Knee Pain: How I Got Back on My Feet After a Knee Replacement | Advance7
Margaret has used Advance7 on both knees and on her hip.
The knee pain that slowed me right down: how Margaret got back on her feet after a knee replacement
Margaret Hale
Margaret Hale worked two jobs for most of her life, fitting her hours around her three grandsons. She spent a few years at the local newsagent's and then several more at the Co-op, and she's always been a keen gardener and walker. Nearly ten years ago she had her left knee fully replaced, and the recovery was anything but straightforward. Now, with the other knee starting to complain, she tells us how she has stayed active and on top of her knee pain.
Margaret, tell us a little about yourself.
I'm in my seventies now. I worked two jobs for most of my life, really, and fitted it all around my three grandsons — they're each about three years apart, so between them they kept me busy right through the last part of my working life. I did a few years at the newsagent's and then I went to the Co-op, which let me be home in time for three o'clock when the boys came out of school. The Co-op were very good about my hours. It meant a lot of years on my feet behind a counter, and I've always been a keen gardener and walker on top of that. I've never been one to sit still, which is probably part of why my knees have had such a hard life.
When did the knee trouble first start?
It was my left knee that went first. It began as a dull ache, then a sharper knee pain when bending — going down the stairs, kneeling in the garden, getting up out of a low chair. Some days it was anterior knee pain, right across the front and around the kneecap; other days it was more of a pain on the interior of the knee. It would swell up, and it clicked and ground when I moved it. I kept telling myself I'd just tweaked it, but it never really settled.
What did the doctors say was going on?
At first they wondered about a meniscus tear, because of the clicking and the way the knee caught when I bent it. But when they looked at it properly, it turned out to be worn-out arthritis in the joint — the cartilage had more or less gone. In the end I was told the left knee needed a full knee replacement, not a partial one. That was a big thing to take in.
The kneecap, menisci and bursae — common sources of knee pain.
Before the replacement, you had hip trouble as well?
Yes, and looking back it was all connected. Because the left knee hurt so much, I'd been favouring it for a long time, and my right hip was doing a lot of the work to make up for it. It flared up into bursitis — hip bursitis, the trochanteric sort — a burning pain on the outside of the hip that was at its worst at night. My daughter had read about Advance7, actually for that very kind of bursitis, so I started using the gel on the hip first. Between taking the weight off it and massaging the gel in, the hip has calmed right down now.
Tell us about the knee replacement and the recovery.
I won't pretend it was easy. It was a full knee replacement, and I found the recovery hard going. It took me a good twelve weeks before I felt anything like myself — the swelling, the stiffness, all the exercises they give you. For the pain in those weeks I used Advance7 on the knee as well, massaging the gel in around the joint, and it helped take the edge off while everything settled down. I got there in the end, and that knee has been solid ever since.
And how is the other knee now?
That's the thing — now it's my right knee that grumbles, the one that had been doing extra work all those years. I get a bit of pain on the outside of the knee and it aches after a long walk. But I've been using Advance7 on it right from the start, and honestly it hasn't got any worse. I'd far rather stay on top of it than wait for it to turn into another big problem like the first one.
What difference has Advance7 made for you?
For me it's the massage that does it — working the gel into the sore part, whether that's the knee or the hip, gets the blood moving and soothes the pain. I take the capsules alongside the gel. It's become part of my routine, morning and evening. I can garden again, I can get out for my walks, and the right knee has stayed steady. After what I went through with the first knee, that means a great deal to me.
What would you say to other ladies going through the same thing?
Knee pain in ladies our age gets treated as just something you have to put up with, and I don't think that's right. Don't ignore it and hope it clears on its own, because mine never did — get it looked at and find out what's actually going on. And look after the other joints too, because they end up compensating, the way my hip did. Advance7 is what has worked for me, on my hip and on both knees, so I'd say it's well worth a try. You don't have to give up the things you love.
Margaret's experience is her own and results vary from person to person. Advance7 is not a medical treatment for arthritis, knee replacement recovery or bursitis. If you have ongoing knee or hip pain, or a knee that locks, gives way or swells suddenly, see your GP.
Common questions about knee pain
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints people ask about, so here are some of the questions we're asked most often, with straightforward answers. They're for general information only and aren't a substitute for seeing your own doctor.
What causes knee pain in ladies?
Knee pain in ladies is very common, particularly from midlife onwards. Wear-and-tear arthritis, changes around the menopause, the shape of the pelvis and the way the kneecap tracks can all play a part, as can years of kneeling, standing and walking. It doesn't mean you simply have to accept it — it's always worth having the cause identified.
Is knee pain when bending a sign of something serious?
Not necessarily. Knee pain when bending — going down stairs, squatting or kneeling — is often down to the kneecap joint or early arthritis, and it settles with the right care. But if the knee locks, gives way, swells up or the pain is severe, that's worth getting checked, as it can point to a cartilage or meniscus problem.
What is anterior knee pain?
Anterior knee pain simply means pain at the front of the knee, in and around the kneecap. It's often felt when climbing stairs, sitting for a long time or bending the knee, and it's one of the most common patterns of knee pain there is. It has a number of causes, so it's worth getting a proper look if it persists.
What causes pain on the outside of the knee?
Pain on the outside of the knee, sometimes described as pain on the exterior side of the knee, is often related to the band of tissue that runs down the outside of the thigh, or to the outer part of the knee joint itself. If you notice pain to the outside of the knee that comes on with walking or running, it's worth having it assessed rather than pushing through it.
What about pain on the inside of the knee?
Pain on the interior of the knee — the side nearest the other leg — is frequently linked to wear in that part of the joint or to the inner cartilage. It's a common spot for arthritis to show up first. As with pain on the outside of the knee joint, it's best to find out what's driving it.
How do I know if I have a meniscus tear?
A meniscus tear often follows a twist of the knee and can cause pain, swelling, clicking and a sense that the knee catches or locks when you bend it. Some tears settle with rest and physiotherapy, while others need a closer look with a scan. If your knee keeps catching or locking, mention a possible meniscus tear to your doctor.
What is knee bursitis?
Knee bursitis is inflammation of one of the small fluid-filled sacs, the bursae, that cushion the knee — so bursitis of the knee causes swelling and tenderness, often at the front or inner side. It's the same sort of problem as the hip bursitis (trochanteric bursitis) that Margaret describes above, just in a different joint.
Could my knee pain be tendonitis of the knee cap?
It can be. Tendonitis of the knee cap — inflammation of the tendon just below the kneecap — tends to cause pain at the front of the knee that's worse with jumping, squatting or going up and down stairs. It overlaps with anterior knee pain, so an examination helps tell them apart.
Can knee pain be linked to hip problems?
Very much so, and Margaret's story shows why. When one knee is painful, people naturally favour it and the hip on the other side ends up doing extra work, which can flare into hip bursitis. It works the other way round too. Looking after the whole leg, not just the sore spot, often makes a real difference.
Can Advance7 help with knee pain?
Advance7 is a massage gel used alongside capsules. As Margaret describes, many people massage the gel into the painful area — knee or hip — to get the blood moving and soothe the pain, and use it daily as part of their routine. It's well worth a try if you're dealing with ongoing knee pain, alongside the advice of your own doctor.