Knee Buckling: 5 Causes And How To Treat Them - Healthline

Maybe your like

HealthlineSubscribeWhy Is My Knee Buckling?

Medically reviewed by Gregory Minnis, DPT — Written by Mariah Adcox — Updated on October 22, 2024

Injury
Nerve damage
Plica syndrome
Arthritis
Multiple sclerosis
Home remedies
Takeaway

Knee buckling is when one or both knees feel weak and give out. It can be accompanied by pain, but not always. If it happens a lot, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

Knee buckling is also referred to as knee instability or weak knees.

Frequent knee buckling can raise your risk of falling and injuring yourself, so it’s important to work with a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause. Keep reading to learn more about the causes of knee buckling and how to treat them.

Injury

Many cases of knee instability are caused by injuries, either from high impact activities, such as running, or an accident. Common knee injuries include:

ACL tears
meniscus tears
loose bodies (pieces of bone or cartilage floating within the knee)

In addition to instability, knee injuries often cause pain and swelling in the affected knee.

Injury-related knee buckling usually goes away after you treat the underlying injury. Depending on the type of injury, you may need to do physical therapy or have surgery. While you recover, try to avoid putting pressure on your knee whenever possible.

Nerve damage

The femoral nerve is one of two major nerves in your lower leg. Femoral neuropathy, which refers to dysfunction of your femoral nerve, can cause weakness in your knees, making them more prone to buckling. Other symptoms of femoral nerve neuropathy include:

pain
tingling
burning
numbness in parts of your thigh or lower leg

Many things can cause femoral neuropathy, including:

diabetes
certain medications
arthritis
heavy alcohol consumption
neurological disorders, such as fibromyalgia
injuries

Treating femoral neuropathy depends on the cause, but it typically involves surgery, pain medication, or lifestyle changes. In many cases, neuropathy isn’t curable, but treatment can help reduce your symptoms or prevent them from getting worse.

Plica syndrome

Plica syndrome is caused by inflammation of the medial plica, which is a fold in the middle of the membrane that covers your knee joint. In addition to knee buckling, plica syndrome can also cause:

clicking sounds in your knee
pain on the inside of your knee
pain and tenderness in your kneecap

Most cases of plica syndrome are caused by a knee injury or overusing your knee.

Treatment usually involves physical therapy to strengthen the muscles surrounding your knee. You may also need a corticosteroid injection to reduce inflammation. In rare cases, your doctor might suggest surgery to remove or adjust your plica.

Arthritis

Arthritis refers to inflammation in your joints. It often affects the knees.

There are many types of arthritis, but knee buckling is a common symptom of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease. While rheumatoid arthritis usually affects both knees, you may only have osteoarthritis in one knee.

Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can also cause:

pain
stiffness
a locking or sticking sensation
a grinding or clicking noise

While there’s no cure for arthritis, the following treatments can help you manage your symptoms:

medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
corticosteroid injections
physical therapy
wearing an assistive device, such as a knee brace

Multiple sclerosis

Some people with multiple sclerosis (MS) report knee buckling as a symptom. MS is a condition that causes your immune system to attack the protective covering of your nerves.

While there isn’t much research into the relationship between knee buckling and MS, weakness and numbness in the legs are common symptoms of MS. These symptoms make it feel like your knee is buckling.

MS can cause a variety of symptoms that differ from person to person, but other common symptoms include:

vision loss
fatigue
dizziness
tremors

While there’s currently no cure for MS, corticosteroid injections can help reduce nerve inflammation in your legs. If you have stiffness or frequent spasms in your legs, taking muscle relaxants may also help.

Until your appointment

Frequent knee buckling may be a sign of an underlying injury or condition, so it’s a good idea to follow up with your healthcare professional.

In the meantime, try to rest your knee and apply either a hot or cold compress. You can also wear a knee brace or use a cane to reduce your risk of falling when your knees buckle.

You may also want to try these leg exercises for weak knees.

The bottom line

Knee buckling can range from a mild annoyance to a health hazard. Depending on what’s causing it, you may need physical therapy or surgery.

Work with your healthcare professional to figure out what’s causing your knees to buckle, and be sure to use extra caution when walking up or down stairs.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Alaia MJ. (2023). Patellar (kneecap) instability.https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/unstable-kneecap
Griffith CJ, et al. (2008). Plica syndrome.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12178-007-9006-z
Hacking C. (2023). Femoral nerve.https://radiopaedia.org/articles/femoral-nerve
Mulcahey MK. (2022). Common knee injuries.https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/common-knee-injuries/
Refai NA, et al. (2023). Anatomy, bony pelvis and lower limb: Thigh femoral nerve.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556065/
Sheth NP, et al. (2023). Arthritis of the knee.https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/arthritis-of-the-knee

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Gregory Minnis, DPT — Written by Mariah Adcox — Updated on October 22, 2024

Health Conditions

Condition Spotlight

Wellness Topics

Product Reviews

Featured Programs

Featured

Lessons

Newsletters

Lifestyle Quizzes

Health News

This Just In

Top Reads

Video Series

Find Your Bezzy Community

Follow us on social media