'Loose' knee during OA flare-up?

Megrose2

The pain in my knee has decreased a little, thankfully, since I began using the Ibuprofen gel, although the swelling is still the same. However, I'm now noticing that my knee feels 'loose'. When I walk (I'm still limping) I can feel the bones, or the ligaments, moving and I feel that my knee might give way at any time.

Would this be a separate issue from the flare-up? If my knee has deteriorated, would this cause the flare-up in the first place?

Sorry to be a moaning minnie, but I've got the trapeziectomy coming up in two weeks and could really do without mobility problems as well! The GP did say to go back if things didn't improve, but I know I need to give things more time before I do that.

Meg

barbara12

Hello Meg I would certainly go and see someone about your knee, its sound like it need an xray to see what is going on...its sods law that you have your thumb op due..let us know what happens...x

Megrose2

Thanks Barbara. I'll see how it goes, but will definitely go back to the GP if the pain and discomfort continues. I think it must be 5 or 6 years since I last had my knees x-rayed, so maybe they have changed in that time.
Thanks again.

Meg

stickywicket

You're not a Moaning Minnie. You're just naturally, and rightly, anxious to tip everything possible into your favour before the trapeziectomy as you'll have quite enough to think about afterwards with out fretting over a dodgy knee letting you down.

To be honest, it all seems par for the course to me. I'd be amazed if your knee hadn't deteriorated in 5-6 years and I think that, rather than a slow, steady progress, joints just take a dip from time to time and, yes, they do 'shake, rattle and roll'. If in doubt do see your GP again.

One thing I'd be thinking of would be to buy a precautionary knee support so that, if you couldn't trust your knee in the early post-op days, you could have a bit of extra strength there when walking outside for instance.

Megrose2

Thanks, Sticky. Thankfully, it actually feels a lot better this morning and the swelling is going down. That sounds like good advice to get a knee support, so I'll definitely look into that.

You're right, with the trapeziectomy coming up, I was hoping that everything else would stay 'under the radar' so I could just cope with that. However, I've also managed to change my urology consultant to one at a different hospital, so will be seeing him in a few weeks for a first appointment re the kidney stones etc. I'm hoping, if he thinks I need something done - one stone is 1cm now - it can all wait for a few months. It's all go!

Thanks again.

Meg

stickywicket

It is, indeed, 'all go' and not the sort of 'go' you want.

I have a neoprene knee support (and an ankle one). They come out of the drawer only rarely - and for brief 2-3 hour periods as they can encourage muscle wastage if overused - but they do help in an emergency.

I hope all goes well, in all areas.

tkachev

Definitely ask for an x ray. As I said in my other post my knees click all the time and I was lucky enough to be able to demonstrate this to my rheummy at an appointment. They have buckled on occasion and lately they are hurting when using the stairs (hurting as in making me shout at each step) but that is probably because I've come off humira and am still waiting for my rituximab to start.

They definitely don't seem loose though.

Elizabeth