Question
Dr. Kulla,

I am a 19 year old college soccer player. I've been noticing a more frequent and painful popping sound coming from my right knee, right hip, and shoulders. I have sustained three separate fractures to my right knee cap since I was 12 years old, so I figured it might have something to do with that.

However, the pain I'm experiencing isn't confined to times where I'm exerting a lot of energy, such as while I'm training, working out, or even playing. I get sudden fits of piercing pain in my knee cap just standing or sitting as well. While those instances are less frequent, they occur multiple times throughout the day and are equally as painful.

I went to my doctor to get a physical for soccer this year and filled him in on the issues and he said that depending on how the season goes I may need to schedule a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon. He mentioned the possibility of floating cartilage causing the pain and such, but I wanted to get a second opinion just to make sure.

Answer
he is right. given your history of multiple fractures i would have an x ray done first , then mri if nothing shows on x ray. you should also be stretching a lot. specifically your quads, calves and IT (ilio-tibial)band.
if it improves with stretching (best way to stretch the it band is with a foam roller)after a few weeks then you can skip the xrays and mri.
i suggest you stretch first, because of the symptoms into your hip also.Its possible its simply a very tight IT band.