament damage, and fractures to the bone around the joint. Although it's not always possible to prevent knee pain, the following suggestions may help forestall injuries and joint deterioration: Keep extra pounds off! Surgery is always the last option to any illness. However, if your knee pain is diagnosed by a medical doctor and if he recommends surgery, it is always safer to follow the professional advice. More than 90% of knee replacements result in dramatically reduced knee pain and increased mobility of the knee joint. Studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in relieving certain types of knee pain, especially arthritic conditions of the knee and knee joint.