The Right Knee Noise That I Have -- Perhaps All

The Right knee noise that I have -- perhaps all the time but -- definitely when ascending and descending stairs, for just a couple of years, is NOT a popping, snapping, or cracking (as some websites suggest). The noise is a crunching.

1. So what would my diagnosis be?

2. And what corrective exercises can I do at home to fix my Right knee, exercises which are safe, and
will result in observable differences (so that I can be consistent with and committed to boring, time consuming exercises), and which will not cause wear and tear, or other permanent damage?

My Left knee (which makes no noise on stairs) has a torn ACL since my late 20s (as diagnosed through an arthroscopy a year or two afterward), and avoiding all pivoting and sliding is imperative to preventing further permanent damage and prevent losing my mobility. I continued jogging now and then for some years after the Left knee injury but I did need to be continuously mindful of how I was planting my feet, particularly during any stretches of opportunity to jog on less even grass or paths, instead of on pavement (thinking: toes slightly inward), in order to avoid re-injuring my Left knee.

3. What corrective exercises can I do at home to fix my Left knee, exercises which are safe, will result in observable differences (so that I can be consistent with and committed to boring, time consuming exercises), and which will not cause wear and tear, or other permanent damage?

I do not have the income to visit physiotherapists unfortunately, and I would need a miracle for that to change (due to no fault of my own). But whenever I have started knee exercises at home, my knees felt WORSE as a result, so I cannot tell whether or not the home exercises I dream up are actually permanently damaging my knees. I need some professional guidance as to what knee fixing exercises I can do at home safely. Having said that, I need to observe that the exercises I do at home are actually making a significant difference to my knees.
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Several background facts, in case any of the following characteristics of my feet / legs are relevant:

- I have flat feet.

- My feet are apparently relatively flexible.

- My feet are a size C and D in the front, and a size A in the heels.

- The bone of my large toes, especially the Left, slightly protrude to the inside of the feet, so the large toes pointing somewhat outward.

- The natural orientation of my feet is like duck feet, however I am routinely mindful of "feeling" that I am pointing my toes slightly inward while walking (and some standing), though then my toes are, as a result, likely pointed basically straight ahead.

- I got into this ("think toes pointing inward") habit in my mid and late 20s in order to try to prevent exacerbation of my chronic shin splints, which I had had since adolescence (365 days a year, 24/7, activity or no activity), and which I had concluded were the chronic result of imbalanced muscles in my flat feet and legs.

- The shin splints were worse when I walked quickly or more, and worse yet when I jogged,
which I would _LOVE_ to be able to do again. (I would love to be able to eventually jog 9-10 miles a day but, if necessary to prevent permanent damage, would settle for eventually 3 miles or less.)

- My ankles are weak, particularly my left ankle (injured, in a fall descending stairs outdoors, maybe around my early 40s).

- The "tracking" of my knees seems problematic. It seems as though the Right knee (and maybe it's occurred in my Left knee too?), _if_ I don't improve my knee supporting muscles and "tracking" very soon (I don't have the income to see a physiotherapist unfortunately), will soon begin to, every day or so, get hooked, or stuck, or slightly dislocated . . . as though out of its "track." Between that strong and foreboding sense, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the fact that I would LOVE to be able to jog again, I am very motivated to act on your professional recommendations with respect to which safe and effective excercises I should do at home everyday to fix and optimize the function and longevity of my knees. Thank you so very much for offering your professional expertise and advice.

Joy Creek
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