Back and knee pain have been diagnosed with degenerate disease in lower back doctor says its not bad and he don't understand why i am in pain. my left knee goes out all the time xray shows nothing, i have fallen down the stairs, an 4wks ago i fell and twi

A : A knee that locks or gives out may be a sign of a displaced meniscal tear (cartilage inside the knee) those are best view with a mri. Xrays may appear normal despite having a tear. A year is a long to have continued symptoms. I recommend an MRI and you may ultimately need a consultation with an orthopedist to discuss the results.

Torn meniscus: When knees give way, it is important to differentiate between pathology inside the joint (such as a torn meniscus, acl tear, etc) and muscle or nerve injury. A thorough physical exam will show if there is muscle weakness or a ligament injury. An MRI should demonstrate pathology inside the joint.