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Embarrassing Bodies Live from..., 8:00pm Tuesday 22nd May 2012 on Channel 4. Catch up for free on 4oD »

Video

Patient: Well, I’m having problems with my knee, doctor. Any time I walk either here, on holiday or at home it swells up like a balloon.

Dr Christian: So after exercise it swells up?

Patient: Yeah.

Dr Christian: You’ve got a lot of fluid in this knee already.

Patient: Yeah.

Dr Christian: There’s a big old pocket here, a big old pocket there; look at it. Just bend your knee, let’s have a feel. Wow, if you could hear what I can feel, it’s what we call crepitus. It’s a grating where you’ve got rough cartilage grating against rough cartilage as your joints move and it’s basically something we call osteoarthritis. Worst case scenario, we have to give you a new knee, but you’re not there yet. You’re keeping fit, you’re keeping active and that’s the best thing you can do but occasional anti-inflammatory drugs when you need them really is the way that we treat this and exercising. If you can make these muscles here, your quadriceps muscles, strong they will really help improve knee pain in osteoarthritis pain in your knee.

Read the video transcript

Dr Christian meets a patient who is suffering from rough cartilage in his knees leading to a sore sounding case of osteoarthritis. In severe cases of osteoarthritis, a patient may need the affected joints replaced. Less invasive forms of treatment include anti-inflammatory drugs and exercise to strengthen the muscles surrounding the affected joints and luckily Dr Christian’s holiday making patient requires the latter.

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I have had knee pain in both my knees for 3 years I am now 14. I have a family history of knee problems. My parents wont let me get it looked at is there any surgestions as to what I can do?





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hi i need a knee replacement but they wont do it they say im to young im 43and ihave had tis for 13 years but its got worse over the last 3 year please can you help me thanks





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I had moderate OA in my knee and had was given an injection called 'Durolane' which has really helped. The pain went and I have been able to become more active again, lose some weight and build up more strength in my leg.





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hi im 26 years old and i have had very bed pain in both ov my knees i have seen doctors but they just passing me back and forth to specialists i find it very hard to deal with as i have 4 children under the age ov 8 and i cant do the things id like to do with them . iv tried using heat rub and cool cloths on them but it wont work ,i suffer if its to hot and i also suffer when its to cold .i am that bad somtimes i cry in pain.My mother suffered the same from 21 years and she had an apperation on them and it was her cartliges but the doctors dont think i have the same as what my mam had .





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I have osteo arthritis in my right knee due to an injury and operation in 1993. (I also have a huge Baker syst which gives a lot of pain but the consultants say they can do nothing about it.) In your program on Wednesday I saw a procedure carried out called MICA (?) but cannot find any more information on this. Can you give me more information on this procedure, and from where I can get more information.





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Hi im 13 and i went to a chropradis? And he said i might have early signs of arthiritis. I read your information and it said you are not suppose to get it by the age of fifty. So is it likely that i have it?





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i have just been to the doctor about my knee which has been hurting and feeling like it is swollen and that i have a tight band round my knee.Im 60yrs young and fit i think,i go fell walking in the lakes and being now retired I can do it more often. The doctor said I had a strong knee and it would be approx 15yrs before I kneeded a knee replacement. I know that exersise is good to strenghten my knee. What i want to know is what is good exersise and what is bad exersise?





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Hello. I watch your programme all the time and at some point last season I saw an episode where an old man had osteoarthritis. I do not know if it is relevant to me but my knee has been playing up on me for quite a few years now and I have been in the hospital about it 3 times, had various x-rays and an MRI scan but doctors still cant find anything wrong.They just end up giving me ointments and phisiotherapy which doesnt seem to help. My right knee makes a crunching noise when I bend it, even if i go up or down the stairs, its quite loud so it can get a bit embarrasing at times. It also hurts for no reason,hurts after excercise therefore I cannot really do a lot. If I lay or sit on the sofa and keep my right leg in the same position over 5-10minutes it will start feeling weird, almost like a numbing sensation but not quite, its hard to describe. it has in the past almost locked in place and felt quite painful. I feel like an old woman even though Im only 18 and it tends to interfere with my life quite a bit as I am studying criminology and criminal psychology hoping to become a police officer and have recently applied for special constables position with the metropolitan police. Please help me as i am loosing faith in the hospitals in the Uk!!! P.S.in case this matters I was born 3 months earlier then I was supposed to therefore my joints might have not developed properly or something. PLEASE REPLY ASAP-I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO!!! :(:(:(





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Hi for the last 4yrs i have too suffered with my right knee, with swelling and very painful and annoying crunches and clicks, after consent visit to the doctor i have finally managed to get something done which is surgrery(privately) i have been told they will open it up and have a look inside(the scan showed the knee as slightly moved to the right hence the swelling and pain)if it can be sorted they will do it there and then if not then it will be major surgery, sometimes it pays to go private.

i need knee replacement but they wont operate as i suffer with psorissis they informed me that if they operate and there is a infection i could loose my leg this worried me im on injections at moment and then key hole surgery to scrape what they can





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I have been advised by a consultant that my knee requires replacement. As I have heard a number of stories regarding unsuccessful treatment I am keen to be referred to a surgeon who uses computer aided technology. Could you please help with a list of surgeons who use this procedure. Although I live in the Peak district I would be able to travel to receive consultations and treatment. Many thanks





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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