Question
Sharon Davis,

Thank you SO much for taking my question.  I am a computer contractor in my 30s and recently had health insurance for a brief period of time- about a year and a half ago.   I was experiencing pains in my knees when walking.  I had an MRI.  I was quite dismayed when the doctor told me then I appeared to have chondromalacia and some thinning cartelege, as well as an unexplained miniscus tear.   I have since lost coverage and cannot afford to go back.   How and why I got chondromalacia I have no idea, but I do not do strenuous sports.

After taking glucosamine and changing to better shoes, the knee pain went away and really hasn't returned since.  The    tear, if it hasn't healed, appears to cause me no trouble.  However I have been concerened about cartelege and wear on my joints.   I do hear some slight clicking/squelching when doing squats or straightening knees, and have read on websites that this could mean degrading carteledge, softening, wear, etc.  Some warn about ignoring such signs, and give horror stories of 'bone on bone' after ignoring them for years.

My question is, I would like to exercise with weights, but I am concerned that exercises such as the leg lift, leg curl, etc will further 'wear down' the carteledge in my knees.  Does the cartelege in your joints really behave like road tires, meaning such increased activity will wear them down prematurely?   Am I dooming myself to ruined knees by such exercises?

Thanks much,

Jeff  

Answer
Hi Jeff

Although I don't have expertise in the area of knees, I'll try to address a few points you make on other general issues.

My one concern is the fact that you don't have health insurance and you went to a doctor and got a diagnosis.  My fear is that since there is a written record of a health issue, any insurance you pick up might consider this a pre-existing condition and will make it harder for you to get coverage.  A pre-existing condition clause normally does not cover diagnosed conditions that are less than five years old.  So you need to be very careful when looking into health coverage and be sure you are covered.

It might be that the pain you were experiencing was from the meniscus tear and that may have healed and that's why you are pain free.   thing that concerns me is that you are still experiencing clicking and and squelching noises and that you had been diagnosed with thinning of the cartiledge.  If I were you I would not exercise with weights, that can exacerbate any condition you might have and if your meniscus tear has not completely healed you may tear it again.  

You really need to get in touch with a competent physical therapist in order to see if there is any exercise you can do that will strengthen the muscles and not do damage to your cartlidge or the meniscus.

I can't say for sure what you can and can't do, only your doctor can tell you that.  My main concern is your health coverage. My gut reaction is that if you are not in any pain, you should do very little weight lifting and try to stay healthy until the pre-existing clause of any health insurance has expired.  Then get health insurance, and address any issues you may have at that time.

If you don't do that, and for some reason, do damage to your knees you won't be covered because of the diagnosis.

Hope this helped.

Sharon Davis