pain in whole of leg

Hi, I am getting desperate due to the pain. The Doc says its my right knee, had 2 injections in the knee itself and the last time I went Docs ( a different doc) said it was my tendons not my knee so he injected tendon on inside just below the knee. What I do not understand is the pain all over the rest of my leg. Is this normal with OA of knee. Foot, ankle, shin bone, side of shin bone, side of leg just above my knee and, at its worst, pains in my thigh bone. It's most of the time, very bad in bed around 3-4am through to getting up. Having trouble going up and down stairs, walking is getting increasingly difficult. Doc just keeps saying take more co-codamol.

Basically I just want an answer, I could cope if I knew exactly why its all hurting.

I've had two hip replacements on the left leg but never had pain like this before.

Many thanks for reading

Comments

  • Jules70
    Jules70 Member Posts: 65

    Hi

    Have you had an MRI scan on your knee or an xray ? sounds like you need to go back to your GP and ask them to refer you for one if your still in pain.

    I have severe pain in my right knee but have oesteoarthiritis diagnosed 18 months ago after having an Athroscopy done 22 months ago im on a waiting list for a knee replacement but is postponed at present due to covid-19 I feel your pain.

    I take naproxen x 5oomgs twice daily to help with swelling and pain ,I also struggle walking up downstairs going up steep inclines and walking long distances in general.

    my right knee is now bone on bone in a space of 18 months and ive been unable to work for past year as I was a carer and was struggling with the physical aspects of my job.

    Are you under orthopaedics at hospital? sounds like you need to ask your GP to refer you if you are struggling with the pain and mobility for further investigation.

    Hope this helps.

    You don't say how old you are but im 50

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,740

    Sorry to hear you’re in so much pain. I have OA in my hips (worst in my left side), but the pain refers into the entire leg. I don’t really understand how referred pain works, but I wish it wouldn’t! Oddly the worst pains come in my knee and shin, they flare up from nowhere, quite often just sitting watching telly or lying in bed. My knee is really hurting as I type, I think moaning about what I’ve put it through today, even though it didn’t hurt at the time.

    The pain in my hip comes when I’m active and overdo it, but I have the Best Limp in Town at the moment, since taking a normal full step forward with my left leg is really painful, so I’m sort of walking in pigeon steps with one leg, and going up hill or upstairs I can only step up with my “good” leg and the other follows after. So my left leg is just propping me up, basically.

    If you’ve been through all this with your hips and two THRs, you’re something of a veteran of this awful condition, but everyone’s experience is different, and the effect it has on the rest of the body can’t always be predicted or explained. Have you tried taking this up with a physio for an assessment of how the pain is moving around your leg, and whether there is an alternative treatment or exercise regime that might help strengthen the muscles around the affected area?

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697

    My guess - and it's purely from a patient's point of view - is that the extra pain is because you are walking awkwardly to try to avoid the knee pain. We all do it. It's a natural thing but then we cause other problems.

    My route is always physio. Strengthening the muscles around the affected bit will usually help that bit and avoid extra stresses elsewhere. I'm currently on 'extra physio' duties as I ended up on the floor (and my worst THR and TKR) a few weeks ago. All sorts of new areas kicked in. Most have now settled but the ancient TKR needs a lot of extra exercises still.

    If you look above, Versus Arthritis has a thread on 'Let's Move'. I think exercise can be particularly beneficial for knees. Why not have a go?

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • daylily
    daylily Member Posts: 619

    Thank you all for your comments.

    In reply I am 67 years old. I do keep active, walk about 12 to 18 miles a week and have done for 5 years so the pain in my shin is not down to new or excessive exercise as in shin splints. Also do stretching exercises at night especially spinal as I have spondylosis of spine.

    Every time I go to the Doc's it's 'take more painkillers' and 'you had an xray 2 years ago' as if the knee cannot possibly have become worse in two years. I worked it out that I have done 1500 miles walking since the xray.

    Doc has also told me to keep walking but it is getting to the stage where it is becoming impossible because of the shin pain, pain in knee I can put up with.

    I do not know where to get help, wrote to the physio and they are not doing anything due to covid.

    This week pain has been almost intolerable and the whole leg is swollen and stiff.

    Has anyone any suggestions? Thank you for reading. Take care.

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,740

    Try a different physio. Mine is working, even if it's only zoom consultations and recommended exercise.

  • daylily
    daylily Member Posts: 619

    thank you Lilymary,

    it was NHS physio as I cannot afford private one.

  • N1gel
    N1gel Member Posts: 160

    You should still be able to ask for a different NHS physio. I did.

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,740

    I spoke to my private physio last night, most NHS physios aren’t doing much more than telephone appointments atm. But my physio does full treatments, albeit wearing full PPE and deep cleaning the room between appointments.