My child 15 has chronic lyme disease, he has had a problem w/his knees popping now his shoulders & wrists have started. He sd it feels like it pops out of the socket & he has to get it back in. If he tries to carry something it happens & he drops it or to throw a ball & extend it it pops. His dr had xrays taken & sd his bones are fine that he must think it pops out. This doesn't make sense to me he KNOWS it pops. Do regular xrays show joints or ligaments?

-- Joy Buchholz (joy@advcom1.com), November 25, 2002

Answers

Regular xrays do not show cartilage, muscles or ligaments, but an MRI would. If your child's symptoms are getting worse over time, an MRI may be warranted. Some popping of the joints is common at the end of growth. Age 15.

-- Marc W. Hungerford, M.D. (mhunger@jhmi.edu), February 05, 2003.