So a few months ago I posted here about our 11yo daughter's inexplicable knee issue. She's played soccer since she was 4, and is on the highest level of her traveling club. Last year she was invited to try out for the Olympic development team. All of that seemed like a lot for a 10-11yo, and I was concerned about it, but she loved it and did well, so we kept it up.

Then in August she started complaining about pain in her right knee. She played through it for a couple of months, until early October, when a ball hit her knee and she went down. She cried so much on the sideline, which was unusual for her, that the coach waved me over, and I took her to urgent care.

Since then, we have had:
- 2 x-rays
- 1 MRI
- 5+ doctor visits, to 2 doctors
- More than 25 PT sessions
- 5+ knee braces
- And a May appt with a pediatric rheumatoid arthritis specialist who requires an appt 6 months in advance

No one can diagnose anything. There is apparently no damage to the knee. She was cleared to play again a couple of months ago, started practicing carefully and after three practices, said the pain was worse.

Osgood schlatter was mentioned several times, and might still be the issue. However, there is no real treatment for it aside from icing and waiting for her growing bones to sort themselves out. One doc said to put her on daily Aleve, but after a week of that (which did reduce pain), we ended it because that seemed crazy to have her on Aleve 24/7. She also has some skin rashes on her elbows, which makes me wonder about RA, but we won't know that until we can see the doctor in May.

So now she has been out of soccer for one complete season and is missing the start of spring. She misses her team, but also said she can't play without a lot of pain. Even not playing, some nights she cries because her knee hurts. When she shows up at practice to try to be part of the group, the girls are paying less attention to her, because honestly, she isn't playing. It's like being injured in the NFL ... you're there, but not important.

I've struggled with whether we let her do too much, too soon, and that caused this. We're trying to fill the huge time void left by not soccer, but haven't been successful so far. And we have no idea when or if she will get better. Try outs are in May, and even if she wants to attempt it, she is very rusty at this point. She is looking at giving up something that was part of her identity for most of her life.

Has anyone had this happen? How did it end? I can't believe that she may end up giving up soccer for something that no one can diagnose.