Stiffness in right knee, pain flexing/extending

[Derek897]

For the last six months I have had an intermittent problem in the right knee area. I appreciate a description is no substitute for a proper examination, but I will try to describe the problem as accurately and fully as possible.

- I am a 35 year old male, active, workout regularly, 6'4", 13.5 stone.
- My day job involves prolonged sitting at a desk using a computer.
- I have no history of similar problems

When I get up from a prolonged sit, my right knee often feels stiff and I notice when trying to straighten my leg, it almost feels like it wants to go back to a semi bent position. There is no pain unless I try to straighten my leg as hard as I can or if I squat right down on both legs so that they are fully bent. In other words, the pain is felt at the extremes of flexion/extension. The pain seems to come from the outer side of the knee area, right at the junction between upper and lower leg, and is a sharpish pain. The other leg is perfectly fine in those positions, suffering from neither the stiffness nor the pain in those positions. There is never any swelling in the problem knee. I have some crepitis in both knees but have had this for 10 years with no pain (basically some crackling noise when going up stairs).

I have seen a physio for this problem on several occasions and he hasn't given a specific diagnosis, but mentioned some nerve compression and prescribed various exercises (lunges, hamstring stretches, etc). The stiffness does significantly abate during and after activity. For example, after a long sit, just walking about seems to reduce the stiffness. A proper run or using the leg machines at the gym seems to make it even better, as well as doing lunges etc. But I still have the pain in those extreme positions (so I try to avoid them!). However, physical activities seem to be only a short term fix - as soon as I resume sitting then the stiffness problem returns. Using the hamstring curl machine seemed to help a lot, and prevented the stiffness for a few days, but then it returned. The only inciting event I can think of was when I played football back in the winter and tweaked my quadriceps muscle; it was a bit sore for a few days but soon got better. I had an X-Ray of my knee a few months ago but I heard nothing; with the UK NHS, this usually means there's not a problem.

I'd like a second opinion since I feel the physio I've been seeing really hasn't got to the bottom of the problem, and each visit seems to be a repeat of him telling me I should work the hamstrings regularly.

Thank you for your time and expertise.

[Derek897]

And for the record it seems my knee-area problem has 95% gone away. I am no longer aware of any stiffness and only notice a very slight twinge when squatting down. Yay, the body is a wonderful thing, but it didn't half take its time to heal.

[Derek897]

Well, many months on and the problem is mostly under control, though not completely gone. What has helped a great deal is using a foam roller under my upper leg (IT band) and just above the knee. I only found one post on the net with a similar problem to mine, but finding this did give some clues as to the root cause of the pain/stiffness:

http://www.physiobob.com/forum/patient-corner-questions-answers/25368-lateral-knee-pain-when-fully-bending-leg.html

[Derek897]

Any professional opinions out there?

[worriedsick1728]

i have had a similar problem before. my doctor said it was from my tendons tightening while i sat to long. seek proffessionall help but also try straightening it and flexing it while t work