Hi,
During my late teens through to my early thirties my left knee would lock. This was always when moving my leg from left to right when the leg was bent. The pain was excrutiating - if I were to describe it it felt like bone against bone if I tried to extend the leg (I know it's not possible but that's how it felt). The pain would be at the outer edge of the knee. A lot of hot towels and courage was required to keep moving my leg millimetres at a time until eventually I would feel something at the back of my knee 'come apart', then it was immediate relief. Apart from feeling a little stiff, I experienced no swelling or bruising afterwards. I never went down to the doctors as I thought it was part and parcel of a problem that I had had with my knee since my teens (Chrondomylacia Patella).
I am now in my early forties and my knee hasn't locked for approximately 8 years until several weeks ago when it happenend in the early hours of the morning when I turned over in bed. Unfortunately I had to call the Paramedics and after plenty of Gas & Air and 3 hours later it unlocked but this time the back of my knee was about 6 inches off the bed before it popped - normally it unlocks whilst still relatively bent. The thought of going through that again terrified me so I went to the Doctors.
I have had an MRI scan and was advised that the scan hadn't shown anything. I have to admit to feeling upset that nothing has shown that can be rectified to stop it happening again. I've now been 'dimissed' by the Doctor with no advice other than if it happens again they'll refer me and a full stop.
Has anyone else had/got a similar problem?
Any help/suggestions would be really appreciated.
Many thanks.
Hi Hartley,
I'm 46 and this started with me at about 9. I went to the Dr's and was told 'it was a piece of chipped bone, growing pains and all in my head' over a period of 7 years. Later on I tried tubular bandage and 'deep heat' but nothing changed or stopped it. It hasn't locked now for about 15 years but I strongly suspect it is to with me very carefully 'managing' my knee and making sure I don't put it in a vulnerable position (sitting on my feet, twisting my knee, kneeling too low etc).
My daughter turned 8 last November and now the same has started to happen to her. I've googled knee locking and there is a good american forum (bettermedicines. com) and it looks as though this is a common occurrence. We're taking my daughter to the Dr's tomorrow morning and I've got my fingers crossed that things have moved on since my youth!
Hi Jacqui1,
Many thanks for your reply.
I will definitely have a look at the forum that you've mentioned - thank you. I have also found a good site which is knee geeks/knee guru which is worth taking a look at.
What you have mentioned with regards to 'managing' your knee is so true as i do the same. I'm still wearing a surgical support stocking when I go to bed as i'm terrified it will happen when I don't have that level of control. Maybe one day i'll stop wearing it - give me another few years perhaps!!!
II am sorry to hear that your daughter has the same problem as you/I do and hope that she gets a better explanation than what we did/have and it can be resolved. Keeping fingers crossed.
Kind regards.
Hi I could not believe this when I read this its the same as what my other half has been having even down to the MRI scan, he has had his knees locking for many years and has always been able to unlock them up until 2 years ago when he also had to go to hospital and have key hole surgery to unlock it which led him to have blood clots on his lungs due to it being locked for 3 days before it was unlocked again. 2 years on and tonight he has has it happen again I can't believe it he is now back in hospital with his leg locked. I can see how painful it is and it's awful to see someone in such pain with little they can do to help it. To read that other people have the same thing although its not nice to go through to know other people know what it's like. I'm sorry for anyone who has this problem it's really not nice. Good luck
Hi Julie,
Thank you for your email.
The best site that I have seen is the one that Jacqui1 recommended (thank you Jacqui ) - bettermedicines.com. I can honestly say that when I first went on the site I cried. I felt vindicated. I had felt that people thought I was exaggerating the pain - someone had even said it was probably cramp - and because I had no swelling etc.. afterwards that there wasn't really a problem.
It sounds as if your partner has had some terrible problems, I hope he's out of hospital and recovering well and it doesn't happen to him again.
I hope the site helps you too.
Take care & good luck
Hi, sounds like I have the same problem as you Hartley. For several years now I have experienced the same problem of locking, it happens when I put sideways pressure on my lower leg like getting up from being cross legged on the floor. I had an arthriscope and they cleaned out cartilage etc but it did not fix the problem. I feel it is the outer side of my knee but the surgeon does not believe that there is anything there that can cause this, post op MRI doesn't show anything that would cause it according to him but he wants to go in again anyway. I really don't think it will make any difference. When I push through the lock I too get instant relief and no swelling (just soreness), it feels like something is clunking back into place on the outer side of my knee. Any thought s on what this could be?
Also site mentioned above does not work, any other suggestions?
Hi Chris,
I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems with your knee too. I've just tried to get into the site and it is very difficult. I've just double checked and found the easiest way to find the site is to enter locking knee into Google and the site will show up as:
Knee lock's up - anyone else??? Better Medicines Forums.
I found it on page 2.
It's definitely something on the outer side of my knee that locks and I really wish I knew what is happening when it does lock.
I'm not sure if it's the Better Medicines site that I read it on but someone else describes their condition as the same as ours and I think they thought it was the actual cartilage/ligament slipping out of place. This made sense to me as when my knee unlocks it feels as though something at the back of the knee comes apart and then the pain on the outer side of my knee goes and I can move it again. It's really strange but this may account for the fact that there's no swelling etc.. As I say, I wish I knew.
I hope that the site is of help to you.
Please let me know how you get on with your Surgeon/Doctors.
Good Luck.
Hi Chris,
I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems with your knee too. I've just tried to get into the site and it is very difficult. I've just double checked and found the easiest way to find the site is to enter locking knee into Google and the site will show up as:
Knee lock's up - anyone else??? Better Medicines Forums.
I found it on page 2.
It's definitely something on the outer side of my knee that locks and I really wish I knew what is happening when it does lock.
I'm not sure if it's the Better Medicines site that I read it on but someone else describes their condition as the same as ours and I think they thought it was the actual cartilage/ligament slipping out of place. This made sense to me as when my knee unlocks it feels as though something at the back of the knee comes apart and then the pain on the outer side of my knee goes and I can move it again. It's really strange but this may account for the fact that there's no swelling etc.. As I say, I wish I knew.
I hope that the site is of help to you.
Please let me know how you get on with your Surgeon/Doctors.
Good Luck.
Hi Hartley,
The better medicines forum is excellent, a number of people with the exact same condition. I have cancelled my second arthroscope and am seeking further opinions. Will let you know how I get on.
Hi Chris,
I'm glad you found the site, as you say it is excellent.
Hope things go well for you and yes please let me know how you get on.
Hartley
Hi Chris,
I'm glad you found the site, as you say it is excellent.
Hope things go well for you and yes please let me know how you get on.
Hartley
Hej Hartley. My knee locks since childhood. My sisters too and today at age 51 my kid of thirteen screemed to me "Daddy daddy theres something wrong with my knee, its terribly painful and my leg wont go straight"
This is what i said...
First. Remember the odd position you might have taken and beware of this in the future as it could happen again.
Second. What we do now might or might not work but it always works for me. Don't try to straighten your leg but instead bend it hard. SIT on your feet and press your weight down so your knee is as bent as it possibly can be. This should pop everything back into place. Gently try straightening the leg afterwards.
The knee might feel tender for a day or so.
Thats it.
Hello I'm 66 yrs old male and for the last 5 years off and on my right left right at the knee on the side facing out locks up on me.. I got in the car today to drive to an appt and low and behold my leg locks up and i can't even straighten it out to push on the gas to go.. had to pull over and stop until it let loose!! Tonight while laying in bed on my left side i pushed on a spot just on the right side of my right leg just a hair down from my knee cap and low and behold my leg locked up again !! man o man does this stuff hurt!! To me it feels like someone has taken a pair of pliers and grabbed my leg bone and pulled it to the side and left it there in pain!! Wholly crappolie what pain we are feeling here gang!! Since I am a vet I am going to make an appt with the Va ORTHOPEDIC DOCTOR ASAP AND WHEN I FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON, I WILL DEFINATELY POST IT HERE!! HANG IN THERE. TODAY IS 10/17/14
This has been happening to me since 2011 I'm now 47 years of age I had to have gas and air to straighten it out but even then it still was t straight I was on crutches for 6 weeks I've been for X-ray that just shies normal wear and tear of my knee joint so now I'm waiting on an MRI scan but unlike everyone else here the pain I have is in my inner knee ... I really have to be so careful I cannot squat but I definitely think this has to do with ligaments and such being jammed in between the knee bones
What do people think to this ?
hi My inner knee joint came out new years day ,it would not go back into place , but i fainted with terrific [ain .. Im still panicking just incase it goes again Im frightened of doctors .. there must be a weekness there
Hello Karen
I'm posting a reply to you but having read this thread it could have been to anyone here. I am 44 years old and last saturday had a knee locking episode. I have had years of theorising by the medical profession about my condition but funnily enough, I have never looked on the forums until now. I first had this happen to me when I was about 9. I think it happened a couple of times and even then doctors (in the absence of MRI etc) hypothesised that it was due to a torn cartilage. Nothing was done "becasue of my age". No problems through my teens then it happened again when I was 22. Usual story - panicked workmates, me screaming, ambulance called, knee unlocked outside the hospital. Nothing done. Again, nothing until my 30s then a couple of episodes. During this period I realised it can happen to either knee. Then once more a couple of yeasr ago and again last week. I am a very keen skier and have been a volunteer guide skiing every day in my 30s. I still ski 6 weeks per season. I have also done karate in y life to a high level (although not any more). Most medics want to blame these activities but the fact it it happened first before I did either of them. I have finally decided to get some answers and have now been referred for an MRI. I wouldn't be surprised if it shown nothing. I don't know the precise mechanism but I beleive a structure in my knee is able to "dislocate" itslef. Perhaps a ligament, perhaps the meniscus, I don't know. What I do l do know is that it happens when the knee is slightly bent and not under tension (i.e. usually sitting). I think the most likely action involves the foot turned in reletive to the leg and that the affected structure is towards the outside of the knee. Twice it has happened in swivel chairs when the foot is anchored to the floor but I can twist the upper leg on the chair. Locking can last anthing form minutes to hours depending on how much force I am willing to give it to put it back. I find that striaghtening the leg (v painful) gradually (usually dosed up on painkillers and vallium) makes it "go back" - usually with an audible thud. The relief is instant and there aren't may lasting effects. I have been known to ski on it a couple of weeks after an episode. At the moment, 6 days on, my knee feels a little fragile - mostly though that is in my head and the fear of it happening again. The pain is excruciating. The only other thing I would add at this time is that just before it happens, I feel the process unfolding - i.e. I can tell I have passed a tipping point with the knee and for a fraction of a second can feel whatever is going on in their moving into its "trapped" position. Anyway, if anyone is interested I will post the MRI results.
I was so thankful to come across this conversation. I had problems with a locking knee as a child. There ws one time in particular that I sat on the playground and couldn't get up. The bell rang and all the kids went in, but I couldn't get up, so I sat there. My mother had to drive her car out onto the playground to get me and drive me to the doctor. Even the car ride was painful because it felt like 2 bones hooked around each other at the back of my knee that were trying to pull apart but couldn't. I could not extend my leg from the bend position and shifting gravity as my mother turned corners in the car caused terrible pain. At age 50 I experienced pain again, but different. The doc did lazer surgery to repair torn meniscus and frayed cartilage. Today (4 years later) just sitting at my desk at work, my knee locked again. I am going to make a doctor's appointment but will print out this entire conversation and show it to the doctor. I have a fairly aggressive work out routine, and I'm terrified of having it interurpted due to knee problems...
Hi i'm pretty sure this has been my problem too. my knee locked up 3 weeks ago and ive been having problems with various stages of locking and unlocking since. I've been on a healthy eating thing for the last year so in my search (decribing my symptoms like a cramp but in my knee joint) i have been looking at my diet and noticed that i have slipped back into my old ways of not drinking enough being now a hot summer. yesterday morning it locked again. In a huge amount of pain ( usually rub and work it until it frees the straighter it is when it locks the less pain and the quicker it unlocks) i remembered that i still hadnt gotten around to that big rehydrating drink i was planning and was so thirsty i decided to use the tap i was near as the kitchen and a glass was too far away to get to in so much pain. Once finished i stood up and realised that my knee was already unlocked and feeling freer and better than it had in 3 weeks i spent all day yesterday drinking and woke up with my knee feeling great. looking back the worst day with my knee i could have actually been quite dehydrated. Im starting to think that my problems with my Popliteus muscle (new info found from this discussion thank you 
) might be a lack of fluids/ dehydration causing it to cramp. not sure if anyone else has noticed the same but off to drink my bucket today lol
Hi Hartley
Hi I have had problems for a year and it seems to just be getting worse.. I feel like my leg needs to pop however I feel as if I shouldn't let it as it could inflict pain. I dont know what to do as it really hurts when pops in and back out. The feeling where I feel it needs to crack or whatever is on the right side of my knee. I'm only 11 and it becomes really sore. I had to search it up and find something to help me. It would be great if you could reply instructing me on what to do! Thanks 😃
Hello. I posted a few weeks ago when my right knee locked (again). I said I would post again after MRI etc so here it is. In summary, I have had occasional episodes of my knees locking since about age 10. It can happen in either knee. In adult life it has always been associated with twisting with the leg lightly bent and with little or no weight on the legs. Swivel chairs have casued it twice. I have had 10 year gaps with no locking. The sensation is like something has dislocated. it is excrutiatingly painful and in every case between 10 mins and 4 hours later, with a loud thud, things go back to normal. Having done much more research this time, I can confidently state that it is a specific type of locking - the knee is utterly without function when locked although over time it can be extended or possible bent further. You could not walk on it. It is not like the sometimes described snagging in the joint - which I beleive is more assocatiated with menisci tears. No doctor has ever been able to diagnose the problem (I am married to one). In my case the knee cap does not seem to be dislocated. My MRI showed virtually nothing. I am not surprised. I do not have a torn meniscus. They only physical sign is aparently "mild" patella alta. For those who don't know, this means that the patella rides high on the leg. It is aparently asscoiated with patellae dislocations. I now think that my problem is related to this (what else could it be?) but it is not a full dislocation fo the patella all the pictures I have seen show the knee cap sticking out at an odd angle. This does not happen to me. I wonder if there is aform of partial dilocation - out of the groove that it is supposed to track in that is actually the cause of what people have described here? Or possibly the tendon from the hamstring dislocates? I am going to continue with follow ups because I don't want this to happen again! I alos, like others feel that no-one seems to be able to give a good explanation. Back to the research papers.....
Chris