Knee pain

Sounds like what my hubby has with both his knees…osteoarthritis. The cartilage tries to grow together to protect the knee and when you walk or move, you break the fibers. His crunch and grind and sound awful! And he said he is in constant pain with it. Of course it doesnt mean this is what you have. It just sounds like what he deals with.

My left side is my weak side from GBS, so I’ve had pain in all the joints on my left. I have that grinding noise in my left knee and had a lot of pain and pressure in it. My GP suggested bursitis and a cortisone shot in my knee. Pain has let up but the grinding noise and pressure are still present. I had similar pain in left shoulder and cortisone shot helped there. Left hip and the joint at the top back of my left leg, where leg meets butt cheek 😮 hurt, but we haven’t addressed those yet.

Both of my knees crack and so do my fingers. I think its osteoarthritis because that runs in my family but I read that nerve damage can actually cause problems with tendons and cartilage.

Susanne

Both of my knees hurt, but the x-rays show that there is no arthritics. The pain seen to originate in the inside tendons. I have an appointment with the neurologist to check it out. The orthopedic doc says I have a torn meniscus and what to operate. They can not do a MRI because of my pacer. I wait to see the neurologist has to say before I go through another slice and dice.

Do your knees only hurt (bad) when going up stairs? Are they reasonably okay walking flat?
First, I would suggest talking to a rehabilitation doctor if you have one or either that or an orthopedic doctor if you have to see a new one. Simple x-rays might address if osteoarthritis is present, but I would think given your age and prior status that it is far more likely that the problem is either in tightening of the ligament/tendons or in stability of the knee. It is really tough on knees to go upstairs. I had a lot of pain in my knees also going up stairs, fortunately (?!?) more on one side, but it was somewhat intermittent. My knees also pop, not really grind, but I could feel the rubbing of surface on surface). It felt to me like the problem was that the muscles were not strong enough to put a “brake” on the amount of bending so that the knee was bending too much when going upstairs (and also when really tired). I got a black knee brace with a hole for the kneecap from the pharmacy–I think it was about 12-15 dollars. No prescription, just a means to give additional stability to the “bad” knee. This made a lot of difference when that happened. It has not happened for the last few months as I have gotten stronger. I did not lose ability to walk ever, it just got really hard. If it is this for you, try to go up the stairs sideways (I had to switch directions every few steps to even out the work of climbing stairs) or holding really strongly to the banister or using a cane to help with stability. The first changes the direction of the stress on the knees and the latter two reduce the stress on the knees by using arms to help. By sideways, this does not have to be perpendicular to the direction up the stairs, but even an angle will help–try first 90 to see if this helps stop the knee pop and pain, then maybe 45% with turning after a few steps and stopping every few steps to “reset” your body allignment.
An ace bandage would also help stability of the knee–I just could not get it to work well enough like a knee and the tight knee brace let the knee bend better as a hinge joint, but not overbend or wobble side to side. FYI, going sidewides up the stairs is tougher on the hip joints–so it might not help since our problems are not joint related but all the peripheral nerves. Other FYIs, bending forward some helps going up stairs by putting the center of gravity of your body more in the direction you are going. (Not so much you fall up the stairs, though, just a little). I also found that walking with my feet further apart that I do on the “straightaway” helps because it gives more stability. I also found that I had to really concentrate only on going upstairs and stepping and centering right and not carry or think about other things, hard as that is. After I managed to get upstairs without feeling I was climbing Mt Everest, I learned to carry small things up in a carry bag close to the body (so less impact on center of gravity). Can you guess from this that “Miss Determined” decided that she was going to figure our how to get upstairs and tried a lot of things to do so–also that I have tried to use my physics training and knowledge in patient care to figure out ways to help the body. I am not a physical therapist, though, nor any other kind of joint specialist–just a stubborn lady who was not going to let GBS stop her or make her leave her two-story home if there was any way around it.
WithHope for a cure of these diseases and a better way to get through them until then.
GBS 3/07

Carolyn,
I have horrible knee pain all the time. I don t do stairs because of my instability. But when I was in PT the told me my biggest problem was that I lock my knees because I feel more stable when they are locked. But that is what they tell me is doing the damange to my knees. Bad habit to break:confused:
Last night I had the weirdest thing hapen to my right leg all night. I’m not sure if it means something good or bad.
About 3 inches above my right knee I was having this electrical shock that went up and down my leg it went on all night. Has only happen a few times today since I’ve been up.

Has this ever happen to anyone else?

Cathy,

Yes, I have had electric shocks in legs, arms and feet at different times. For about a month now I have had a fuzzy area on the side of my left knee. Usually these weird sensations go away. Try heat. Sometimes it helps.

Susanne

Susanne,
Do these weird sensations mean the sensory nerves are starting to fire again?
I hope so.
Thanks for the info!:)

Hi guys,

Someone told me to try MSM for the knee pain and to also take glucosamine and chondroitin as they help keep the knee joints lubricated, etc. I started taking them and I notice a difference and know when I have missed them. I take 1000 mg of MSM daily.

Janet,
Thanks for the info, I was looking it up & I think I will try it & see if it makes a difference. Something has to help, my knees hurt all the time. I know my weight doesn’t help, BUT constant joint pain is awful!:(

I have a weight thing going too. And you are right, it doesn’t help, but I take these at the max dose and they do help. I liked the suggestions for climbing stairs also. I am going to try that on the days when my knees are killing me.

Another thing I did this spring was get orthotics for the soles of my shoes. That has helped a lot too. I tend to walk funny with my upper body thrown forward and the orthos help redistribute my weight and it seems to really help the knees. Just a thought….

Janet,
Thanks again for the info. It is wonderful to be able to come to this site get such valuble info!:) I truly appreciate all of you so much.

You may want to see a Sports Medicine Doctor. They are great for any kind of pain in the joints. I have been to them and know this first hand. Carolyn, get in a swimming pool every chance you get, at least once a day, and get into water up to your chest and walk for a long time. You can even go to the Y and use a heated pool in the winter time if you don’t already have a heated pool.
God’s best for you Carloyn.

Drummer

Hi: MY knees are bad but my right is so bad I cannot walk up stairs normally without my leg giving way with the pain. My rehab and pain doc thought the muscles have weakened around the knee because of nerve damage from GBS-I wear a large brace and it helps some. So far nothing has really helped and I have to avoid stairs whenever possible. Jeff

Cathy,

I don’t know the answer to your question. I had GBS 32 years ago and am having more residuals now than I did in the years right after I had GBS.
I don’t think anyone knows why we experience these weird sensations

Susanne

I do not have GBS or CIDP . I do have knee pain. It was diagnosed as arthritus or I cannot remember the medical term. My dr. gives me shots in my knees 2 tines a year. You come once a week for 5 weeks and then come again in 6 months. It lubricates the joints in your knees from the fluid you have lost. It really does work I will not have anymore pain until almost time for the next round of shots. Aleve also helps relieve the pain and rub capsazin or any arthritic rub on you knees or heat. You have to make sure your insurance covers the shots because they are expensive.