Painful knee!

[madmaggot]

Just recently, when I try to kneel, I have a very sharp pain in my left knee. It feels as if I have knelt on a small stone but there is nothing there. I am early fifties and have the usual arthritic aches and pains but this is different. There is no lump or suchlike visible and no pain except when I try to kneel. I have heard of 'spurs' on the heel but never anything like this on the knee, any ideas what may be causing it?

[sqad617]

Google.......pre-patellar bursitis.

[madmaggot]

Thanks Sqad, I'm still not sure if that's it. I don't have any pain at all unless I kneel on it. The pain is below the knee. Under the kneecap there is a gap and then a lump (outside of leg) it is here that I get the pain.

[sqad617]

OK....Google infrapatellar bursitis.

[Panic Button]

I know this sounds facetious, but don't kneel any more.

I am almost 50, and have had varying knee pains over the last few years. If I need to get low, I just sit with my legs to one side.

[madmaggot]

I think that's the one Sqad, the question now is; is there anything I can do for it except not to kneel? I don't want to have injections/surgery unless it becomes very bad.
Panicbutton; I do try not to kneel and when I have to I use a kneeling pad. I can't crouch or sit with my legs to the side because of arthritus! Actually, year by year I'm swelling up, ceasing up, or just plain hurting in pretty much every joint and associated tissue! Never mind, just keep plodding on.

[sqad617]

Well, initialy, why not try NSAID's e.g Ibuprofen.600mgms and see if that settles you down.

If that is not the case you may need the bursa either aspirating (simple proceedure) or the bursa surgically excised.

The above are you only choices.

[peteryoung]

I had a similar problem 6 or 7 tears ago and could hardly walk with both knees very painful, I started taking glucosamine 1500 a day and now have very little pain and can walk quite long distances without trouble, I checked with the anticoag clinic and its ok (according to them) to take glucosamine , but not with chrondroitin, it works for me, but some of my friends have tried it and had no improvement whatsoever,so guess it may be worth a try,it apparently can do no harm??? but would take a few weeks to show,if my experience is anything to go by. when I was unable to obtain my supply around xmas, I had extreme pain in the side of my right knee, like a knife sticking in, and found it difficult to sleep, an x ray proved no damage to knee, a few days after restarting pills, the pain went away, magic.

[madmaggot]

Thanks Peter but I've been taking glucosamine for a number of years and I also take Celadrin which I find really helps the arthritis.