i posted something similar under back problems but i figured id do one here to see if maybe anyone recognizes any of these symptoms...

im 19 yrs old and also a competitive swimmer for college. my senior year in high school i pulled thru some elbow tendonitis..then this year i started having same symptoms mid thru the swim season. in early feb my back started hurting also and hasnt gone away since. it hurts the most when i sit or walk for a while. occasionally i had some leg pain and tingling in the butt. ive been to chiropractors, therapists, and probably a dozen doctors. no one seems to know whats going on. i had x rays (which were okay) and an mri not too long ago (took long enough). it didnt show anything serious, or at least nothing the doc could do about. it just said i had small schmorl's nodes at certain places. my physical therapist says this might be part of the pain i get from my back but he isnt really sure.

also not too long ago i had to go to the doctor for bad chest pain..they told me i had an inflamed sternum (which sometimes flares up every once in a while). i took 4 months off of swimming in the spring but now im trying to get back...its all up and down and lately ive been feeling a lot of joint pain (wrists, back, knees, elbows...). i usually take some sort of anti inflammatory like ibuprofen or advil when its needed. i got an appoitment for the rheumatologist but i cant get in till late august. im just curious to see what anyone thinks is going on. thanks so much for the help! :D

Hi goob123,

I am not too much of an expert on back problems, but here goes. It sounds like a lot of your pains (in the places they are), could be from some kind of arthritis?! Wrists, back, knees, elbows and sometimes feet and fingers and shoulders, cause pain in patients with arthritis. Your rheumatologist will be able to help you - probably with some kind of medicine (1 or 2).

Arthritis can be caused (or help to be started) by injuries. It sounds like your exercise that you do (swimming), is good for arthritis - just too much if you have this illness. My daughter used to do gymnastics and diving and now 10 yrs. later, she is having back and knee problems. She will probably develop arthritis, if she does not already have it. She is doing like you and just taking anti-inflamatories.

Hope you have a good rheumy and they fix you all up - or at least make most of your pain go away! I am sure you will get more advice in the am.

Take care. Wannabe

I have psoriatic arthritis and suffer the same symptoms you described. My rheumatologist says that spinal involvement is common. I have been through many, many medications. The one I find the most helpful is enbrel. It is an immunosuppressive medication the helps to decrease inflammation. I also take clinoril and plaquenil. Right now I'm having trouble with an arthritic rib, and the doc suspects maybe more of the rib joints may be inflammed. I think many types of arthritis will cause the symptoms you're having. I hope you have good luck with your rheumatologist. One thing I can say is that it took me many years to get to see a rheumatologist, and once I did it made a huge difference. I have much less pain and stiffness, and fewer flareups. Good luck!

well, i finally got into the rheumatologist today and the doc seems to think i also have psoriatic arthritis (just as you said carrot16). got some blood tests done so ill be waiting on those results for about a week. its kind of nice to have someone know what i have (or at least an idea this time).