Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Creaking of joints, a precursor to AS

Hi all

I'm wondering if any of your joints creak?? I realise that my left shoulder, both elbows and knees sometimes creak when I stretch my arms, walk or rotate my knees. I don't have much pain in these areas but I wonder if the creaking sound is a precursor to AS in these joints? I hope not! But my left shoulder feels really strange sometimes...it's like some tendon/ligament/mucsle strain kinda feeling and something pulling in there. Does anyone experience that?

Anyway, I have pain in my SI joints and back...and was recently diagnosed with AS

Aerial

Hi Aerial,

I too have a lot of creaking in my joints, and the worst is in my right shoulder. The Doc says it's the rotor cuff and it's not necessarily anything to do with my AS.

Sometimes, because of stiffness in other joints, we tend to stand/sit awkwardly and this can cause problems of a different nature. It's also not unknown for people with AS to have other forms of arthritis. For example, I have osteo -arthritis in my hands. The management of these different forms of arthritis are all basically the same, with the use of anti-inflammatories and pain management.

A good exercise routine (a gentle one I hasten to add) will help keeps your joints flexible and does help with the creaking. Personally, I do a number of stretches every day, and try to keep as mobile as possible. I love to do gardening, and I find that helps a lot. I must stress though, that if you intend to do any form of exercise (other than what you do in your daily living) that you talk with your Doctor first, and make sure that you do not do anything that will cause harm.

(Don't you sometimes wish you could get your joints "lubed" periodically! )

May the roof above us never fall in, and the many friends gathered below it never fall out.

Hi, Aerial:

The condition is called crepitus, and such noisy joints do seem to be a precursor for many types of arthritis. I always had elbow and knee pops--long before the AS began.

Best Regards,
John




"Unfortunately, the soul’s need for learning often brings about the full-blown disease. And it must be cared for creatively, or allowed to take its course."
William A. McGarey, M.D., Director of Medical Research, A.R.E Clinic.

Hi,

Shoulders and necks can be another zone of AS or SpA problems. Sometimes these are soft tissues problems and other times it can be the actually boney bits.

The creaking cracking sounds I often take as a sign I should be more mobile and in my current condition that excludes being static for long no straining jarring etc. Heat helps ice does not.

Rotators cuffs do get effected as can be whole shoulder joint, or the little one at the outside end of the collar bone called the AC joint. Trying to find these can be a bit hard but physio's can often be very useful. My rhemmy is excellent at finding these problems and suggesting things that work, which helps and cuts some time out of the hunting stage.

As others have already said, it's getting the balance right between the things that help, exercise stetching and avoiding the things that exasperate it.

David

hi!
I had my first problems with arthritis at 14th years old, before that, and in the first years of the development of the disease, the joints that crack was later (and are now!) the ones that worst symtoms had, spine, hips, shoulders and neck...coincidence???
saludos
sam

HI! I've recently been diagnosed with AS, on my first ruemy visit I told him that the first thing I had noticed was the excessive cracking and popping in a number of my joints. I think that its definetlly a symtom of AS for some. Apparently just one more to add to the long list of AS symtoms! Its good we have this site, so we all know we're not crazy and alone in this!

Take care,
jillianne

I have REALLY crunchy knees and believe it or not, for as horrible as they sound they are the joints that give me the least problem!

__________________________________________
Rox

POWERPUFF!!!!

Oh, what the heck....take me to Roxanne's Website

Hi Rox,

hey, one question...following your latest doctor's advice...
has the correct shoe size solved all your problems ?

hope your nyc trip went well.

aloha Ben