Knee clicking and occassional pain

Question
Dear John,

I have always been a big girl, even when I was playing 3-4 competitive sports a week as a teen. I have long been plagued by joint issues, usually hips and ankles, and I suffered from mild Osgood-Schlatter Disease in my early teens. I have had many ankle surgeries on my left ankle including 2 Bartlets (sp?) a common procedure in Australia. This is a surgery where the damaged ligaments are removed and a graft from the calf muscle is used to replace them. and that coupled with becoming a mum left me severely obese and incredibly unfit.
12 months ago I returned to softball which has some minor running involved and despite my fears handled it well. At the beginning of this year I took up tap dancing classes in what my family refer to as my midlife crisis. The combination of these two things has seen me drop 6 clothes sizes and a lot of my excess weight. I am beginning to feel much fitter and healthier. On the down side a few weeks ago I noticed I could hear an audible 'click' when I was waking up the stairs in my right knee and it felt like the patella was catching on something. I am not sure that click is exactly the right word as it is more a swooshy sound. When it started there was no pain associated with it and there is no swelling either #or perhaps I'm just too fat to notice swelling#. In the weeks that have followed it's onset I have noticed that while I can walk pain free all of the time, occasionally my knee will lock or give. Also when I am climbing the stairs #which I do regularly at work# the clicking has gotten worse and there is now pain. The pain seems to be centered behind the patella. I am also experiencing pain if I bend down to get something in the same area. This pain is not like the pain I experienced as a teen when the Osgood-Schlatter Disease was active. I have not iced or taken any analgesia or anti inflammatory for this as the pain is only intermittent and dependent on climbing stairs or bending. I did notice last night that it was a bit niggling during my tap class but I had no problem continuing.


My complaint seems fairly minor to me and most likely the problem is a combination of aging #I am 35# and carrying too much weight but I would hate to have to give up the physical activities I have started as the benefits are amazing. Can you offer any suggestions as the physio I have been to see is telling me to just give up the tap and softball. I am desperate!!!

Answer
Hi Jay
What your experiencing is tracking and alignment situations and possible slight case of chondromalacia.I have worked with 100's of individuals around the world and was my own first client years ago.The course of treatment is up right stationary bike workouts at medium tension increasing it as you become stronger at 65 to 85 rpm high rev's for 45 minutes to one hr as often as you can and you must have a great great deal of patience in regards to the length of time for it correct.You do not need any med's.If your patient and work hard and are consistent you will be 100% in time.If you have other questions just get in touch Jay.

All the best

John
www.rentacoachinternational.com