What's wrong with my knee?

[Clodfobble]

The dwellar community has proven to be very adept at identifying medical conditions, so I'm hoping the body of orthopedic knowledge is just as extensive.

I've had knee problems ever since I was maybe 10. It took very little for me to overexert them and have general pain or soreness for a few days. But it always cleared up. At one point my mother actually took me to an orthopedist, and he told me I just needed to correct my walk (I had apparently been pointing my toes slightly outward.) I did, and it seemed to help at the time, but they were still weak and easy-to-injure.

Nowadays, the tendons in my right knee pop and snap every time I go up or down stairs. I guess it started sometime around when I was having the initial problems as a teen, but I really can't remember when, they've just always done it. There are times when it's better or worse, but with every step you can literally hear the gooey joint noises in my right knee. (At one place I used to work, a coworker was unable to be in the stairwell with me, because she was grossed out by that sort of thing.) It definitely doesn't hurt, but I guess you could say it's uncomfortable. I do feel like I have to favor that knee and take stairs carefully.

We used to joke about how I was so creaky I would be in a wheelchair by the time I was 30, but it was never bad enough to bother seeing a doctor. But a year ago, we moved into a two-story house, and then I started carrying an extra 35 pounds up and down while I was pregnant, and now I'm still carrying a 14-lb. baby most of the time, which is actually the worst because it's on one side and I'm unbalanced. And... my left knee tendons have started snapping. Not as bad as the right knee yet, but it's not going away either.

I'm pretty sure it's going to require surgery someday, but the question is how soon? I've heard of torn ACLs, and a torn miniscus, but this doesn't hurt like either of those are supposed to. I guess it's possible that was what the pain was way back as a teen, and now it's sort of healed-but-not-really. I'm inclined to keep ignoring it--I suppose I may be making it worse by waiting, but at the same time it's been like this for over a decade, and I can't take care of four kids if I'm laid-up in bed recovering from knee surgery. I guess I might be able to schedule it over the holidays or something when Mr. Clod could take time off work, but we also really can't afford 20% of another surgical procedure right now anyway.

Any idea what the malady is, so I can at least research what kind of risks I'm taking by waiting?

[Sundae]

Interested to hear the answer. My knees pop & click on the stairs, although it is mostly downstairs for me. And yes I had a colleague who was disgusted by it and would only walk with me if there was loud conversation.

I used to find that if I tried to run from walking or standing I would get a blinding pain in one or both knees. I still get it now but I run less... On cold mornings I can get it if I just start to walk a little faster, like to hurry across a road.

I went to see my doctor when I was about 17 and he suggested it was something to do with not warming up properly. I couldn't get him to understand that I wasn't trying to start jogging - I was just running for a bus, and no-one else around me pulled up short with a gasp of pain.

I was much MUCH smaller and fitter then. But my knees are about the same now.

[glatt]

Is it only your knees, or do you have other joint weirdness? Like can you do double jointed finger tricks and things like that?

[HungLikeJesus]

Clodfobble, do you have flat feet, fallen arches or heel pain?

[Cloud]

pretty normal for your joints to be affected during pregnancy. I think I would first consult with a chiropractor, to address gait or unbalancing problems.

Maybe I should, too.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by glatt

Is it only your knees, or do you have other joint weirdness? Like can you do double jointed finger tricks and things like that?

I pop all my knuckles, toes, and my neck compulsively, and on rare occasions my elbows too. But I can "pop" my knees in the traditional fashion too. None of my other joints make noises without my impetus. I have pulled my elbow joint or made it sore on a few occasions, but those are always connected with specific actions--like, I had to quick pull a toddler up and into the car with one arm before he tried to run off into the street--and I don't think I strain them any more than the average person would.

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

Clodfobble, do you have flat feet, fallen arches or heel pain?

I think I have abnormally tall arches, actually. Standing flat on my feet it looks like I have a good 1 to 1.5 centimeters of clearance underneath. When my feet are propped up and totally relaxed, the toes are still drawn back a bit as if I'm flexing them. They've always been like that. I do walk as if I were flat-footed--I tend to put the whole foot down, rather than rolling forward from my heel, and sometimes I even put the toe down first. I've had some heel pain in the past (first thing in the morning like plantar fasciitis,) but it was mostly during pregnancy and always went away after a few days.

[glatt]

Do you bruise easily?

[Clodfobble]

...Yes.

[glatt]

Hmm.

Odds are you don't have this, because it's very rare, but Ehlers Danlos is a genetic disorder where the collagen is defective. "Symptoms can include easy bruising, velvety-smooth skin, mildly hyperextensible skin, and loose, unstable joints."

My mom has it. For her, the symptoms are easy bruising and crooked fingers. It's genetic. Do any of your blood relatives have similar symptoms?

[Flint]

I didn't read any of this thread, but the solution is apple cider vinegar.

[Clodfobble]

Interesting. By crooked fingers, do you mean little stuff like this, or more severe?




As a side note, it is really freaking hard to take a picture of your own hands.

Also, from your link:

In addition to the joint and cardiac effects noted above for hypermobility, this variant is characterized by soft, highly elastic, velvety skin which may tear, bruise, or scar easily and/or be slow to heal, and which has a tendency to develop benign fatty growths as well as benign fibrous growths on pressure areas.

I had big old ganglion cysts on my wrists as a kid.

the delicate skin noted above is joined by fragile blood vessel walls... Thin, translucent skin (veins can usually be seen on chest);

Check and check. I have little broken blood vessels everywhere, and we joke about my "lightning bolts" on my chest. Very interesting. On the other hand, the wiki article doesn't mention any treatment options other than pain medication for the painful joints. So it's not like they could do anything about it even if it turned out I had it, right?

[Flint]

apple cider vinegar

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Interesting. By crooked fingers, do you mean little stuff like this, or more severe?

yep. pretty much exactly like that. Well, one of her fingers is a little more severe, but close enough. And she bruises really easy. She also has the soft skin. She never had knee problems though.

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

On the other hand, the wiki article doesn't mention any treatment options other than pain medication for the painful joints. So it's not like they could do anything about it even if it turned out I had it, right?

Yeah, the deal with Ehlers-Danlos is that you just realize that you are more susceptible to certain types of injuries because your connective tissue is messed up, so you learn to be aware of your joints and don't stress them. There is no cure.

My mom doesn't have it too bad, but there are really severe cases of it out there.

The key though is that it's hereditary, so you should think about if any relatives have similar symptoms. And it's quite rare, so statistically speaking, your chances of having it are slim. You may just have something similar.

[morethanpretty]

CF prob best to go ahead and get to the doc. I thought I just had a weak, tender knee but finally the issue got bad enough I went and had it checked out, turned out I have a loose chunk of bone rolling around there. Your issue sounds like it could be much more serious. I google reviews for docs on my insurance list until I find one I like or ask friends/family for reference when I need a dif doc than my normal one.

Plus, apple cider vinegar

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by glatt

Is it only your knees, or do you have other joint weirdness? Like can you do double jointed finger tricks and things like that?

Check

Originally Posted by glatt

Do you bruise easily?

CHECK!

Originally Posted by glatt

Do any of your blood relatives have similar symptoms?

Check

As it's rare I very much doubt I have it - also the bruising comes down my Mum's side and the crokedness and cracking come down my Dad's. No special diseases for me, just clicking, popping and bruising.

BTW Clod, I crack my knees and ankles when I'm in meetings, by respectively twisting my calves and streching my feet. I am aware that it is grim to other people, so I'll often try to disguise the noise. And to think all some people have to worry about is farting!