Knee That Gets Hot After Exercising

When the knees feel hot after exercising, it could indicate a variety of problems. The increased temperature is often a sign of inflammation — the body’s response to tissue injury or infection.

Underlying disorders that cause inflammation, like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout, can lead to a hot knee after exercise. Other potential causes include overuse injuries and damage to ligaments, tendons, and knee cartilage. Treatments vary depending on the cause.

Recognize Heat From Inflammation

When the knees feel hot after exercising, it’s a sign of increased blood flow to the joint. The vessels transport warmer blood from the center of the body to the knee joint.

Heat, swelling, pain, and redness are the four key signs of inflammation, according to Mayo Clinic. The body’s inflammatory response is designed to heal injured tissue and fight infections.

However, continuous inflammation can lead to tissue destruction and joint damage. It’s important to determine the cause of inflammation to appropriately treat it and prevent further damage.

Understand Causes of Knee Inflammation

Many conditions can cause the knee to feel hot after exercise. A common offender is arthritis.

Arthritis is characterized by joint inflammation that damages cartilage, the smooth surface between bones that allows the knee to move easily, says Mayo Clinic. Typical forms include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

Osteoarthritis is associated with aging. It may also develop years after a traumatic knee injury or in overweight individuals.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the joints.

Gout develops when uric acid accumulates in the joint and causes inflammation.

Knees Feel Hot After Exercise

The knee may become hot after exercise due to underlying injuries, including tears of the tendons, ligaments, and menisci (special types of cartilage that act as shock absorbers within the knee).

Damage to these structures may cause popping in the joint and affect overall knee stability, according to MSD Manual.

When joints become less stable, abnormal stress occurs, leading to damage and swelling. A hot knee after exercise may also occur in a person who has an overuse injury, such as bursitis. Bursitis is inflammation of the bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac that cushions the places where muscles, tendons, and ligaments rub over bones.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome — frequently caused by abnormal tracking of the kneecap — is another overuse injury that can cause a hot knee, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

See a Doctor

General treatments that reduce heat in the knee joint and decrease inflammation include rest, wrapping the joint, applying ice, and elevating it above the level of your heart.

Determining the reason for a hot knee after exercise is essential, given the variety of treatable causes.

Seek medical attention immediately if your knee is very painful, you cannot put weight on it, it is badly swollen, it locks or clicks, or you have a fever, according to the U.K. National Health Service.

Even without these symptoms, if pain does not improve within a few weeks, be sure to see your healthcare provider.