Locking pain in knees, anyone get this?

Morning you lovely people,

I have become bit scared over last week or so, in the middle of the night when I try to turn over my knees feel like they have 'locked' and the pain in excruciating. I have to lay there and work myself up to try and go through the pain and move my knees. When I wake up in the morning I have awful pains in all my joints but knees don't lock?

Anyone got any ideas on this? Xxx. :oops:

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kathbee

Hi

Oh yes, that happens to me too.

I had my knees x-rayed a while back and they are both
'shot'. I have RA and OA and have had for a number of years
so was told by ortho consultant not long before 2 replacement
knees are needed. I have a lot of pain in both knees generally
but I know what you mean about the nights.

I have a replacement hip so looks like I will have more bionic joints
to come.

Hope things are a bit easier for you at the mo.

Kath

Compositor

Hi Anky

I can relate to what your saying, I had both TKR some 8/9 years ago now, although I am coping on a daily basis, they both get extremely sore during the day. I do get in some situations at night in bed, don't know how, but, I tend to lay on my side, and can't get out of that position, and, trying to lift my leg(s) is extremely painful...sometimes (I know sounds daft) but, I have to wake my wife up to help lift my leg(s) out of that position because of the pain...then eventually the pain will settle. O what I would give for a decent nights sleep. Take care. John

Ankyspond

Thanks John and Kath for your input,

Here's the thing though I have Ankylosing Spondilitis which is not something which normally needs a kneee replacement, they did say I do show some signs of RA but never been diagnosed for sure.

I suppose its back to the drawing board and the rhumy for me then, wish they would provide wine when I go would make the visits easier.

Thanks again both. xx

sharmaine

Hi
I have had one TKR and will be needing another one (other leg) next year.
This used to happen a lot on before my knee was operated on. I found taking amytriptilines helped. I often found just sitting upright for about ten minutes helped to put things back.

With my other knee I find that my ankle seems to come out of joint more. And I have to ease it back in place by standing upright.

You have my sympathies - the knee pain can be horrid. What meds are you on?

sharmaine

Ankyspond

Hi Sharmane,

Hospital have told me to phone doctor and ask for x ray to see if any signs of OA or RA, Will phone n morning not been able to do it today. The pain in the daytime I horrendous but hate it when it locks at night.

I have AS and I am on anti TNF Enbrel, Methotrexate, codeine, naproxen and omeprox something can never remember that one.

Thanks for your post it really means a lot. Xx

sharmaine

Hi A

I found sleeping on a memory foam mattress helps me at night. Do you have one? It sounds as if you're on quite a few meds! I couldn't get on with the co-meds at all. I found Tramadol the only thing that eased the pain in my knees.

Try not to overdo things. I find standing in one place; walking on flat surfaces (shop floors in particular); road surfaces makes me hurt more.
Wear shoes with a good and deep sole - it helps. Do not wear flip flops or very flat shoes ever! Rest when you start aching.

The pain is horrendous and if you can get help with the pain you will (a) feel better and (b) sleep better. Before my meds were sorted I wasn't sleeping at all and I kept getting flare ups. I know the signs these days and very rarely have flare ups. Listen to your body and don't push yourself. My best purchase was a perching stool very useful in the kitchen when preparing vegetables/washing up/cooking etc.

I have a heat pad which is a godsend I tend to use it more in the winter months on my aching knee !

Regards
Sharmaine

Ankyspond

Morning Sharmaine,

I don't have a memory foam mattress, tried the pillow but gave me awful headache to be honest. If you shake me I would rattle I take that much but if they work then I have to live with it, this disease is one that will never go away and it's just about making the best of it.

I find if I stand or overdo things it makes it worse but impeach and am on hokidays so am enjoying the time off. I do have the Clarks air shoes but will jot throw away a couple of pair of flip flops I have for summer, giving mynheels up was enough.

I have loads of stuff in the house OXO grips, changed taps, automatic car etc but think I will get a perching stool cos that sounds like a good idea. I use my wheat bags in the microwave every day to be honest in my knees or ankles.

I have just been to the doctors and am going for x rays on mynknees tomorrow so at least we will know ne way or another.

Thanks for your reply it means a lot. X

bubbadog

Hi Sharmaine, I get locking knees alot, it can happen when I walk with my crutches and siting and lyeing. So your not alone! Hope that helps. Amanda/bubbadog

sharmaine

Hi
Hopefully the xrays will give you more of an idea what's going on.
If the pain gets worse then tell you GP. I think I spent a lot of time in the surgery just before my first operation. The pain was bad! Mind you so was that leg. Like I said the TKR on the worst leg sorted out the pain - if I could get my foot sorted I would be happy as larry. Having one good leg is better that having 2 bad ones!

Take care and let us know how you get on.

You sound as if you're having a rough time of it.

Take care.
Sharmaine

bubbadog

Hi All Just realised my message was supose to be for Anky!! So I hope Anky saw it and Sharmaine sorry for that you must have been scratching your head after reading it!! :oops:

Ankyspond

bubbadog wrote:

Hi All Just realised my message was supose to be for Anky!! So I hope Anky saw it and Sharmaine sorry for that you must have been scratching your head after reading it!! :oops:

Amanda, ha ha I did realise it was for me and thank you for your support. I am off to the hospital soon for the x rays, doc said it could be just part of the AS but told him he doesn't know his stuff cos AS does not have locking knees so will find out soon. Hope you having a good day. xx

Ankyspond

sharmaine wrote:

Hi
Hopefully the xrays will give you more of an idea what's going on.
If the pain gets worse then tell you GP. I think I spent a lot of time in the surgery just before my first operation. The pain was bad! Mind you so was that leg. Like I said the TKR on the worst leg sorted out the pain - if I could get my foot sorted I would be happy as larry. Having one good leg is better that having 2 bad ones!

Take care and let us know how you get on.

You sound as if you're having a rough time of it.

Take care.
Sharmaine

Sharmaine, thanks for the advice/support on my way soon for the x rays. Hope you get your foot sorted too its just one long rollercoaster really isn't it. I am having a rough time but I mask it well and you have to carry on really, 43 and feel like 93!!!! xx

mimiofdc

Hi,

just catching up on Arth Care site after a long while and came across your post. I have AS too, but have osteo, maybe showing signs of RA? etc, etc...

Anyway, I too have knee pain and the locking issue. Getting up in the middle of the night is terrible! But I also have the same with my hips and have had in the neck (that's all that comes to mind). So at the moment, I am dealing with hip issues before really addressing the knee. So who knows really what the knee is about really? Is it osteo in addition to the AS? Or because of AS? Or RA or something else? Who knows.

AS can be really bizarre and manifest in many ways.

I hope you find some relief. And if you find any answers please share!

Maria

tjt6768

hi Anky, both my knees lock, I've got oa in both, they do lock slightly less since the arthroscopies in july but still at it a bit. And the pain is still awful although the surgeon thinks it could be the RA that has now spread from my wrists, elbows etc.. All fun eh?
Gotta admit, knee pain us a real different ball game somehow.

Best of luck, let us know what the xrays come up with.

Ankyspond

Hi Maria,

Welcome back to the forum, I have only been here since early summer but do get a lot of support and advice from here. You sound like you are having a real rough time at the minute, it never gives us a break does it? Hope you get these sorted soon with this awful disease.

I have AS and I am showing symptoms of RA although they have never officially diagnosed me with it but I am on treatment for it????

I would rather you not have it but glad to hear someone else with AS has this as I thought I was going mad. I am going to speak with my consultant at my next appointment about it as the x rays came back clear with no signs of Osteo! I will gladly share any findings with you if I ever get any. Take care of yourself. xxx

Morning Tony,

Sorry to hear you have the horrible locking of the knees as well, this disease does try us doesn’t it? The X rays have come back clear with no signs of Osteo so back to the bloody drawing board again when I see the consultant next. xxx

SteveBurns

My right knee locks when I'm sitting and put my foot under the chair, if you know what I mean?

Then I have to pull my leg straight and get through the big clunking noise when it unlocks.

It feels like there is no cartlidge left at all.

tjt6768

i thought that all the locking and clunking would stop for a while after the arthroscopies, they usually do.. This time when the surgeon showed me the pics from in the knees I thought he was showing me the before photo on one particular messy bit of cartilage, but no, it was the after picture, lol.. Sandpaper was the term he used..
Oh well, he did what he could but won't replace them yet. Wants the RA under control first. :roll:

mimiofdc

Hmmm...

Funny, but my knee xrays come up 'mild damage'. But there are times when I cant put weight on it at all. How could it be so painful without much damage? Very puzzling indeed.

I've wondered for some time if the pain and locking is more ligament and connective tissue trying to fuse/solidify? So it wouldn't show on xray, right? I have asked docs before and they have not said there is no chance of that, but don't really have an answer either.

Ankyspond

Tony, that's really awful news and seems harsh you have to wait when you in so much pain. Hope it eases soon some way or another. Xx

Mimiofdc, well I know what you mean about it being a mystery it does make you wonder, the logical thing I know it's got to be something aand that's a fact. I have that conversation coming up soon with my consultant. Xx

tjt6768

Thanks Anky, I am gonna be chasing my appointment up with the rheumys today :roll:

Mat48

Yes I'm new on here but I get this locking of knees once a night at least. It did happen for a while to my arm when my shoulder was very painful in the daytime and has been happening to me for the past month in my knees. It wakes me up and one of my sons told me I was wimpering but sometimes my husband has said I yell (and he moves to the spare room next door!)

I've possibly got RA and am going back to the Rheumatologist in November. I have a low positive rheumatoid factor and raised inflammatory markers but as all the joint pain disappeared a month ago I have been putting everything down to fluctuating hormone levels and being perimenopausal. But after 3 weeks of being pain free my knees are back in hell and my wrists are aching with pins and needles in hands and deep heat everywhere except my face and neck. The heat has been an ongoing mystery because it doesn't correspond with menopausal flushes but nor is it red or hot to the touch as it usually is with RA. And I don't have much visible swelling either except for at night - which isn't too handy for showing GPs or Rheumatologist!

But the locking knees have been ongoing even when the joint pain seemed to disappear so I really can relate to this. I take Amitriptyline 10mgs and if pain is bad I take 15mg of codeine before I go to bed. Despite years of insomnia I'm sleeping well now - have been doing so for almost a month. The only thing that spoils this is the locking of the knees but I find it goes away once I move about and change sides. I usually go to the toilet once it wakes me so that shifts my knee joints a bit and then I get back to sleep and it doesn't happen again. I think it happens in the first chunk of sleep so maybe when I'm in deeper sleep and not moving? Also only a problem if I sleep on my side and I find it better if I use a pillow to rest my knee on although I do have a memory foam mattress. Sorry to ramble on so but this was the thread that grabbed my attention most! No answers at all though! Mat

Ankyspond

Hi,

I am glad this post grabbed you and you could share your views cos it always helps. I think it's quite common with RA and I know how painful it an e although I have AS. I am off back to consultant soon so will e discussing then. I find a pillow between my knees helps as well, I am struggling to sleep at minute cos in middle of flare up.

I hope you get yours sorted soon and get some relief. Xx

theresa4

Hi Anky
I have RA and I get thisin my knees, wirsts and ankles and occasionally toes with excruciating pain and stiffness and I too am scared to move but have grin and bear it to release the pain. It can tzke over half hour sometimes to release it. It mostly happens in bed and wakes me up but occasionally when Ive been sat a while resting it can happen. I really feel for you its awful esecially in the knee

Theresa xx