Understanding Knee Pain and Potential Causes

Question
A couple of years ago I started noticing both of my knees making noise everytime I went up or down steps.  It isn't a "cracking sound" - it kind of sounds like water or fluid in there. I did not have any discomfort with it though until recently. I've recently started having periodic pain in my knees.  I feel discomfort when I do simple things like dancing (lightly) with my 2 yr old, or taking her on short walks. I rarely use steps:  I work on the first floor in my office, live in a rancher (all on one floor), and I don't excercise regulary  (even when I do excercise - it's only light walking in a flat area of my neighborhood).  I really hope that I don't have to have that surgery where they scope your knee.  Could I just do certain excercises to build my knees up to par? Is this something I should address with my doctor quickly b/c it's degenerative?

Answer
Hi Karen,
This may be something called Chondromalacia Patella. It is a degenerative/inflammatory condition of the under side of the knee cap that causes these type of symptoms. This is common in women due to the angle formed by the knee cap and the femur. Female hips being wide and knees tapering down to a sharper angle than that of a man's.
Treatment is relatively simple. Quadraceps muscle building exercises and the use of an Aspirin three times a day with food. If these don't help then sometimes an arthroscopy is required to shave off the inflammed tissue under the knee cap.
I'd review this possibility with your healthcare provider so that an appropriate progream can be started and monitored.