Stiffness in knees

catwoman

Hi everyone

my arthritis is making me have a rant today. I feel my knees are getting worse. I have a sharp pain on side of my knee and both knees feel very stiff when I walk. I have very large knees and wish I could get a big enough support for them. I get frustrated doing chores in home as everything is difficult because of the stiffness. I’m so fed up living with this it’s just miserable.

DODGYKNEES

Hi @catwoman

Sorry to hear you are struggling. It's good to rant sometimes. My knees have been very stiff lately also. Maybe the cold weather we are having. Or just a flare up. Hard to tell. Regarding knee support, brace, there are some sites that make the braces to your size specifications. I had a custom brace fitted by the NHS orthopaedic department. It's an ossur unloader brace. Might be a good idea to enquire about having one. All the best

jonr

Hello @catwoman and @DODGYKNEES,

Ah yes - stiff knees and sharp stabbing pains.

So I find heat's good on my stiff knees, a shower or a hot wheatbag and it helps to keep active to aid lubrication of the joints it seems.

Sharp, stabbing pains can be down to the ligaments and tendons complaining about the amount of strain they're under due to the weakened joint, either because these areas need building up to help them cope or because you've overdone it. Massaging these by hand or with a deep tissue massaging gun works for me.

Oddly enough, I have found some supplements I've taken have exacerbated this - no idea why, perhaps a clash of some sort with my meds so if you're taking supplements and have started any a few days or weeks before the pains started, they could be a culprit too?

Best wishes,

Jon

cankman

Hi catwoman and to DODGYKNEES

I know your pain very well both in my left knee and in my lower spine i find a heat pad helps with the stiffness for me i have one from amazon about 19 x 15 inch pop it in the microwave and apply right around my knee. As DODGYKNEES said the Ossur unloader brace is a god send when it comes to walking for me, it is still painful to walk but not as bad as without it get on to your Dr and insist on seeing the Orthotics people to see what they can do for you good luck.

Welsh1

One compress do quite large knee supports as they sell to the US think xxl

petefirks

I have had since Xmas sharp pains from my knees to my outer shins .. very painful unable to walk sometimes..any one had similar..

. Awaiting surgery on the waiting list for the waiting list

jonr

HI @petefirks,

This is often called "referred pain", whereby pain develops around weakened joints as muscles and tendons pick up the slack and come under strain, or in other parts of your body due to changes in posture or gait as a result of the Arthritis in one or more joints.

The solution to this in the medium to longer term is physio and exercise to strengthen these areas.

Another, though more remote possibility, is it's caused be a clash or reaction to meds or supplements, usually the latter. If you've started taking any of these in the last 4-8 weeks and have hitherto not had this sort of pain then stopping these for a few days or weeks may reveal them as the culprit.

How to treat these though? Well, I find heat from a shower/bath or wheatbag quite effective along with a deep tissue massaging gun and gentle stretches.

Hope this may help,

Jon

petefirks

I have a deep tissue sports massage every week done so for the last 15 years ..helps but I need replacement knees ..waiting lists are awful I am on the waiting list to get on the official waiting list..

Getting sick of the shin pain unable to get out at all