Dodgy Knee - who to see? GP / Physio /Specialist?

Cushtie

Hi Lads.

Posting here as I reckon I will get more meaningful replies. Basically I have an issue with my right side, Hip Knee and foot. I belive it all stems from a car accident I had many years ago where I got rear ended fairly heftily. Anyway at the time there wasn't much of an issue. A few aches and pains for a few days and all was good. The odd niggle here and there after.

However in the last couple of years I have made a small effort at getting back in some sort of physical shape and niggles have gotten worse. I'm now at the point where every few months I wake in the morning to a knee that is extremely sore and barely able to take any weight. I can't pinpoint any specific activity that is causing this. Generally a couple of Difene and a few pain killers and it's ok again. Take for example I did a very slow light jog about 4km last Thursday. And yesterday Monday I woke up to a painful swollen knee. Surely if it was the jog it would have flared up next morning. The same thing happens on occasion with my right foot. Weird.

Anyway I know I need to get it looked at as if I continue to try and exercise I will only aggrevate it and maybe cause worse damage. Should I go for physio. Get advice from Gp. Or head straight to some sort of specialist. Get an mri and try to pinpoint the issue.

I'm sitting here with a bag of frozen veg on it as i type!!!!

Thanks
Cushtie

the_syco

Cushtie wrote: »

Posting here as I reckon I will get more meaningful replies. Basically I have an issue with my right side, Hip Knee and foot. I belive it all stems from a car accident I had many years ago where I got rear ended fairly heftily.

For this bit, tak to your doc, and see if can get an xray in case something is broken, but it wasn't detectable when the crash happened.

Cushtie wrote: »

However in the last couple of years I have made a small effort at getting back in some sort of physical shape and niggles have gotten worse. I'm now at the point where every few months I wake in the morning to a knee that is extremely sore and barely able to take any weight. I can't pinpoint any specific activity that is causing this. Generally a couple of Difene and a few pain killers and it's ok again. Take for example I did a very slow light jog about 4km last Thursday. And yesterday Monday I woke up to a painful swollen knee. Surely if it was the jog it would have flared up next morning. The same thing happens on occasion with my right foot. Weird.

I'd say sports sports physio. Had a weak knee sometimes after exercise, and a sports physio gave me exercises to do post-workout to stop my knees from being weak post-workout.

But as said above; doc & xray if you can.

size5

Cushtie wrote: »

Hi Lads.

Posting here as I reckon I will get more meaningful replies. Basically I have an issue with my right side, Hip Knee and foot. I belive it all stems from a car accident I had many years ago where I got rear ended fairly heftily. Anyway at the time there wasn't much of an issue. A few aches and pains for a few days and all was good. The odd niggle here and there after.

However in the last couple of years I have made a small effort at getting back in some sort of physical shape and niggles have gotten worse. I'm now at the point where every few months I wake in the morning to a knee that is extremely sore and barely able to take any weight. I can't pinpoint any specific activity that is causing this. Generally a couple of Difene and a few pain killers and it's ok again. Take for example I did a very slow light jog about 4km last Thursday. And yesterday Monday I woke up to a painful swollen knee. Surely if it was the jog it would have flared up next morning. The same thing happens on occasion with my right foot. Weird.

Anyway I know I need to get it looked at as if I continue to try and exercise I will only aggrevate it and maybe cause worse damage. Should I go for physio. Get advice from Gp. Or head straight to some sort of specialist. Get an mri and try to pinpoint the issue.

I'm sitting here with a bag of frozen veg on it as i type!!!!

Thanks
Cushtie

Before going off to get an x ray you need to establish what is causing the problem, as I see you mention its trouble with RHS , ankle knee and hip. So I would get it accessed to see which joint is causing the problems and then get en X-ray. A Doctor will send you straight for an x-ray. My advise get it assessed by a physio etc before the X-ray as it might not be needed.

You need to see someone that you trust and have total confidence in, so get a recommendation.

I know this differs form the advise above but in my experience a sore knee could by down to something not quite right in ankle or hip. Best to ascertain what joint(or otherwise) is causing the problem before deciding on an X-ray (that may not be needed).

Best of luck

Alf Veedersane

I'd be inclined to go to a physio first because there are 2 physios I have used whose judgement I'd trust so I'd see what they thought and how to address it and if an x-ray or scan was necessary.

kumate_champ07

would you not have had free medical care after the accident if you were rear ended? if its gotten worse you could talk the whoever you dealt with before.

Cushtie

Thanks for all the replies above.

So just to follow up on this. The pain and swelling in my knee got progressively worse to the point where I couldn't put any weight on it or move it at all. I ended up going to GP on crutches.

GP suspects either an infection or Gout and takes some blood tests and send me on my way with anti infammitories and pain killers. I went back the next day for blood results and GP sends me to A and E as she is fearful I may have bad infection as something not right with bloods. After 24 hrs in A and E more tests, xrays and the fluid syringed out of the knee it comes back as Gout. It's still sore off and on so have to wait till this flare up dies down to go on medication for it.

I still reckon that my right side is a bit off. So will probably look at physio also when the gout is calmed down a bit. I just think it's too much of a coincidence that is flared up just as I was getting going on trying to be a bit fitter.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Cushtie wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies above.

So just to follow up on this. The pain and swelling in my knee got progressively worse to the point where I couldn't put any weight on it or move it at all. I ended up going to GP on crutches.

GP suspects either an infection or Gout and takes some blood tests and send me on my way with anti infammitories and pain killers. I went back the next day for blood results and GP sends me to A and E as she is fearful I may have bad infection as something not right with bloods. After 24 hrs in A and E more tests, xrays and the fluid syringed out of the knee it comes back as Gout. It's still sore off and on so have to wait till this flare up dies down to go on medication for it.

I still reckon that my right side is a bit off. So will probably look at physio also when the gout is calmed down a bit. I just think it's too much of a coincidence that is flared up just as I was getting going on trying to be a bit fitter.

Gout, 'the disease of kings and the king of diseases'.

If you're prescribed medication it'll likely be Allopurinol, and the sting (pun) in going on Allopurinol is that it'll likely to give you another flare up, then it'll settle and you're good to go.

Its completely safe to stay on it (you'll have to once you start). In the mean time try keep your stress levels down, that really helps with the pain of gout. Cut back on your alcohol and protein until you've started your meds.

God help you if you're put on Colchicine, don't be too far from a toilet!!.. Its very effective at taking down the initial attack (if you can tolerate the bad tummy long enough).

One of the worse things about gout is no one but a gout sufferer will have much sympathy for you. People think its a joke 'rich mans disease' and all that. But its an horrendously painful condition.

Gout sufferer here, got my first attack when I was 24 (52 now).. If you're put on Allopurinol you'll never get it again (after your first flare up) unless you get complacent and default on it, happens to us all ~ then you wake up in the middle of the night screaming in agony :eek:

PM me if you need any more info.

Cushtie

Thanks for the info. I've been doing a bit of reading up on it. Funny thing is I'm considered the "Healty" one on the family. Don't drink or smoke, ok diet and try to make some small efforts at getting exercise. So this is a bit disappointing.

Anyway still on arcoxia as pain came back a bit again so once it calms down. Nearly there hopefully. It's back to Doctor to talk about medication.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Cushtie wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I've been doing a bit of reading up on it. Funny thing is I'm considered the "Healty" one on the family. Don't drink or smoke, ok diet and try to make some small efforts at getting exercise. So this is a bit disappointing.

Anyway still on arcoxia as pain came back a bit again so once it calms down. Nearly there hopefully. It's back to Doctor to talk about medication.

PM me any time you want, its probably all new to you.

And like you I'd be considered the healthy one in the family, ie I've always looked after my health and fitness.

The first attack I had was the night after doing a half marathon for a Romanian orphanage, I thought I'd broken a bone but it turned out to be gout. I was only 24 at the time.

I resisted going on gout medication, believing I could control it with diet. I wasted two years in extreme pain, then went onto the Allopurinol and haven't looked back since (I'm 52 now).

Although I have lapsed and paid the price.

Long term its a very safe medicine.

An incredibly painful condition.

Like I said PM me if you need to ask anything, I'm not a doc or anything but I've lived with it a very long time and might be able to help you, even if its just to rant at a fellow sufferer lol.