How to solve problem of painful kneecap?

[mathsparks]

After my recent HK trip, my knees hurt a bit from all that walking…came back home resume my weekly hiking routine.


Yesterday, we went to Bt Timah and did our usual dairy farm loop… noticed my left knee gave a little pop sound (painful enuf to make me cry out) when I got up from a seated position…happened a few times and I had to sleep with a pillow under my knees to lessen the strain.

Today, after dropping son off for his cca, we went to MacRitchie; walked all the way to the ranger station (near tree top) and back.

And the popping sound and slight pain is still there. Will taking glucosamine help? or is it time to see a doc.

[mintcc]

Think your might want too see a Doc to see if anything is amiss first. The Pop sound sounds pretty worrying.


I do have pain in the knee cap when walking up and down the stairs about half a year ago and start applying Glucosamine Cream (TGC from Watson), eating more calcium(Milk and Soya) and Glucosamine supplements for …that kind stop the pain for me after 2 weeks or so.

Now only apply the cream like once a week…or so for maintenance…

[mathsparks]

:thankyou: mintcc, glucosamine cream tgc? I didnt know they've cream version. what's tgc? Will prob check with doc tomor.

[ITSI]

I have also injury my knee cap due to falling down. It has recovered, but the pain will appear on and off previously, especially when the weather is cool (raining day). These is what I do for the past few years to prevent the pain from coming back. Hope it helps:


- At night when you sleep, wear long pant or cover your knee cap with blanket. To prevent the night wind or air-conditional moist.

- I apply a cream make from Thailand. Can find in most of the phamacy or those chinese medical shop. It's call \"Counterpain\" Analgesic Balm. When you find the symption of pain or cracking sound, apply it, especailly before you gone to sleep. It really works.

- Do simple knee cap exercise when not in pain. You can do when you sit down in office or watching TV. Simple!

:lol:

[pokemon]

Some years ago, i also developed knees pain esp when kneeling on the floor, up and dwn the stair, some more hv to wear high heels to work daily. Aft seeing GP with the muscle rub cream and pain killer, aft a year it still didnt work. In the end, i was referred to SGH for a specialist.


I was still worrying dat i may need surgery or my cartililage are worn but im still so yg…After xray, nothing serious, juz the 2 big ligaments on both knees went out of alignment. I was sent to do some physio and presto after 1mth of consistent exercising, the pain disappear.

However, sometime if i carry v heavy stuffs, can feel sm pain coming back but once i follow up wth the exercise, pain will be gone.

[BigDevil]

mathsparks:

:thankyou: mintcc, glucosamine cream tgc? I didnt know they've cream version. what's tgc? Will prob check with doc tomor.

This is made by a Singapore-based pharma company. It's a spin off from NUS' School of Medicine.

http://www.lynkbiotech.com/

[mathsparks]

:thankyou: ITSI for the suggestions.


bigd, is tgc available at watson?

pokemon, hv you tried restricting yr knee movement by using a knee brace? I used it for a couple of hours, went to bed, woke up next morning, the popping sound's still there, but at least it's bearable..and I've put off the doc's visit. Will try the tgc cream first.

[Blobbi]

Mathsparks, how about seeing an osteopath? I've been to an orthopedic doctor, and all he wanted to do was to operate! But the osteopath has a different background in training - they have to learn to manipulate muscles and tendons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopathy

I find them very good as an alternative treatment for aches and sprains, if not better than conventionally trained doctors. If you're keen, I can PM you my contact.

[mathsparks]

:thankyou: blobbi. :oops: i've never heard of an osteopath before..not so common here in sg hor? can you give more details what's done at an osteopath so others can learn also? maybe can consider for dh coz he's always have knee problems.

[Blobbi]

Osteopaths - I first heard of them from my friend who had a bad back. \"Not all pains are due to old age\", she said! That pretty much sums up what they can do for us :).


I first went to one because I had a very bad sciatica pain. This happens in the hip area, at the top joint to the thigh bone. I used to have to sit long hours on the plane, and carrying a baby on one hip for a few years just threw my alignment off. The orthopedic surgeon I saw wanted to operate - he thought my symptoms described a slip disc. So I went to an osteopath for a second opinion. He got me to lie down flat, and after positioning me properly, discovered that my left leg was 2 inches shorter than my right! It wasn't because I have shorter bones on one side - it was that one side was completely misaligned. This led to a sciatica problem (pinched nerve) and a sometimes very painful spot of the upper back as compensation for balance.

What he did was to \"pop\" the various joints (I was so scared but there was no pain), and he stretched certain key muscles. He warned me I'd be worse off that very day, and I may need 3 weekly sessions of adjustment. Turned out he was right about the soreness on the first day, but I was fine even before the second session.

That osteopath unfortunately, went back to Australia because his girlfriend couldn't find a job in Singapore. So I'm on to my next - she's very good too! Our family doctor went to her when he had a slipped disc and he swears by her (well, probably swore at her too when the manipulation got painful :lol:). I had another Sciatica incident and a twisted back in the last two years, all taken care of by her. She's a sports osteopath (very good looking woman with a killer body to die for some more *so jealous*), so you can consult her on all sorts of pain that comes from exercise. She also recommends specific exercises to strengthen and prevent injuries.

Be careful about osteopaths in general though, because not all are great. DH went to one who only wanted to sell him heat treatment packages which are pretty useless.