Please help with weird knee problem! Any experience with this?

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Sea_Witch
Sea_Witch Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been to the doctor for this problem but didn't get many answers (of course) I am doing things to fix it but I honestly don't know whether I'm helping or hurting the situation and I would LOVE some advice.

Here's the facts:

~My leg has something that snapsat the outside of my knee almost directly in the joint line. This doesn't really hurt so it may have no bearing on my actual problem. THIS has been happening for 14 years.

~I can walk forever and never feel pain but I have horrible pain on the outside of my knee after sitting (especially cross legged), riding in a car or anywhere really. But once I start walking it completely goes away. THIS has only been happening for 6 months.

~The pain is mostly from a couple of inches above my knee to a couple of inches below my knee.

~The worst pain is at night when I sleep. I wake up with what feels like a terrible cramp in the same location as above. If I straighten my leg or get up and take a few steps, it goes away. Sometimes when the pain is really bad it hurts my upper outer quad.

~I am NOT a runner!

~Foam rolling the front of my quads can reproduce the pain when a straight leg otherwise wouldn't (especially if I flex my leg while doing it)

~Osteo Dr. and physical therapist noted that my I.T. band is extremely tight making it seem like the problem but based on all my research, that mostly happens to runners and I've found nothing that suggests that it could cause symptoms only after sitting.

~I have had X-rays and no arthritis.

~When I walk sometimes the foot of that leg points more outward than the other one which points straight ahead.

My questions:

~Has anyone ever had I.T. band problems without being a runner?

~Does the "sitting only" pain even match with that?

~How do I fix it when I'm not sure whether I'm helping or hurting?

I would really appreciate some advice on this.

Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    edited April 2016
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    why not work on some IT stretches and see if that makes it help? If thats what the PT suggested, i wuld do that. Why go to a PT and osteo and then do research on your own to argue their diagnosis? Just give the stretches a try and see how it works.
    IT stretches are super simple , why even question doing them? just do them.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    Sounds like it may be a miniscus tear if not an IT band problem. The clicking feeling or sound that your talking about is usually associated with a miniscus tear at the outside portion of the knee joint. This will not show up on an X-ray and you would need to get an MRI to know for sure what's going on. You need to see an orthopedic doctor and not an osteo to get diagnosed properly for knee problems. An IT Band problem is related to the IT band being really tight as it runs along the quad down to the lower leg bone and the pain is caused by that tendon rubbing against the outside of the lower portion of the femur next to the knee joint. I could imagine that if you have a really tight IT band, it could be getting pressed against the bone and over time becoming painful and standing up and stretching out the band would probably release the pain. The IT Band problem typically happens to runners but I can imagine the outside quad getting over developed in strength and pulling the IT band really tight. Runners typically feel it and complain about it most because the pain is caused by the IT band constantly rubbing against the femur bone as they run. I'm not an ortho so I would suggest going to see one to get a definitive answer.
  • Sea_Witch
    Sea_Witch Posts: 16 Member
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    I went to an orthopedic Dr. I have no idea why I typed osteo?! And as far as the stretches and foam rolling go, I have been following their advice. But when I roll the top of my quad that spot on the outside of my knee snaps making me fear that I am causing some type of friction that will make it more irritated. The Orthopedic Dr. didn't feel like it was a meniscus tear based on the fact that walking makes it better.

    I didn't mean to make it sound like someone just told me all this and that I don't care what they think. I do care what they said, that's why I asked if it was possible to have IT band syndrome WITHOUT being a runner. The literature they gave me and my research all pertained to running and pain with walking. I don't have that so I was just wondering.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    OK, that makes more sense. I would ask your ortho to do an MRI of the knee joint but he's probably not going to until you go through rehab, insurance reasons. Most insurances will require the doctor to take certain steps prior to doing more expensive testing. That's why I hate insurance companies. You could have a miniscus tear, go through months of rehab for something else only to find out the truth of the matter after months of pain and discomfort. He could be right about the ITB. The only option you have is to follow the doctors orders religously and find out if it works.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    maybe you don't need to roll the top of your quad? the it band is on the outside of the leg. Things like the pigeon stretch might help. Go easy at first and work into that muscle. Also from everythign i know about knees, if there is clicking or popping without pain, generally its ok . but listen to your body. its good you went to the dr. give the stretchign some time. Foam rolling isn't stretching, use that in addition to stretching. and try stretching several times a day. The fact when you get up and move the pain goes away does sound like a tight muscle.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    OK. Not a doctor, don't even play one on TV. You may have multiple issues (but all associated with being inflexible / working a desk job). The knee pain sounds like classic "theater knee" due to inflammation in the knee area. A symptom. The clicking sounds like a tight IT band. May be reaching the point where it's pressuring the knee, causing the inflammation. Or not. The out-turned foot sounds like a tight psoas (which can cause knee issues by itself).

    Did either of the docs suggest anything as far as exercises? I would think that some general hip and legs mobility work would be indicated. But even if that helps the problem, it's going to take a while -- a pissed-off knee generally takes weeks to fully calm down.
  • Sea_Witch
    Sea_Witch Posts: 16 Member
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    SonyaCele wrote: »
    maybe you don't need to roll the top of your quad? the it band is on the outside of the leg. Things like the pigeon stretch might help. Go easy at first and work into that muscle. Also from everythign i know about knees, if there is clicking or popping without pain, generally its ok . but listen to your body. its good you went to the dr. give the stretchign some time. Foam rolling isn't stretching, use that in addition to stretching. and try stretching several times a day. The fact when you get up and move the pain goes away does sound like a tight muscle.

    I foam roll the outside too but my left quad area has some very painful places and my walking feels more fluid after so that part is kind of a personal preference. I try to listen to my body. I've had the snapping on the outside of my knee for over a decade. It's the pain in my sleep that bugs me and it is never where the snap is. Which can run up what feels like it would be the vastis lateralis and down a little past my knee by a couple of inches. I have wondered if trigger points in a quad muscle might be causing some of this.
    hill8570 wrote: »
    OK. Not a doctor, don't even play one on TV. You may have multiple issues (but all associated with being inflexible / working a desk job). The knee pain sounds like classic "theater knee" due to inflammation in the knee area. A symptom. The clicking sounds like a tight IT band. May be reaching the point where it's pressuring the knee, causing the inflammation. Or not. The out-turned foot sounds like a tight psoas (which can cause knee issues by itself).

    Did either of the docs suggest anything as far as exercises? I would think that some general hip and legs mobility work would be indicated. But even if that helps the problem, it's going to take a while -- a pissed-off knee generally takes weeks to fully calm down.

    I also thought it sounded like theater knee and that kneecap does seem "bound up" more than the other. The pain is focused on the side so I wasn't sure. Some time back I needed physical therapy for my pelvis that was out of whack, part of that was illio/psoas and piriformis release on that side. That was supposed to be better but maybe not.

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