Collateral Ligaments and other non-cruciate tendons & ligaments around the knee :

posterolateral instability? - - Posted by samantha (samantha), 1 June 2003

Hi everyone -
I am hoping someone can shed light on this problem with my left leg.
I've been having lower leg pain and instability for over a year now.  I've been to several OS and besides being treated for patello femoral pain, they cannot find anything wrong with my knee.
I have had one OS say that I have posterolateral instability, but no one else has been able to find it and they all look at my like I'm crazy because my MRI's are virtually benign.
I know there is something wrong with all of the biomechanics in my lower leg affecting everything from how I walk, stand, bend over.  My my knee cap will snap out of place when I try to turn and  my ankle and foot because I know I am not landing properly on it.  I have a hard time turning and initiating the first step with my left leg.  It's hard for me to unlock my leg and start walking and the minute I do this my knee cap snaps.  
Standing also places a lot of stress on the muscles in my lower leg - from the anterior tibialis my gastroc's, Achilles tendon, heel and the lateral side of my foot.  It is really disabling and have yet to find a doctor who will take me seriously.
I am 30 years old and studying to be a Physician Assistant and at this point I am ready to drop out because I can't make it through my days.  I feel like I am functioning on one leg only.

Does anyone out there with posterolateral instability or anything else for that matter share my complaints?
I am really desperated and tired of being told that my leg is normal when I know it is not.
I would really appreciate any light someone can share on this matter.

Thanks so much.  Samantha

Posted by ATsoccergirl (ATsoccergirl), 6 June 2003

Hi Samantha,

I am a certified athletic trainer and I have had significant experiance with posterolateral instabilities.  Please drop me an e-mail (ATsoccergirl1@netscape.net) with a description of your problems and relevent case history.  I'll get back to you as soon as I can.  I would reply directly to the forum, but I don't feel like I have enough info to really have a good feel for what's going on.  I usually answer my e-mails fairly quickly, but I am hardly ever on this board.
Posted by alanfleri (alanfleri), 19 January 2004

hi samantha - sorry to hear of your trouble , i have posted several notes on another persons question in postereolateral conrners under alexander--pls read.


at moment i have similar trouble in that some mornings i wake up and cannot straighten my leg . i have worked out two ways to get passed this -- one is to swing the leg outwards . i feel a huge snap and it is very , very painful ...i do not recommend this , but it works. The other is to lie in a frog stretch and to untwist you leg outwards whilst in frog position . it is quite tricky , but i feel like a tendon is unhooking or something ....thereis no snap - no pain . just a nack of getting it right.

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