It seems I've developed a case of gout in the knee. I thought this was a big toe problem. How can it attack my knee?
In theory, gout can affect any joint in the body. It does seem to affect the great toe most often. In fact about half of all patients have symptoms here first. But other joints can be involved, including the knee. The hand, foot, and elbow are affected more often than the knee.
Less commonly, the shoulders, hips, spine, sacroiliac joints, and jaw are involved. Typical symptoms are a hot, tender, red, and inflamed joint. Urate crystals called tophi collect in the joint and nearby soft tissues. Tophi can be found in the ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and burse.
If enough deposits of urate crystals form, the skin bursts and a chalky material oozes out. Medical treatment early can help prevent this kind of progression of disease. Left untreated, eventually the big toe will become affected.
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