My knees :-( (suggestions wanted)

Xiaolongbao

I have bad knees. Stage 4 osteoarthritis apparently. But I also seem to have developed another problem in my right knee. It feels like the kneecap dislocates. It has never happened while I've been exercising hard, rolling over in bed has caused it several times, getting up from a chair once and doing a jumping jack once.

It's hard to explain but the pain is in the kneecap, not the joint if that makes sense.

When it happens the pain is excruciating - like someone driving a knife into the inside of my knee. And once it happens it seems to happen over and over again until the bad period has passed (about a week or two).

Then I have an ok patch and I start to relax until one day, out of the blue, it happens again. This has been going on for 6 months.

I've had ultrasounds, x-rays and an MRI (all this lead to me being told about the osteoarthritis). I even had fluid injected under the kneecap (to see if it helped with the arthritis). No one has been able to tell me what's going on and honestly none of the doctors seem interested in my descriptions (they all focus on the osteoarthritis).

I don't speak the local language and have pretty much exhausted all the English speaking doctor options I can find. So in frustration I'm turning to the internet (the long story above is in the hope of stopping people from just telling me to see a dr).

1. Has any one experienced something similar and knows what I'm talking about.

2. Any suggestions for exercises to strengthen the muscles around the kneecap (not sure if that's a valid plan but I feel like if the muscles were stronger they'd hold it in place better).

I do semi squats daily to try and help (semi because I can't go that far down). I also do a thing where I sit with my legs straight out and try to raise them which I read somewhere is supposed to help.

I'm 43, 160cm and 64kg (I think that's about 135 lbs) so not super overweight any more.

SonyaCele

Xiaolongbao wrote: »

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I do semi squats daily to try and help (semi because I can't go that far down). I also do a thing where I sit with my legs straight out and try to raise them which I read somewhere is supposed to help.
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Those are leg extensions and they are Knee killers. My PT told me not to ever do them unless i was only doing the top 1/4 range , dont bring your feet all the way down. and learn to squeeze your quad the whole time to activate it and get the most benefit. Did your PT or Dr advise you to not do certain things? if they said squats are ok, look into TRX squats, that will allow you to have full range .

slaite1

I hear you on the doctors-but can you see a PT? Can it be that these are flare ups of the arthritis and there is not another cause? My bf has something similar happen in his knee sometimes. I think they wanted to do surgery and he said no so he just "deals" with it.

I know I'm suggesting exactly what you don't want but have you seen an orthopedic surgeon? I had more success with my shoulder once I saw a specialist.

It's really difficult to suggest exercises to someone that has an underlying health issue effecting the joint AND a possible secondary issue.

Walk. A lot. Hit some hills. Get really good shoes. Maybe some band work (google it, lots of exercises where you put a band on you ankles or knees and walk or stretch the area). Be careful.

bodypowerfitnessnyc

You need bone broth. No routine can help you if youre not providing the building blocks you need home made broth from the bones feet and joints of animals

TavistockToad

bodypowerfitnessnyc wrote: »

You need bone broth. No routine can help you if youre not providing the building blocks you need home made broth from the bones feet and joints of animals

:huh:

DrizztGirl82

My knees pop out of place easily and also are extra prone to dislocation. I have had to go to physical therapy multiple times for this and they tend to give me similar exercises to do. In my case, my knees pop out of place because 1) all my joints are extra flexible 2) my knee caps are to the side of where they should be and 3) the ligaments surrounding my kneecap in one knee that SHOULD hold it in place are very weak. The therapy was to strengthen the muscles in my upper and lower legs to place less pressure on my knees. They had me use a resistance band and go through various exercises.

One was to lay on my side against a wall with the band around my ankles. I would have to lift the upper leg as high as I could and bring it back down, in a straight line against the wall. Do this for 10-15 reps and then switch.
Another was standing with my feet shoulder length apart with band around my ankles again. Move right leg to the right and back. Again, same reps and switch feet.
Another was to tie the band around something like a table leg and put the other end around my thigh. Then do lunges away from the table with the leg that has the band in front. I was to go only as low as I could without pain.

I can't remember any of the other exercises right now as it's been a couple years since the last time I went. But a lot of it was just strengthening the leg muscles. I will admit that it helped with my every day pain. And my knee feels stronger now. However, I still wear a knee brace whenever I do any exercises above a fast walk. This is because if I don't, my knee WILL dislocate if I step the wrong way. I understand how the knee issues suck, so I hope I could be of some help!

DrizztGirl82

Xiaolongbao wrote: »

I have bad knees. Stage 4 osteoarthritis apparently. But I also seem to have developed another problem in my right knee. It feels like the kneecap dislocates. It has never happened while I've been exercising hard, rolling over in bed has caused it several times, getting up from a chair once and doing a jumping jack once.

It's hard to explain but the pain is in the kneecap, not the joint if that makes sense.

When it happens the pain is excruciating - like someone driving a knife into the inside of my knee.

This is exactly what it feels like when it pops out of place or dislocates. When it happens to me, I have to physically put my knee cap back.

STEVE142142

Please do not take advice from people on this website or dr. Google. Even though they may try to give you helpful suggestions without personally diagnosing your condition they have no idea what they're talking about and you can do some serious damage listening to their advice or dr. Google's advice.

You may not want to hear this but you may need to see more than one doctor. I'll give you my perspective 56 year old male double hip replacement and an arthritic knee that needs to be replaced. I went through a shitload of doctors who couldn't help me until I found one who could. With no disrespect to the doctors sometimes they don't know what they're talking about because they've been bought to think of certain way.

I'll give you my history period my hips were degenerative I saw my primary who referred me to an orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon I saw made me feel like a piece of s*** and told me he couldn't help me. Went to see my primary again he referred me to a different doctor even though he wasn't happy that I didn't go by this guy's advice. I saw the new doctor and she was very helpful but she said she could only do what am I hips and both of them needed to be done at the same time. She referred me to a specialist. He was able to do both hips at the same time and he was a godsend the man changed my life. After he did the surgery he referred me to a rehab hospital for two weeks. At the rehab hospital I did two weeks of intensive physical therapy. After that I did four weeks of outpatient. During that Outpatient Therapy the physical therapist saw I had a funny walk and stance. They referred me for Orthotics. I got custom fitted by an orthopedic specialist at the hospital. My life has totally changed.

You're responsible for your own health and sometimes it just takes a lot of work

Xiaolongbao

Thanks all.

I do appreciate that finding a better doctor would be the optimal solution but if that isn't possible then i appreciate the other advice.

Drizzt thanks especially for your advice. It sounds like my experience matches yours (I also try to push it back into place when it happens). I'll try googling resistance band stuff.

It's good to have confirmation that what it feels like probably is what is actually going on. Thanks for the advice everyone.