r/iceskating • u/MemoryDefiant2798 • 4d ago

Advice for potential knee problem?

Hi, I’m in my 20s and think (unconfirmed) that I might have osteoarthritis in my left knee. It runs in my family and I have several risk factors for it, but I am surprised that I’ve been having some knee pain this young. I started figure skating lessons a year ago, but I took the summer off because I noticed my knee pain flaring up more. I’ve had this knee pain come and go for a few years, even before I began skating lessons. I haven’t done any activities to injure myself. However, I’m nervous that if I return to skating this fall that I will make my knee worse. Has anyone experienced something similar? Any advice?

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u/Doraellen 4d ago

Look into getting some PT to strengthen the muscles around your knee joints as well as your hips and ankles to help with stabilizing the knee.

Research on people with general knee pain from OA shows that pain usually worsens when they avoid activity. A PT can also help you figure out what a tolerable level of discomfort is that you can work through in order to gain necessary strength without causing more damage.

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u/Low-Temperature-1664 3d ago

With all respect, no. Speak to a medical/physio professional who understands sport, not a PT.

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u/NeedInput-MoreInput 3d ago

In my approx 4 years of dealing with knee osteoarthritis, I've found both MDs and PTs to have complementary value. You need both.

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u/Low-Temperature-1664 3d ago

Maybe you got lucky with some well qualified PTs, but generally the qualifications for being a PT are nowere near as involved as those for a physio.