my 19 year old daughter

debbieattewell

My 19 year old daughter has just been told that she may have mild arthritis in her left knee. She has had pain in the joint for a while, sometimes quite bad so went to the doctor last week who sent her for an x-ray. she had a call within 2 days telling her to see her doctor and was sent a physio appointment. She saw the physio today who thinks it is arthritis and has referred her to a specialist physio.

She's a sensible girl, and is dealing with things well, but as her mother i am worried about the long term implications for her.

I know it's early days, but i would really like to have a clear idea of what she might have to deal with in the future.

Thank you

dreamdaisy

I wish I could help but none of us know our own futures let alone someone else's. Everyone's arthritis is unique to them in what it does, where it does it, how it does it and in its rate of progression. I have two kind of arthritis, I began with an auto-immune kind and the joint damage from that has led to osteo arthritis in some very useful joints including both knees. Her GP has done the right thing and I hope the physio will give her sensible and realistic advice. Exercise is important, heat may help, as it appears to be in its early stages she may need gentle pain relief and the joint should be supported when resting.

She is young for osteo, is anyone else in the family affected? It used to be described as the 'wear and tear' arthritis but, as younger people can start it, that is now being re-thought and a genetic link is now being considered. I wish her well. DD

stickywicket

Of course you are worried, debbieattewell. As parents, it never stops from the moment they're born, does it :roll: My two are grown men with sons of their own now but.....

Unfortunately, dreamdaisy is right. There is no prescribed pattern and we are all different in how quickly or slowly our disease progresses. Has your daughter ever done some damage to that knee? OA can set in on the site of a former injury.

If it is OA then physio is a good option. Keeping the protecting muscles strong means that the damage will not progress so quickly and that will also mean less pain. A normally sensible diet and weight will also help. If she should get similar pain in other joints and/or if there is any auto-immune form of arthritis in the family (Rheumatoid? Psoriatic? - to name but two) then you could ask for referral to a rheumatologist to be sure but these forms don't usually start in a large joint such as the knee. (Though they can.)

Try reading some of Arthritis Care's publications at the top of the page and, if you just want a chat, why not ring the Helpline?