Dodgy Knees

[wardolf]

Hi,

My first posting on the site so would be happy with for any response in relation to the problems I have with my knees which made me stop playing football a few years ago. I have the exact same problem with both knees so cannot be related to any specific injury.

When I kneel down or am down on my haunches for any length of time (as you tend to be with small kids!). One of my knees (or both if I am unlucky!) will 'pop' as though something has been displaced or moved within the knee. This is followed by a dull pain. If I then stand back up and straighten my leg, the knee will normally 'pop' again as if something has gone back into place. The knee will ache for a couple of days and will swell due to some kind of fluid around knee cap.

3 weeks ago however, when I straightened my leg there was no 2nd 'pop', and ever since then I havent been able to fully straighten my leg. At first I wasnt able to put any weight on it, even now if I walk on it for over 2 minutes, the pain becomes uncomfortable. The pain comes from the inside of the knee around the medial meniscus area and there is a small lump in this area on both of my knees.

Having visited the doctors they sent me for a x-ray last week and I'm waiting for the results back from these. I didn't think these would show up any meniscus problems so am not particularly hopeful.

Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Thanks

[Heidi]

Hi
I suspect that you have a case of patellofemoral pain and the popping you feel is probably the knee cap itself moving out of line. This would explain why you have been experiencing more severe problems lately - if the knee cap didn't 'pop' straight back into place. This is known as a subluxation or discloation and could prevent you from straightening your knee.
Have a look at these pages to find out a bit more:
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/knee/patellofemoral_pain_syndrome.php
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/knee/patella_dislocation.htm