Knee Pain Treatment in NYC
Knee pain is one of the most common reasons patients visit a pain specialist in New York City. Whether your pain is from a sports injury, arthritis, a ligament tear, or repetitive strain, the right diagnosis is the first step toward lasting relief.
At Sports Pain Management NYC (SPIN), our board-certified pain specialists diagnose and treat all types of knee pain - from acute injuries to chronic conditions. We serve patients throughout New York City from our Midtown Manhattan clinic, with same-week appointments available.
Knee Pain NYC — SPIN Sports Pain Specialists
Ready to get relief from knee pain?
Same-day knee pain appointments available.
Various Causes of Knee Pain
Arthritis, injuries, and deformities are the main culprits behind painful symptoms inside or outside the knee for many New Yorkers. The source of your pain can come from so many different moving parts in the knee — where you have cartilage, bone, tendons, ligaments, and bursa sacs. Injuries to any of these areas can lead to pain from one of the following:
Tear to your anterior cruciate ligament or ACL
The ACL is a ligament that attaches to your thigh bone and shin bone. ACL injuries are common among basketball and soccer players, as well as other athletes who make sudden stops and turns while playing.
Bursitis
This occurs when the fluid-filled sacs wear down and one bone begins to rub against another, sending you to your doctor for pain relief. Very often, this condition leads to inner knee pain due to wear and tear over time.
Meniscus tear
A tear to your meniscus can happen when you suddenly twist or turn and rupture the natural shock absorbers in your knees The cartilage between your thigh and shin bones also causes inner knee pain when you carry excess weight.
Broken patella
Breaking your kneecap can result from a car accident or a bad fall. When you have weak bones or osteoporosis, you're more prone to fractures.
Tendonitis and patellar tendonitis
Occur when tendons cause pain behind the knee and in front of your leg after becoming inflamed and irritated.
Knee Sprains & Strains
A knee sprain occurs when the ligaments around the knee are stretched or torn. Strains affect the tendons or muscles. Both are common sports injuries treated at SPIN - most cases resolve without surgery.
Runner's Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
Runner's knee causes pain around or behind the kneecap, especially during activity. It's one of the most common overuse injuries seen in athletes and active patients.
Referred pain also is common and can lead to posterior or inner knee pain when you have tendon damage in your hips, feet, or ankles.
Symptoms that do not subside within a few weeks should always be evaluated with a thorough consultation and examination by an experienced doctor for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan as it may be a symptom of a serious condition that needs full evaluation by pain specialists for appropriate workup.
Who Is at Risk for Knee Pain?
Many different sports activities make you a candidate for a knee injury and subsequent pain. Athletes involved in certain sports are at the highest risk for a knee injury, pain behind the knee and in the upper leg, and posterior and inner knee pain.
Orthopedic knee doctors around the world agree that some of the riskiest sports include:
- Basketball, during which you have to make a lot of pivots that place enormous stress on your ligaments and patella, leading to back-of-knee pain and stress fractures.
- Running is one of those sports that cause damage all up and down your legs. The constant pounding places your knees at risk for injury soon after you begin jogging or after many years.
- Skiing has a high incidence of fall risks. Additionally, locking your ankles into rigid boots places more stress on your knees when you do fall or turn awkwardly.
Other factors that can warrant the visit to Dr. Melepura that might lead to the need for knee pain relief include:
- Having had a previous knee injury
- Carrying excessive weight
- Having weak knee muscles and a lack of flexibility
Dr. Melepura can find the precise cause of your symptoms and provide the most advanced modalities to treat them. Emergency, same-day appointments in Midtown, Manhattan are available for everyone in pain.
What Are the Symptoms of Knee Pain?
Though there could be numerous culprits behind pain in the knee, most share the same symptoms, including:
Swelling, bruising, and pain that occur immediately after an injury and can be mild to severe
Depending on the affected structure inside your knee, pain can be localized or may spread to other areas
You may have difficulty putting weight on the affected knee or have trouble fully extending the joint, which may result in limping
You may end up developing an abnormal gait in an attempt to compensate for pain when walking
What Are the Different Types of Knee Pain?
There are two distinct types of knee pain, such as:
- Mechanical, which comes suddenly after an injury and typically worsens with movement while subsiding with inactivity.
- The inflammation, which builds up with time and is often associated with aging and repeated stress on the knee.
Diagnosing Your Pain
It's important that our physician gets a complete picture of your knee pain history before coming up with a treatment plan. He needs to know when your pain first started, how bad it gets, when it's worse, and what gives you relief, if anything. Diagnostic tests for knee pain may include:
- Ultrasound
- MRI or CT scan
- X-rays
- Arthrocentesis
- Blood tests
- Manual manipulation during your exam
How is Knee Pain Treated?
Conservative Options
Injection Treatments at SPIN
Cortisone injections
Fast anti-inflammatory relief for arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis.
PRP (platelet-rich plasma)
Regenerative treatment for cartilage and ligament injuries.
Hyaluronic acid gel injections
Lubrication for osteoarthritis.
Genicular nerve block
For chronic, nerve-driven knee pain.
Advanced Interventions: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for chronic nerve-driven knee pain that hasn't responded to injections.
Most patients see significant improvement with injections and guided therapy before considering surgery.
When Do I Need to Visit a Knee Pain Doctor?
You should consider visiting an orthopedic physician as soon as possible to receive the appropriate treatment for your knee pain if any of the following criteria apply to you:
Untreated knee injuries can cause permanent damage. If you have severe or chronic knee pain, you should see a doctor right away. The skilled doctors at the Sports Injury & Pain Management Clinic of NYC can quickly diagnose and treat your condition, getting you back on your feet in no time.
Ready to find relief from knee pain?
If you've had knee pain for more than 2 weeks, or if your pain is limiting daily activity, a specialist evaluation is recommended. At SPIN, our NYC pain specialists can often see you within the same week. Midtown Manhattan - book online or call for a same-week appointment.
Why Choose SPIN for Knee Pain in NYC
Patients choose SPIN because we treat knee pain without defaulting to surgery.
Board-certified pain management physicians with subspecialty joint training
Same-week appointments at our Midtown Manhattan clinic
Non-surgical-first approach - injections and therapy before any surgical referral
Full diagnostic capability - in-office imaging coordination and MRI referrals
Trusted by athletes, active adults, and chronic pain patients across NYC
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Knee Pain Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to knee pain is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection or procedure, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
What Our Knee Pain Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."
Frequently Asked Questions About Knee Pain
A pain management specialist can diagnose and treat the root cause. At SPIN, our board-certified physicians identify whether the issue is ligament, arthritis, or nerve-related and build a non-surgical treatment plan.