r/Thritis

Hi! I (26NB) was born 10 weeks prematurely in extremely rare circumstances, and when I was removed I was doing perfect splits. They had to bind my legs down straight to keep my legs from growing wrong. I think it only partly worked.

Over the past 10 years, I had more and more difficulty going down stairs/running/crouching. I begged my ex-primary to help, he just said repeat this one physical therapy exercise and it'll fix itself. Didn't work; after three years he finally referred me to an ortho and I found out I had birth defects in both knees where I have little-no patellofemoral groove and I've essentially speedran developing arthritis in my mid-20s.

I had reconstruction surgery last year for the worse of the two knees. It's still in really rough shape, I can't kneel on it. Now my right leg's getting inflamed and hard to bend, too. I can't stand and work for longer than two or four hours without feeling like I'm standing directly on my foot bones and limping.

At what point do I just bite the bullet and get some mobility aids? What would I even get? I just feel lost and scared, and I don't know what to do about losing my mobility slowly like this. Any advice is appreciated.

I, 58F slipped on ice mid January (12’ish weeks ago) and dislocated my patella.

I had the full range of X-rays, Ct scans, MRI

All of which showed various ligament strains and severe swelling bruising and severe PF oestoarthritis. My Flexion/ extension was stuck at about 20 degrees. Quads shut down.

After 8 weeks I was cleared to start physio after so, for about 3 weeks I have been doing aggressive physio- trying to get quads to reactivate and gain some range of motion.

I have some quad activation back but still can’t do a straight leg raise, extension about 5 degrees, flexion still only about 45 degrees (on a good day), and I still need crutches to walk. It appears that my injuries are not matching my imaging,so now the orthopedic surgeon has decided to scope it, remove what they’re assuming is a build up of scar tissue, and do a MUA.

I had a scope done and meniscus/ cartilage removed about 30 years ago (likely the reason for arthritis now). I’m really quite terrified- especially since the surgeon has said it might not work at all. what do I need to know?? (From Canada)

I (24F) used to journal everyday.

Even since I was 7yo I usted to love writing, I was never a big fan of digital journaling, not with keyboard, apple pencil or eink notebooks. I just loved the feeling of handwriting with a nice fountain pen and good paper.

But a year ago I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Im medicated and under control, and I have tried braces and splints and every ergonomic hack. But still. Handwriting stills a nightmare. Im just so flooded with pain or stiffness to actually write something.

Everything about this illness has been a heave grieve, but Im getting the hang of it. Is just journaling that Im missing.

Any tips? Im not sure if I need inspo to move ti digital, or pain management advices or just reading if someone has gone through something like this before and what did you do.

Hi, I (19F) was wondering if/how it's possible to differentiate between mechanical pain and pain from JIA?

I have quite bad pain in my hands to the point it wakes me up sometimes, and I struggle with writing sometimes.

But it is worse in my dominant hand so I am not sure if it is just mechanical - I'm a physics uni student and write by hand and type day to day.

I'd describe the pain as a quite bone deep achy pain that I can't really pinpoint.

I don't really have very obvious swelling, the joints are a little warm, but I have darker skin so I can't tell if they would be redder or anything.

Any advice would be appreciated!

-- For context I started showing symptoms at 15 - was hospitalised for it then for a month, and was only diagnosed last month after joint pain started presenting. I'm on hcq and naproxen.