# mysterious knee pain



## Karen G (Mar 26, 2010)

Occasionally, without any warning, I will have an extreme sharp pain in my right knee on the inside near the joint. It usually happens when I'm sitting at my computer, and never happens when I'm actually using my knee, such as walking, doing aerobic exercise, or playing golf.

It lasts about a minute and is so painful I can't do anything else but wait for it to subside. When it goes away, my knee is fine and I can't pinpoint any soreness by rubbing on the area of the pain nor do I feel anything unusual when I stand or walk right after the pain episode.

Any ideas?


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## ricoba (Mar 26, 2010)

I'm no doctor, but have yourself checked out for Osteoarthritis, which can begin as sharp pains (that's how mine started).

You should still see a doctor, just in case it's more serious than OA.


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## Keitht (Mar 26, 2010)

Sorry to say I agree with Rick.  Certainly sounds like OA.  I'll be sat minding my own business and it will feel like somebody slamming a knife through my knee.  As you describe, it disappears just as quickly.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 26, 2010)

Karen G said:


> Occasionally, without any warning, I will have an extreme sharp pain in my right knee on the inside near the joint. It usually happens when I'm sitting at my computer, and never happens when I'm actually using my knee, such as walking, doing aerobic exercise, or playing golf.
> 
> It lasts about a minute and is so painful I can't do anything else but wait for it to subside. When it goes away, my knee is fine and I can't pinpoint any soreness by rubbing on the area of the pain nor do I feel anything unusual when I stand or walk right after the pain episode.
> 
> Any ideas?


It certainly could be arthritic, as others have mentioned, but it could be sciatic and simply the result of sitting at the computer.

Several years ago I was getting a sharp pain below my right knee, to the point where I was needing to limp when it was acting up.  And that was happening more often.

I was convinced my family history of arthritis was striking me.

My best friend, whose is an occ health physician, suggested that it might sciatic, related to the fact that I spend most of my work day at a desk working.  His suggestion was to get a new chair and take breaks away from my desk.

He was right.  I still get the pain occasionally, when I've been sitting too long.  It's now kind of a signal for me that I'm spending too much sedentary time.

Be sure that whatever doc checks out that possibility as well.


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## Passepartout (Mar 26, 2010)

Gosh, I have some OA, and this doesn't sound like any of my multitude of symptoms. I agree about having an orthopedist look into it if it continues.

I have some similar sharp pains, but generally it's around my neck or shoulder region and only when I put on a new dress shirt. Then I find the offending straight pin(s) 

Jim Ricks


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## ricoba (Mar 26, 2010)

Passepartout said:


> Gosh, I have some OA, and this doesn't sound like any of my multitude od symptoms. I agree about having an orthopedist look into it if it continues.
> 
> I have some similar sharp pains, but generally it's around my neck or shoulder region and only when I put on a new dress shirt. Then I find the offending straight pin(s)
> 
> Jim Ricks



Jim, one thing I have found out about OA is that it really manifests itself differently in different people.  

Mine started off with generalized aches and pains and progressed to more severe.  For example this week I have had a "flare up" in my right leg under the knee which I know is directly related to the OA.  I also get pains at the backside of my knee joint which is also my OA.  

I agree though, Karen needs a GP or Orthopedist to give her the once over.  As I have found out, OA is no fun!


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## falmouth3 (Mar 26, 2010)

Do you cross your legs when you're sitting?  I've been noticing a pain in my knees and it seems to be worse after I've been crossing my legs, but not necessarily when I'm actually crossing them.  I stop doing it and my knees feel better.  

Sue


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## pjrose (Mar 26, 2010)

does anything help, such as rubbing it, pressing on it somewhere, moving it, heat, or ice?  My knee gets "stuck" when I sit still for too long, not the same as yours at all, but it doesn't happen when I'm moving.


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## Bob P (Mar 27, 2010)

I had a random sharp sting pain in my knee, that felt like a stabbing electrical shock which went away in less than a minute.  I had this recurrring over the course of a few years.      There was nothing I could do to recreate the pain( twisting, bending etc) at the Doctors office. After an e-xray and scan it was determined that nothing structural was wrong. The Doc gave me some excercises to work on a possible muscle imbalance that was causing the tendons to twist or pinch the nerve.  After 2 weeks of the excercises, there has been no recurrence since. Over a year now.

Bob


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## Karen G (Mar 27, 2010)

falmouth3 said:


> Do you cross your legs when you're sitting?


Not when I'm sitting at the computer and that is when I get the pain usually.



pjrose said:


> does anything help, such as rubbing it, pressing on it somewhere, moving it, heat, or ice?


No, nothing helps. It's sort of like when you get a cramp in your calf and you just have to wait for it to subside, but it isn't the same pain as a cramp. Once it stops, there's no pain whatsoever, unlike a cramp that is sometimes still sore after the cramp has gone away. There is also no warning that the pain is coming and I'm not moving or using my knee when the pain comes.



Bob P said:


> I had a random sharp sting pain in my knee, that felt like a stabbing electrical shock which went away in less than a minute.  I had this recurrring over the course of a few years.      There was nothing I could do to recreate the pain( twisting, bending etc) at the Doctors office.


That's what this feels like.  I'm going to keep a log of when I get the pain and take it with me when I see a doctor.


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## Present (Mar 27, 2010)

*Sounds like a herniated disc or a pinch nerve...*

Get yourself a lumbar roll and make sure you are sitting all the way back and erect in the chair while on the computer and see if it goes away.   

If it comes back, check your sitting posture and see if you are slouched forward in the chair or haven't had a stretch break in quite some time


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## Karen G (Mar 27, 2010)

A herniated disc would cause pain in the knee?


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## pjrose (Mar 27, 2010)

Karen G said:


> A herniated disc would cause pain in the knee?



Absolutely; the nerves go through the spine.  

Besides checking or changing your posture, how about sitting such that there is no stress on the knees - raise your chair, put your legs slightly forward on a pillow, and so forth.


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## ricoba (Mar 27, 2010)

Karen G said:


> A herniated disc would cause pain in the knee?



Karen, I don't want to scare you, and like you know, I ain't no doctor, but I had a friend a number of years ago who died from breast cancer, and the initial sign was pain in the legs... 

Again, I am not trying to frighten you, because it's probably not cancer, but you still need to go to a real doctor, instead of letting us pseudo-docs here on TUG share our medical opinion.


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## KCI (Mar 27, 2010)

Hi,  I'll add my story...I had a real problem with my left knee a few years ago...came on suddenly after joining Curves.  Went to an ortho guy and he gave me a shot of cortisone and it helped immediately.  Stayed away from Curves for a month, went back...same problem...another shot...no more pain.  While helping my elderly Mom move to a new place I did something to make the knee start up again.  Had an MRI and it was determined I have a "true" osteonerosis (dead bone in my knee).  How I got it, who knows.  I have never had another bad bout but on occasion, I can feel that same ache and remember that whole episode.  I presume someday it will return but for now I walk 3 miles 6 or more days a week and have no problem.  I might add that after the second bout I dropped out of Curves because obviously something I was doing there caused my knee to react painfully.  Go see an ortho guy or gal and find out for sure what your problem is.  Good luck!


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