Crepitus in knee

Hi,
I was just wondering about crepitus and if there is any way to get rid of it! I've had it in my left knee for over 2 years now and i want it gone. The doctor referred me to go to the physio, which i did for a while. He would massage my calf muscles and told me to do yoga to loosen my hip and calf muscles. I stopped going to him only because he said the yoga was the only thing that could help it. I have been doing yoga now for almost 2 years and there has been no improvement in the slightest! Just before i left the physio i had got the results back from an x-ray of my knee and it showed i had something called patella alta. The pyhsio never knew this and nor was i told anything about it or what to do about it. My knee cracks/clicks/crunches every time i walk up stairs, sit down on the lounge, basically bend it in anyway. It doesnt hurt when it happens but the sound/feeling grosses me out. I havnt done a squat or lunge since i've had this as i can't stand the sound it makes. Also if this helps, I have had knee pain since i was a kid and we just thought it was growing pains, but i still get it so i am also thinking i will get tested for arthritus. It is bad in that i go to sleep each night with a heat pack and tiger balm rubbed into it. My left hip has recently started to have the same aching feeling. It all seems to be on my left side!

[mishy_boo]

Also, does having crepitus for this long really stuff up/wear down your bones? I imagine it would...

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

I would suggest you to go for an MRI and see if your patellar tendon, the tendon of quadriceps is fine and there is no problem with the quadriceps tendon.

Follow up with an orthopedician for proper diagnosis and treatment. A traumatic patellar tendon rupture can occur on rare occasions.

Patients with patellar tendon rupture present with pain, swelling, and minimal ability to extend the knee.

Surgical treatment is available if physiotherapy, yoga does not help. The surgery will make the patella reach its position from the abnormal position it has taken presently.

Take care!

[mishy_boo]

Hi,

Thank you so much for your comment.

I don't seem to have any swelling or limited movement to extend the knee though. But do you think the pain i have thought was arthritus could actually be pain from having a patellar tendon rupture? If i was to have surgery to realign my patellar would that get rid of the crepitus?

Thanks again.

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

I would suggest you to go for a simple knee X-ray and get yourself diagnosed if you have any cartilage loss and arthritis.

If you can see some pathology with cartilage loss then arthritis should be stopped to progress by lifestyle changes and proper precautions and tendon and ligament repair in the knee if required.

Take care!

[AD1221]

Hi

I have read your column here, well I am a physiotherapist and i read what you have mentioned. Well since you have patella alta so it means your patella position is altered, sp for that your muscles specially the calf and the IT bands are in a constrained position they pull too much everytime your exert weight on your legs. Its best if you can go in for a myofascial release. And as for your other leg now, its due to overuse of that side. If this does not help then probably a release surgery should be the answer.