hi, i'm looking for advice or if anyone has experienced something similar. i will try to explain everything as clearly as i can
Background:
I’ve always had mild back pain and posture issues, but nothing serious (like the normal soreness stuff). Then when I was 14 (9th grade), on a random morning I woke up and when I went to sit down, my knees felt really weak, like something was off internally. I still proceeded to get ready but when I tried to go downstairs, my knees completely gave out. I rested for a few days and could walk again, but since then my knees have never felt the same (btw i did not do anything physically straining/injure it the day before). And I actually did experience something similar a year later (after a track meet) when I went to get something off the floor and my knees completely gave out.
People told me it was due to not exercising enough, but I was walking ~20 minutes daily for school and had a dance background. I even joined track in 10th grade to try to improve things.
I still can't do a proper squat and going up and down the stairs are hard for me.
I'm wondering if because of my weak knees, it put more strain in my back?
Back pain!!
-March 2025: I was doing track and my back pain became more noticeable but it was still very on and off so I thought it was because of my period coming/hormones.
-August 2025: had a severe episode during my period where i had INTENSE lower back pain (right side), could barely move, and almost in tears. sneezing caused a sharp contraction-like pain.
-Since September 2025: pain has become more frequent (not just during periods)
Doctor visits:
-Oct 2025: went during an "off" stage, did the leg raise test lying down, but nothing was found, told to take Motrin and stretch
-Nov 2025: mentioned it during a sick visit and it was during an "off" stage but mentioned that stretching/Motrin wasn't helping the root problem, referred to PT, did not end up going bc they didn't take our insurance
-a week after: went during a flare-up/"on" stage and was on the verge of crying, was referred to an orthopedic but have not gone yet
My current symptoms are:
-tingling in lower back and thigh
-numbness in thigh (but if someone were to pinch me I would still feel it and it DOES NOT feel like pins and needles/leg falling asleep)
-frequent and sudden contraction-like back pain that makes it hard to move
-sometime cannot stand on my right leg due to pain
-pain when sneezing
-daily symptoms now, but fluctuate throughout the day
-difficulty sleeping sometimes due to pain
Other things I noticed:
-stretching feels different and wrong (not a good pain/normal soreness)
-i lose flexibility quickly even if I stretch consistently
-lying leg raise test doesn't hurt, but the seated leg raise test hurts VERY BAD!! I get the sharp pain that travels through my back and leg and it's tingly in the area it hurts in my back.
Basically now on my periods, it would be a double whammy where it is unbearable and I can not walk at all and if I had to, I would be walking with my back 90 degrees and have to take a bunch of Advil and use hot packs.
I feel like something is being overlooked, possibly nerve-related from my google searches, but I'm not sure. I'm also honestly scared to go to the orthopedic (lmk if anyone has any good recs in NYC). And now it's so hard with school as well. Has anyone experienced anything similar or have ideas on what this could be? Or how to be a better advocate for myself at appointments?
Thank you!