Check And Grade your knee symptoms

HOW IT WORKS

First, use the symptom checker below to grade how your knees are feeling, give each symptom a score and compare that against the chart at the bottom of the page to find your perfect level of support required. 


Using the grading system it isn't an exact science, however, by going through this exercise of grading your symptoms it can provide you with a very strong indicator as to which level of support is suitable for you.

Grade Your knees using the most common reported symptoms of our customers


My knee Swells in an evening or after activity

Often one of the first visible signs of trauma, swelling is the bodies way of trying to protect an injured knee. However, this normally is accompanied by pain and discomfort. 

Think about the past few days, how frequently do your knees tend to swell? Study your knees and grade your levels of swelling between; 

Light swelling, medium swelling, heavy swelling.

My knee hurts more when it's cold

Cold damp weather is nothing new, however, it can make your joints stiff and actually contribute to worsening knee pain. 

Have you noticed a trend? Does cold weather make you feel slower and bring about aches and pains? Grade this by choosing a word from the below;

Cold affects my knees, cold doesn't affect my knees.

my knee feels like it might give way

Often experienced when you shift your weight too suddenly from one leg to the other, or you inadvertently make too much of a quick movement.

Sharp pain can accompany this symptom, but it can also feel like a kind of general weakness throughout your knee;

Rarely feel my knees give way, frequently feel like my knees may give way, I always feel like my knees may give way. 

It hurts to use the stairs

Stairs are the most likely culprit to cause a flare-up of long-term conditions and more recent injuries alike, due to the huge amounts of weight taken by the knees.

How do you manage when taking the stairs, do you struggle immediately or feel it later? Choose the best fit sentence from below;

Only a slight issue using the stairs, I feel pain but I can manage stairs, I struggle almost immediately when using stairs.

My knee is painful, especially after activity

You know your body better than anyone, and as pain is an indication something is wrong. You can actually use it to help decide what level of support is required.

Scoring from 1 to 5, this is your chance to connect with your body and listen to the signals it is giving you. Choose carefully from below;

I feel slight knee discomfort, I feel mild knee pain, I feel intense knee pain.

The pain makes me walk with a limp

A vanity score no doubt, however, social and familial pressure sometimes makes us embarrassed to walk with a limp.

Is it obvious? Does it prompt people to ask you if you are ok? Would you prefer it if people thought you were in good health?

No obvious limp, I do limp slightly, I have a limp and would like to reduce it.

Essential Wellness Knee Symptom Grader, to be used to effectively grade your knee pain to decide which support is suitable - EssentialWellness.co.uk/Pages/Knee-Symptom-Grader
  • Great for managing swelling up to grade 4

  • Provides warming qualities up to grade 4

  • Light level of support against a knee giving way up to grade 2

  • Reduces pain when using the stairs up to grade 2

  • Light overall pain reducing qualities up to grade 2

  • Slightly reduces a limp caused by pain up to grade 2

  • Practically invisible under clothing & can be easily paired with a more supportive brace

  • Provides swelling support up to grade 3

  • Warming qualities up to grade 3

  • Strong levels of support against a knee giving way up to grade 4

  • Greatly reduces pain when using the stairs up to grade 4

  • Strong overall pain reducing qualities up to grade 4

  • Provides correct knee cap support & reduces a limp caused by pain up to grade 4

  • Hard to spot under normal fitting clothing

  • Provides grade 3 swelling support

  • Warming qualities up to grade 3

  • Superior levels of support against a knee giving way up to grade 5

  • Reinforcing bars allow stairs support up to grade 5

  • Strong overall pain reducing qualities up to grade 5

  • Keeps the knee in natural alignment, providing grade 5 limp support

  • Wear on top of clothing or, pair with a compression knee sleeve for additional comfort and support

Disclaimer: Level 5 symptoms may be an indicator that you should see a GP or Physiotherapist in person. If in doubt, please call NHS 111, by simply dialling 111 from your phone. rm %}<.div>