Could any of you dear people let me know if you've had problems with knee and ankle ligaments/tendons from being on steroids for a long time please. I have had problems for over a year now - my left leg from knee to ankle is giving me some gip. Had my knee x-rayed and was told it was minor wear and tear, but the pain is all around the knee, down the back of the calf, and into the ankle. My GP has recommended physio, and I am awaiting an appointment. I wear a knee brace every day, and an ankle support, but my knee still 'gives way'.
Last Thursday I was leaving the house when my ankle buckled over and I fell hard onto the pavement, resulting in a mildly sprained ankle, banged knee (I fell to the left) and two bruised and grazed heels of my hands! What a state to be in! Ha ha! Three days later and my whole body still feels like I've been thrown around like a rag doll. I'm only grateful that I didn't break any bones.
I've been on steroids since April 2014. I've only just managed, a fortnight ago, to reduce to 10mg and have put this down to the Leflunomide that my rheumy put me on nearly three months ago.
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mamma1027
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Steroids are a culprit sometimes in ligament and tendon problems but I can't say I've had any bother other than achilles tendonitis which was entirely due to being on Medrol and then being given a quinolone antibiotic! That's a different thing - though equally as much a pain as it led to me spending 9 months on crutches which I'm sure you'll appreciate wasn't easy with PMR!
I think your GP is far more practical in his stance - I really would be surprised if "minor wear and tear" would lead to that dramatic a result - and I suspect physio may well help a lot. One of the problems with using a knee brace all the time is that it can then lead to even weaker support for the knee from the muscles - but it's a chicken and the egg thing isn't it?
Just a suggestion, it might be worth looking up the exercises they give to knee replacement patients. They are all designed to strengthen the leg muscles and a lot of them can be done sitting in a chair. Only takes a few minutes and you can watch the tv at the same time!
I think the best thing I can do is to suggest either Arthritis Care or NHS choices for reference. They both carry detailed exercises with diagrams (which I couldn't do). They are much the same, but I was given the Arthritis Care booklets for both ops, knee and hip. I'm pretty sure they are still free to order so it's a win-win all round.
You're an absolute gem. Thank you for that info. I will check out both sites and crack on....well, not literally I hope.....with the exercises because anything has to be better than falling over xxx
I think that once you get to the physio that will help a lot, I am recovering from ankle surgery and would have expected my ankles to be weak but it turns out that certain muscles my legs need strengthening, I've had problems for years and the physiotherapist is the only one who has pin pointed specific muscles and is working on them. I hope you don't have to wait too long.
My ankles have been weak since I was a nipper. I was forever going over on one or the other. I'm hoping that as well as normal physio I might get some hydrotherapy too. I had some several years ago for my fibro and it was heavenly.
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