Could shoulder pain be linked to knee surgery?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 46-year-old man who underwent ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and meniscus surgery six years ago. Lately, I have been experiencing swelling and pain in my knee. Additionally, I have been having shoulder pain, particularly when lifting it upwards.I have had a past surgery on the same knee.

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

I have reviewed both attachments containing MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans of your shoulder and knee. Let us start with the knee. Your history indicates ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) reconstruction surgery six years ago, and now you are experiencing pain. The MRI suggests ACL graft impingement, which seems unlikely given the timeframe since your surgery. Typically, if impingement were to occur, it would have manifested soon after the operation. Since you were fine in between, impingement seems improbable. The noted changes appear to be degenerative rather than significant.

Answer the following questions:

Could you please mark the exact site of pain on your knee and send a picture to me?
Are you able to squat comfortably and completely?
Do your current symptoms resemble those you had before the surgery six years ago?
Could you provide images of the MRI? I suspect the impingement diagnosis might not be accurately reported.

Regarding your shoulder, the MRI indicates bursitis and a small tear in the supraspinatus muscle. While the tear is minor and unlikely to cause issues, the pain is likely due to the inflammation from bursitis. Can you tell me what medications you are currently taking for this?

Looking forward to your response.

Please revert in case of further queries.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

In your shoulder, the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) indicates a supraspinatus tear, a part of the rotator cuff muscle. It seems unlikely to improve without intervention and may require rotator cuff repair. However, I recommend starting with anti-inflammatory medication like Tablet Etoricoxib once daily for six weeks, along with supraspinatus strengthening exercises. If there is no improvement, surgery may be necessary.

Regarding your knee, impingement and a cyst are visible on the MRI, either of which could be causing your pain. I suggest starting the same medication regimen and trying quadriceps and hamstring strengthening exercises for six weeks. There's a good chance of improvement with this approach.

Thank you.