Enthesitis again

General Support
1

So I’ve been reading a bit on here and going down online rabbit holes about enthesitis. I haven’t seen my rheumy this year though I’ve had several appointments with the rheumy nursing team as I’ve transferred to injectable mtx, which is helping the foot and hand joints and fatigue more than I thought it might, which is a plus.

About four months ago I woke up in the wee small hours with an excruciating pain in my knee, having gone to bed perfectly normal. That first week I couldn’t weight-bear without the use of two sticks, bum-shuffles up the stairs etc. It very gradually improved after that and now it’s almost back to normal, with a bit of care needed on uneven ground and stairs.

This sounds ridiculous but I can feel a specific band of ‘fibre’ coming up the outer side of my knee and coming to an end somewhere above my kneecap on the same side that is slightly swollen and very firm. It’s definitely where the pain is/was centred. I think it’s my lateral collateral ligament (been looking at diagrams!). Would this be enthesitis? And why are the rheumy nurses, while very kind, entirely uninterested it it?

2

That sounds like the iliotibial band. I’ve had a lot of trouble with those over the years, mostly at the knee. No good solutions.

3

Thanks, Stoney, at least I know I’m not imagining it!!

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4

A torn meniscus feels a lot like that. Prior to diagnosis with PsA, I went through 2 torn meniscus surgeries. I never understood what I did to tear them though. I wonder now if it was early inflammation of the tissue and that pressure caused the tear. About twice a year now, my knee will “go out.” sounding similar to what you are having. Cannot put weight on it at all and it is a big problem for 3 or 4 days. Have the knee worked. Nothing found. No OA, some carttildge inflammation, but that was it. Roid shot even did little.

Let us know what you find???

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I will indeed. I had a phone appointment with one of the specialist physios attached to my rheumy clinic yesterday and she wants to see me in person asap, so with luck I’ll have answers soon.