How to deal with a crunchy knee at gym?

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OpenToSuggestions

OpenToSuggestions

Soldato
Joined
5 Aug 2006
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11,361
Location
Derbyshire
Hey all.

From the age of 25 (now 27) my left knee has been crunching. It has bad months, then can be fine for a month!
The Doctor said it is either lose cartilidge or early arthiritis, neither of which warrant anything to be done from a medical point of view. He recommended Ibuprofen, which I have not taken as I am currently suffering from heartburn quite badly.

If I do legs at the gym my knee is fine*, but if I go at it then my left knee will go crunchy the next week. it sounds horrible walking up the stairs!

*Sometimes get random sharp pains, but this tends to be when knee is at a funny angle.

Anything you gym goers find helps?
KT Tape? A kneee brace? Strapping knees?

I'm a keen gym goer and put in a good effort, but I don't take it too seriously.
 
Go and see a sports physio. :)

Kinesio tape will do nothing (it has an interesting placebo effect, mind), bracing and strapping will be similar.

So go and see a sports physio. :D
 
That is a sports massage. ;)

A sports physiology is somebody who deals with sports people who have an interest in life. A doctor or a regular physiology will simply help you "exist," which is different from "living."

Go and see the sports physio! :)
 
I would say talk with a proper doctor first, too many rubbish doctors will unless you complain of significant symptoms and usually pain, not give a crap. Go to a doctor ask to get diagnosed, ie referred to someone who knows what he's talking about which isn't a GP, if it is arthritis you want that diagnosed then a sports physio can help you work around it, give you advise for avoiding pain and prolonging useful joint life.

Do not be fobbed off, don't go on a GP's tame guess of what is wrong, get a diagnosis a GP could be wrong and hasn't offered any help.

If it is something relatively overuse related that is likely to continue getting worse again a sports physio(a decent one) will help you out, probably just good advice on strengthening/maintaining the joint. The stronger it is, within reason, the more you'll help reduce unnecessary pressure/load on the joint and the longer it will last.

A lot of sports physios can make a really good guess as to what is wrong but is still guessing and could be asking you to work out your knee when in reality it needs rest/treatment for an undiagnosed problem. Don't **** with knees, and don't put up with crap GP's fobbing you off.
 
Only thing I find more annoying than blanket statements of see your GP for everything is the the your GP is crap comments, when you don't know what his GP has done or the level of experience of his GP

The likelihood is absolutely what he stated and unless there is a history of trauma and mechanical locking or giving way symptoms it's unlikely to be anything else. Sports physio for advice makes good clinical sense to look at his supporting musculature and specific exercises to do to help. Not every joint needs an MRI scan and there is much less of arthroscopic look and washout of knees now as the evidence is very clear it doesn't do anything worthwhile
 
If you have private health care get a scan done it'll reveal more. It could be just crepitation or tendons or something worse. We can't give you medical advice here but if you're not sure get a second opinion.
 
Go and see a good doctor. I had huge problems with my left knee for about 8 years. I saw my doctor at the time who said more or less the same thing as yours has said in that it was probably cartilage damage and basically get on with it.

When I moved house we had to move doctors and the doctor I went to was a keen sportsperson himself. He defered me to a sports physiotherapist. It took the physio exactly 1 session to diagnose scar tissue damage in my hamstring and a tight ligament (can't remember which one now) 1 session, for 8 years of discomfort. Took her another 6 sessions I think and some regular stretching and strengthening exercises to cure me.

So, yeah, try and see a different doctor or failing that find a good sports physiotherapist.
 
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