symptoms two years after surgery

[Mary_Ellen]

This time my post is about my left knee. Two years ago I had arthroscopic surgery to remove floating cartilage. At the time the surgeon also drilled holes into the bone to encourage cartilage growth. My recovery was quick and I returned to normal activities very fast. Everything was fine until about six months ago. Occasionally I experience kind of a shifting feeling accompanied by brief but intense pain. It's almost as though everything is moving and clicking into place although there is no locking or instability. It feels sometimes as if this shift is to put things back where they belong. I can almost tell when it is going to happen.

Any ideas why this would be happening so long after surgery? It does seem to occur a little more often after strenuous activity--but a day after, not during. For example I backpacked 50K this weekend and it felt fine but today I experienced one of the "shifts".

[Heidi]

Hi

From your post I am presuming that you have not injured the knee in any way since the surgery? i.e. twisted it, fallen, impacts etc.

It does sound very much like a cartilage problem. Any kind of locking or giving way usually is. Have you changed anything about your life in the last 6 months? Especially activity-wise. e.g. extra exercise, different job etc.

I think it is probably worthwhile visiting a professional who can assess your knee problem.
Other than that, all I can suggest is to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee to help support it.