There’s a condition called “painter’s knees,” but it isn’t exclusive to painters. Carpet and tile layers, housekeepers, health aids, nurses and even early child care workers – among others – can all end up with this condition.
“Painter’s knee” is just one of a dozen or more colloquial terms for a medical condition known as prepatellar bursitis. It’s an inflammation of the bursae, or small, fluid-filled sacs that act as a cushion between the skin and kneecaps. When a worker in any industry spends long hours kneeling on hard surfaces, the bursa can become inflamed and swollen – and that can lead to significant disability.
What are the symptoms?
It’s important to understand that prepatellar bursitis is not something that’s simply caused by age. Repetitive kneeling, often for prolonged periods, is the primary cause of prepatellar bursitis – although it can also result from sudden trauma, like suddenly falling to one knee on a concrete factory floor. The repetitive stress that painters, housekeepers and other workers are exposed to regularly can easily lead to this condition.
Symptoms of prepatellar bursitis include swelling at the front of the knee, pain with movement (especially bending), warmth or touch sensitivity on the kneecap and limited mobility. The symptoms can become severe very suddenly – and workers who suffer this injury may need significant time off work for their recovery.
If you have developed “painter’s knee” (by any name) and your work requires you to frequently kneel, it’s important to notify your employer that you’ve been diagnosed with a repetitive stress injury right away. If you have difficulty pursuing your claim for a repetitive stress injury to the knee, legal guidance may help.