It is aches and lightly throbs at times but for the most part kneeing and sometimes squatting is the worse. On a very bad day it hurts to walk on and move it but that’s very rare and only when it flares up. For example if I do some work kneeling on a concrete floor my knee will be sore the next day and can range from a day to a week and a half of on again off again pain.
So I’m a physio/physical therapy student, and this is what I know about arthritis, and why I think it could be a reasonable diagnosis
- Arthritis can onset at any age past puberty
- Symptoms of arthritis (pain related to movement, kneeling, swelling) can occur without degeneration of a joint, visible on x-ray, MRI or CT
- Similarly, one can have a very badly degenerated joint on scanning, but no arthritis symptoms
- Symptoms of knee arthritis include, but are not limited to:
- Pain and stiffness for <30 minutes after wakening (if you have pain after wakening for longer than 30 minutes, that’s a sign you need to get a referral to see a rheumatologist)
- Pain is associated with loading of the knee
- Swelling of the knee
- The knee locks or audibly grinds through motion
- Pain is present during and after activity
The good news is, if it is arthritis, the condition itself is fairly self-limiting, and load-bearing exercise like [proper] strength training, distance walking and/or jogging are by far the best-supported treatments for osteoarthritis
The other thing is it could be what is considered “early OA” or the beginnings of arthritis. If this is the case, then early management (exercise, under supervision of relevant health professionals) is your best shot for good long-term outcomes.
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I have not ruled out that it could be arthritis but I have an appointment to see a sports medicine doctor in September. Would you recommend the physical therapy or would that be a waste of time as I am already strength training and walking?
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That’s a tough question to answer as it depends on the quality of the therapist that you see. I’d strongly recommend having a mosey around for physical therapists in your area (you may need to look within a 30-40 minute drive to find a really good one) that:
A) Look like they lift
B) Specialise in working with athletes
C) Carry CSCS, UKSCA or ASCA accreditations (depending on where you live. I’m assuming you’re from the USA, in which case you’ll be looking for the CSCS)
To get you started on your hunt, if you live in the USA, look on the Clinical Athlete Clinician directory. The Clinical Athlete directory is a free resource that allows you to find vetted physical therapists, chiropractors etc. who specialise in the treatment of athletes.
If you can’t find one, I still think it’s worth seeing a therapist, only to make sure there aren’t any other red flag conditions. However, if your therapist tells you to “stop squatting” or makes you do a whole lot of weird shit without loading you or allowing you to load, then there’s a good chance that therapist isn’t going to be right for you
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Ok makes sense. I have a guy I’ve seen before. He’s a chiropractor and works with athletes, lifts and is a cscs. I may contact him but I’ll search that directory as well if there’s anyone in the area.
Honestly, he’d be a solid bet too. Chiropractors and physical therapists actually recieve very similar training