Knee problems

[BackcountryMT]

Hoping somebody can chime in on a problem I have been having. This hasn't started until this last season. I have been getting a severe pain in my right knee. The pain is isolated just under and below my knee cap. It does not hurt at rest but I can really feel it when planting my foot or completely extending my leg. Hiking or any strenuous activity really flares it up. Even more so when going down hill.

I have not twisted or otherwise hurt it in anyway to point towards a problem. Any help? Thanks

 

[fillthefreezer]

is there any clicking during range of motion?

 

[BackcountryMT]

is there any clicking during range of motion?

No there isnt

 

[fillthefreezer]

any swelling after activity?

 

[BackcountryMT]

any swelling after activity?

None

 

[RedStag]

im no doc, but i just went through this same thing this past season/

I would suggest seeing a doctor if it persists, because it could be an injury that can become worse with time. That being said, Im no doctor, but based o my reasearch this year and meeting with physios/doctors/surgeons it sounds like Patello Femoral Pain Syndrome. Its quite a common injury. There are other things to rule out before jumping to a conclusion though. This is what I thought I had, after some clicking began, and the pain got more severe, my doc decided I had a tear in my medial meniscus, also very common.
I ended up with torn cartilage under my patella, a plica that had to be removed and some meniscus being cleaned up.

Try working on strengthening your quads independent from your glutes/hams. this is sort of the Gold standard to help with knee pain. Often when you have knee pain at full extension it could be your patella isn't tracking properly. If you focus on the last 30 degrees of leg extension excersise it may help alleviate the pain. again, this is only the advice that was given to me by my doctor and physio, im 4 weeks out of surgery and doing pretty well.

Hope that helps.

 

[jcodyc40]

Try taking glucosamine w/ chondrotin and krill oil. Ice em down at night and use something like tiger balm ultra before you work out. If your pain persists then see a Doc.

 

[trkyslr]

Might be t-band issues to... Get a 6" styrophoam roller and learn how to use it to the point of tears. Once you try it you'll know what im talking about. It has done wonders for my t-band in loosening it up as before i had similar issues as you describe. Oh and the pain and tears of using a roller is a good thing as that means its working.

 

[gwl79902]

The front inside of my left knee was hurting bad for a few week after runs and just was getting worse. I read something about stretching so I laid on my back and pulled my knee up as far to my chest as possible. I the grabbed my shin and pulled it hard in towards my butt and held then repeated it a few times. I have been pain free for a few days even after workouts and runs.

 

[BackcountryMT]

Thanks guys, I will give some of these a shot

 

[Sam Millard]

There is a bursa sac in that area that can become inflammed, as well as your patellar tendon. Ice, rest, and NSAIDS will help if that's the case.

Be careful with your knees, though. I went in for a "clean up" in December and crutched out with a couple of stitches in a longitudinal tear in my medial meniscus! I had no symptoms of a tear, just noise and roughness under my kneecap and pain on the lateral side of the knee. I have a good doc who took the time to probe under everything for a look see.

 

[Stid2677]

Others have said it, but get it looked at. You only have one set of knees, years ago I ignored an injury in my 30s and now at 50 my right knee is worn out and I'm now going to have to have a total joint replacement.

Hoping for the best for you.

Steve

 

[Jager]

Others have said it, but get it looked at. You only have one set of knees, years ago I ignored an injury in my 30s and now at 50 my right knee is worn out and I'm now going to have to have a total joint replacement.

Hoping for the best for you.

Steve

Spot on. I am not a doctor, however I have had reco's to both knees. DO NOT wait and see, go to a doc, get referred to an orthopod, and let him decide.

Meniscus tears, only get worse and will continually do more damage to the point of what Steve has described.

 

[larryschwartz]

I am not a doctor, and neither is anyone else who has posted I would suspect, but I can tell you that ignoring a problem or following suggestions from laymen can make things worse. Find a good sports medicine practice in your area and have one of their knee guys take a look at you. It could be nothing, or something minor, or something that needs some more serious action taken. The main thing is to have a professional look at it. Sports medicine practices seem to be the best place to start as they are more experienced in conditions that are closer to what we do humping up and down mountains.

 

[brettb]

Every year for the past few years i have the same problem. usually after day 2 it goes away. i know i have abused my knees over the years. ive realized after i get reaclimated to the strain and stress for not taking care of my self before season it idially goes away and reminds me to get off my ass before next season.

 

[BackcountryMT]

Well I have been doing some research, my knee has started some clicking, I cannot fully extend it, and it has minor swelling.

All signs pointing towards torn meniscus?

 

[Jager]

BackcountryMT, forget doing research, get into an orthopod ASAP.

 

[Backstrap]

I suffered a decade of severe knee pain that had me stop most aerobic activity. Went to a slew of specialists and was told it was just arthritis and to get used to it. This past summer I blew up my knee (torn ACL, MCL, and ruptured quadriceps tendon). Upon waking from the surgery to reattach my quadriceps, my surgeon tells me I have severe gout and that he had to scrap and irrigate it from the joint before closing. Ask for a simple blood test to discount this condition before proceeding with any ortho surgeries. I used to get patellar tendinitis playing racquetball, similar pain to what you describe. I cleaned that up using a Cho pat strap (about $20-30 at a sporting goods store) above or below the knee to force the tendon to track properly. took a week of wearing it daily to eliminate the pain. Try this and then get into an ortho guy if it doesn't clear up.

 

[BackcountryMT]

Thanks backstrap

 

[MissHighcountry_Hellrazor]

From a nutritionalist's perspective : deff take Chondroitin and glucosamine as a supplement daily but also .... Lower your sodium intake. Sodium increases swelling and inflammation which is a big contributed to your pain. Granted it will not be a cure or replace the need for a doc visit (if its really bad) but it will deff take the edge off and decrease the pain.