--- title: "Her Knee ‘Buckled’ for Years — Until This Happened." entity: "blog" canonical_url: "https://www.betterknees.com/blog/her-knee-buckled-for-years-until-this-happened" markdown_url: "https://www.betterknees.com/llms/blog/her-knee-buckled-for-years-until-this-happened" lastmod: "2025-12-03T20:42:00.000Z" --- “I’m so glad I found you on YouTube!” Natalie* told me this after we had been working together for a short while. *Natalie is my client, but I changed her name to protect her privacy. Several weeks before this, we met during a Strategy Session (a 20-minute online video call to determine if she might be a good candidate for the [Inside Out Knee Health](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IadheI3L6W8) approach). I knew that she had osteoarthritis in both knees , but not much more than that. And I was curious about when her knees started to bother her. Natalie thought for a moment, and said, “Gosh, I went to an orthopedist probably 35 years ago. He told me I needed a lateral release [surgery].” “But some other people said, ‘No, you don't want to go there,’ so I didn't.” ## What happened to her knees “So, yeah,” Natalie continued, “ my knees have just gotten more problematic over the years. ” “I’m in good health. What's slowing me down right now is my knees.” “Saturday night we went to a college football game. The seats were very tight, and we sat there for four hours.” “And when I went to get up, holy cow, my husband had to help me because my knees were just not going to move.” Watch the video, “The Solution for Sitting Knee Pain,” [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRPtgmXmoB0&feature=youtu.be) “Once I got moving, I went up the stairs and down the ramp into the parking lot without a problem. It was just that initial getting up to move again.” I took notes and nodded. “I’m still a little cautious stepping off a curb because I’ve had my knee ‘buckle.’” “I don't know if that's the right word, but I'm cautious now.” I explained to Natalie that when someone’s knee tends to give way or buckle, it often indicates knee swelling. And even if someone’s knee doesn’t clearly appear swollen, as little as half a shot glass of extra fluid can diminish the tone of nearby muscles. ([source](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13075-014-0502-4)) (I’ve previously written about this [here.](https://betterknees.com/blog/the-overlooked-cause-of-knee-instability)) But by getting rid of the swelling and improving the quality of the knee fluid, the buckling sensation dissipates. In the meantime, since her right knee was the one that often buckled, I recommended that she step down from the curbs using her right foot. This would likely be safer because her bodyweight would be supported by her left leg. ## Why she was inquiring about Inside Out Knee Health “I've tried traditional physical therapy twice,” Natalie paused. “And I think it was maybe somewhat helpful, but I was hoping for more. ” “The physical therapist, he put me on weighted leg lifts, to the front and side.” “And stand-up sit-downs is what he called another exercise.” “Then, he put me on a treadmill. I didn't turn it on, but I was supposed to make it move with just my legs, and that wasn't totally pleasant.” “But my knees have just gotten worse…” “I want to be able to walk around more than two blocks without having to tell my husband we've got to go home. “ And I don't want a knee replacement unless you tell me I absolutely have to.” ## Working together to soothe her knees When Natalie decided to work with me, she said, “I should confess to you other things that I've been trying.” “I've been drinking turmeric and ginger tea. I usually drink it in the afternoons.” When I said I thought it was fine to continue using the tea, she added, “It’s organic.” “I’m trying not to really ramp up the NSAIDs for a number of reasons, but I have less aching in the morning if I just take one before bed.” “Other things, which you might shake your head at,” Natalie continued, “I've been putting castor oil on my knees with some rosemary oil in it.” “It's been on the internet, which is not my primary source of medical information,” she chuckled. “I used to be a hospital pharmacist back in the day.” “But anyway, what could it hurt?” “ I'm at the point where I'll try anything within reason. ” “I've been putting some DMSO cream on my knees with a horse liniment. I know from pharmacy school that it drives things down deeper into my knees.” “And if I'm sitting watching TV, I'll put a couple warm packs on my knees with cloth in between and then a towel over it. That seems to be soothing.” Natalie had persevered in trying to make her knees feel better. Some of the things she mentioned temporarily soothed her knees. And she knew to be cautious about the anti-inflammatory medication. (I’ve previously talked about this [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4mS01TLJcQ&feature=youtu.be).) But nothing she was doing was actually making her knees better. Her knee problems weren’t going away. ## What was missing from her attempts to soothe her knees Natalie’s focus in working with me was getting long-term improvement for her knees. My approach to building better knees not only makes clients' knees feel better. It also makes the inside of their knees stronger and more resilient – so the knee pain and problems don’t come back. The first phase is indeed soothing irritated knees. But unlike all the things Natalie was doing, I help clients improve the fluid inside their knees. Thicker, more viscous knee fluid provides better lubrication and comfort. ([source](https://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(02)00372-2/fulltext)) And it didn’t take long for this to happen for Natalie. During our third online coaching session, I prompted Natalie to remeasure around her knees with a flexible tape measure. The swelling in her right knee – the one that had been buckling – had improved significantly. Within six weeks, she had a reduction of roughly 2.5 cm (about an inch less girth) around her right knee. So I wasn’t surprised when Natalie told me, “I feel like I'm stronger, especially when walking up and down a curb.” “The other thing I've noticed on walks, Laurie, is that previously I was hanging onto my husband’s arm part of the time – for balance or, I don't know, stability.” “But I'm not doing that at all anymore.” “And that shifting kneecap sensation is almost gone.” “I might notice it once a day, maybe twice, but previously it was really frequent.” “Just sitting,” Natalie continued, “ I'm not aching or hurting at all .” “I still try not to pivot when I’m getting into the car; that still seems to be problematic.” “But yeah, overall my knees are better, much better.” A smile spread across my face and I told her how happy I was for her. “I'm happy for me too.” ## Taking her knees to the next level “Even though my knees feel stronger, I don't feel like they're strong enough yet,” Natalie admitted. “I'd like to keep going, make them even better.” Natalie’s instinct is absolutely accurate. If she stops now, it’s likely only a matter of time, or increased activity, before her knee problems return. Our next step is strengthening the surfaces (the cartilage) inside her knees. When the inside of Natalie's knees are stronger, they’ll withstand forces from her active life without getting harmed. Without getting swollen or painful. I’m grateful to work with Natalie. I’m grateful to work with all of my clients – most of whom would otherwise be living with or tolerating knee pain. I expect the inside of Natalie’s knees will continue to get stronger over the coming weeks. Stay tuned to hear about her future successes… I help clients get Better Knees with the [Inside Out Knee Health](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IadheI3L6W8)approach. Interested in working with me? Schedule [here.](https://thekelseygroup.as.me/schedule/c7867c70/appointment/6829146/calendar/2183781) ## Key Takeaways - Natalie lived with knee pain and buckling , despite trying physical therapy, home remedies, and various soothing treatments. - Her knee symptoms worsened over time , especially after prolonged sitting and when stepping off curbs. - Traditional treatments didn’t address the real issue : improving the quality of her knee fluid and reducing subtle swelling that weakens the surrounding muscles. - Within just weeks of starting the Inside Out Knee Health approach, Natalie experienced measurable reductions in swelling, stronger steps, less buckling, and more confidence while walking. - Better Knees are more than just pain-free knees — the inside of Better Knees are stronger (including the cartilage surfaces), to prevent future irritation, swelling, and setbacks. For Inside Out Knee Health, here's a [guide](https://enjoystrongerknees.com/) to get started: You can access it [here](https://enjoystrongerknees.com/) . For personalized guidance to build [Better Knees](https://betterknees.patientbase.io/services) : Schedule a free 20-minute [Strategy Session](https://TheKelseyGroup.as.me/) . (Find your best time [here](https://TheKelseyGroup.as.me/) .) Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any health issue or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare professional. The author of this blog and the website do not bear any responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided in this blog.