Knee pain - caused by feet???

[Fooootypain]

I have collapsed arches caused by pregnancy with a big baby (eight years ago) and I have tailor’s bunions (bunionettes). I saw a podiatrist about it at the time via the NHS, and they gave me standard insoles and told me trainers only with insoles forever.

This summer, someone gave me some hard arch supports to wear instead (not a doctor) telling me they were better. Like a fool (maybe?!) I’ve been wearing them ever since.

Anyway, on Wednesday, my knee “went”. It was so painful. It was v swollen the next day and still is a bit and hurts when I crouch down. My other knee feels a bit “pop-y” and strange too.

I am not overweight, I’m fit and healthy - I work outdoors. I’m in my mid-40s.

Could the arch support have caused this? I know I need to see a doctor but feel exhausted already at how hard it is to get an appointment / see a specialist. I’m considering paying to see a podiatrist privately - but maybe this knee thing has nothing to do with my feet or my arch supports?!?

Can anyone give me any advice?

See a podiatrist privately, take the hard arch supports with you, they should be able to check your leg alignment is correct with the arch things and suggest possible next steps.

Thank you! I’m looking up local podiatrists now. They’re £90 an appointment, so not cheap!

Just bumping in case anyone else has any foot-to-knee pain experiences to share!

I would see a physio, I had knee pain, she gave me exercises to strengthen the muscles that support the knees. I don’t get knee pain now. I also have fallen arches. I wear hard arch supports, and have done for years. I don’t know if it is the right thing, but I’m not in any pain.

It might be worth falling into the rabbit hole of barefoot shoes?

I say yes if was probably caused by the change in gait, but I'd see an osteopath instead of podiatrist and I say that after cycling through 4 podiatrists and physios!

Definitely connected to the arch support. Ideally the arch support must be specifically tailored to your feet and neither less nor more than required. If you are in London I can recommend a shop where you can go for an opinion on your existing insoles and see if you need new ones. They can even make you custom insoles (life savers for the last decade!). I have gone from being nearly immobile due to excruciating knee pain and avoiding walking/climbing to having strong stable feet and walking long distances. It's taken a combination of right shoes, right insoles and strengthening my leg muscles regularly.
We have flat feet in the family here so many wear insoles including my 10 year old.

Yes it could be caused by the insoles. Feet can affect knees.

You need to get proper advice.

Katy's approach to feet cured my foot pain and set me on the path to genuine good health. Her focus on building up strength from the feet upwards is quite different to the medical approach taken by many health care professional.

https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/product/simple-steps-to-foot-pain-relief/

Hope you find what you need.

My knees are much better since wearing custom insoles and when I go for checkups they have altered my gait and the impact of my feet on the ground. So well worth it for me.

Don't wear barefoot shoes, at least not without a medical professional telling you to - I did try and it made everything much worse, I am instructed to wear hard shoes with a small heel - chunky boots for example, never a flat heel and not trainers either.

Thank you everyone! I have a GP appointment at the end of the week and have also booked a podiatrist. I tried to find a local osteopath but the podiatrist was highly rated on reviews, so I gave that a go! Will do an osteopath if that doesn’t work out.

I’m very grateful for all this advice! And do hope it is my feet causing the problem - as that seems like it might be an easier fix than something like arthritis!

@SoftPillowAllNight would you mind sharing the name of that London shop with me?

@Fooootypain Do you happen to have swayback knees, by any chance?

I think you could benefit from requesting your GP refer you to your Trust's Orthotics services.

Orthotists will make a full biomechanical assessment of your lower limbs, taking into account pretty much your full musculoskeletal system, whereas podiatrists will focus more attentively on your foot and ankles. Anything above the feet and ankles isn't really podiatrist territory.

I would see a physio. My experience of podiatry was expensive and not very helpful. Physios on the other hand have been amazing. I am suffering from a deferred hip pain at the moment caused by and issue with my foot on the opposite leg. One session on and I'm feeling an improvement already.

@TibetanTea
g.co/kgs/RwMnhRn Orthotics Online
020 7486 4664

Back again because nothing improved after a month, in fact got worse and my knees and legs are constantly swollen. I’m not in constant, awful pain - but it’s uncomfortable and aches every day.

I had to cancel my private orthotics appointment because I was sick - rearranged for the end of this month, which is the earliest he could do.

I went back to the GP today (second appointment as GP told me to return in 4-5 weeks if no improvement) and the GP (different one to the first time) more-or-less said: “I don’t know. What did you want from this appointment today?”

My knees weren’t painful or cracking enough for her to refer me for imaging, she said. She said they do crack and pop but “she’s seen worse”. But they’re so swollen! I can’t run, the discomfort is now shooting up my leg. I have more or less rested them for a month (a week where I was in bed unwell, and then another three of low exercise as I’ve been on holiday from work - start back tomorrow).

Anyway she told me to just self refer to see a physio, which I’ve done. But I’m frustrated because i really want to understand what’s happening to me!

She seemed very fixated on pain management - asked me about a million times why I don’t use topical ibuprofen.

I’m mid-40s, healthy and fit, and she (young) kept saying “when you get older, these things happen”.

Is it normal to have swollen, uncomfortable knees / legs every day if you’re mid-40s and nothing has happened?!?!

Maybe I’m being unfair but felt so fobbed off.

A physio will sort you out,they know exactly what's what. Is there a reason you don't use pain killers?

I would consider physio to be the first line of treatment, and then if I’ve religiously done the exercises and not got enough improvement, to then ask for a further referral. I would also probably take the maximum dose of ibuprofen for about 4 days, as sometimes bringing down the inflammation really helps.

I do - but didn’t know the topical ones existed before (I was just taking ordinary ibuprofen which was helping a little but not solving anything). I’ve got the topical now.

I’m glad to hear a physio will be the one to help me understand it all!

When I posted yesterday, I think I was feeling disappointed that I don’t know why it’s happening and the doctor didn’t have any ideas either! And she sort of implied that me going back again to see her was pointless.