Knee pain

If I go up the stairs too fast I get this severe pain that occurs in the kneecap back to approximately where the patella tendon connects to the femur.  I can only describe the pain as someone stabbing the kneecap with a screwdriver.  Usually the pain is only momentary with only a throbbing sensation that lingers, on occasion I will wake up the next day with knee pain that occurs with movement or weight bearing, this lasts all day.  I was wondering if this was something that warranted a visit to the doctor or not.

Background info:  Very athletic as a child, but joint pain began around age 12.  I have pain accompanied by cracks, pops, and grinding in my shoulders, knee, and ankles.  I am being treated for Ehler's Danlos, however am not definitively diagnosed.  Had ankle surgery where flaking/chipping of the cartilage was found.

[Michael L Gross, MD]

Problems with the patellofemoral articulation, the joint between the kneecap and the thigh, frequently present with pain going up and down stairs, and craqcking and popping in the knee.  The cause is usually a combination of malalignment of the patellofemoral joint, quadriceps weakness or imbalance, and wear of the cartilage behind the kneecap. These problems often are referred to by a variety of names:  runner's knee, chondromalacia patella, anterior knee pain syndrome, patella femoral syndrome.  Certainly, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, generalized ligamentous laxity, could be a contributing factor.
In general, treatment for patellafemoral problems begins conservatively, and only progresses to surgical options if nonoperative treatment is unsuccessful.  Treatment usually starts with physical therapy aimed at strengthening the quadriceps, and stretching contacted soft tissue structures. Braces to control patella alignment and inserts to correct flat feet are often helpful as well.  Judicious use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories is also an important adjunct to therapy.
Surgical options include arthroscopic lateral release, various open patella realignment procedures, and even replacement of the patella femoral joint.