Daughter with knee pain

[venegas77]

My nine year old daughter, Irene, has presented with knee pain for the last three weeks. She has to use crutches to walk. She can bend her leg at the knee with no problem but she cannot straighten it without crying out in pain, she cannot put any weight on it because it hurts worse. She has had x-rays, an MRI and has appointments with physical therapy, orthopedics, and rheumatology. The xrays came back negative, the MRI showed no problems with her bones just slight inflamation. Blood work has come back fine as well. My daughter has fractured her ankle, thumb and nose this year already from sports and never has she cried from the pain as she is now over her knee.  I had to have her cast removed from her hand so that she can use her crutches correctly without leaving her underarms raw. I am at a loss and so are her Dr.'s. Our hope is that physical therapy will help. Any thoughts?  Thank you for your time.

[MLWTR]

Since you've seen a rheumatologist, they probably considered this already, but with the knee pain I would wonder about the possibility of ankylosing spondylitis. It is far more common in boys than girls, but it certainly can occur in females, and can begin around this age. Just a thought.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

This Forum addresses matters about development, emotional, social and behavioral functioning in children and teens. So I really am not in a position to remark on your daughter's medical situation. Perhaps posting your observations in the Orthopedics Forum would be useful.