Knee question - Any physical therapists? Sports folk?

[Riven]

I have always had a knee that "sticks" and is uncomfortable until I pop it, which I do by standing on that leg and just kind of twisting, if that makes sense.

A couple months ago I started working out, I haven't "worked out" for...well before I was born? Does PE count? I used to walk and roller blade all the time though.

While working out and doing leg lifts on the weight machines I found my right knee ached. So I always went really easy on it, thinking maybe I just need to get it into shape and it was weak. I was doing the minimum which is 12.5 lbs. then pretty soon was doing less of them, skipping some days, then using the left leg more, then eventually not even doing that anymore. As time went on it began to ache, even be almost painful after exercising, even without working it, then it began to hurt after about 15-20 minutes on the procor...

Then I starting thinking about how I should get it looked at, but was thinking what if they want to do surgery on it... Which reminded me that was the same knee my Grandpa had to have replaced, so I asked my mom, and that's the same knee of hers that she has problems with... :no:

Now it gets achey even when I don't exercise that day, just from normal lifting, etc. we have a tri-level so I'm always up and down steps. I've found that a light neoprene type of brace helps it.

Any thoughts or suggestions of any kind? Should I get it looked at? Am I over re-acting? Could I prevent problems down the road or am I just prolonging the inevitable? :help2:

BTW: It is the inside of my knee, would be the MCL? Sorry, I can handle blood, guts, puss, muscles, but bones and tendons freak me out!

ETA: That's how I have to pop my knee when it gets "stuck"! :cry4:

What happens with a meniscus tear (torn cartilage)?
The two most common causes of a meniscus tear are due to traumatic injury (often seen in athletes) and degenerative processes (seen in older patients who have more brittle cartilage). The most common mechanism of a traumatic meniscus tear occurs when the knee joint is bent and the knee is then twisted.

 

[LucksAngel28]

I think the type of popping in your quote is different (more extreme) from the way you pop your knees. I have had a lot of trouble with mine, and I know exactly what you mean because I pop mine in the same way sometimes. My PT said it wasn't the best idea, but it was okay to get it going. I would just check with your doctor, though. If it is something degenerative, you don't want to let it go until you get down to bone rubbing on bone. It can be very painful and can actually mess up the sockets in your knee. Good luck!

 

[addictedtochins]

I know a lot about knees, but yes you need to get it looked at first. I am thinking it may be meniscus trouble. Doesn't sound like ACL or MCL but can't tell anything without a good exam. Don't worry about what your mom or grandpa went through, you're young and it's 2009 LOL.

 

[Riven]

Well actually I'll be 60 this year...

Just kidding.

I do plan on going in and getting it checked out, but I'm hoping to go in with a little bit of insight or ideas of what might be the problem so I feel like not such a complete moron.

Besides the high schools we also have a large college here, and a hockey team, so we have some good orthopedic doctors that deal with sports injuries a lot ( or so I've been told ).

 

[Rickman]

I had orthorscopic surgery on my left knee about 10 years ago! Dr. said it was shattered cartilage from something I did in my 30's, and it was getting progressivly worse, and a fall I took on ice, "popped out" a piece! Was on the table about 45 min., crutches for a week, wrapped for about 2 weeks, and good as new after 2 mo.!
Only acted up once, during chemo, swelled up bigtime, and they drained 2 qts. of fluid, 6 yrs. ago! Occasional aches when the weather changes, but not bad!

 

[Riven]

I made an appt., the soonest they get me in is Monday, which is okay. Of course I just want to get in and get it over with. I'm sure they'll have me come in, then say oh, we need an MRI, come back next week...

Someone suggested that it might just need some cortizone shots, so that I could handle.

 

[Rickman]

Sooner or later you'll have to have the surgery, and the longer you wait, the longer it'll take to heal! If you've the insurance and time now, get it over with - why wait, and possibly make it worse? If you fell on it, and tore it up worse - in the E.R. you don't usually get your choice of Drs. - whoever's on call, which might not do orthescoptic and have to open it up, meaning more healing time, adhesions and scars!
I've two one-inch scars you've got to search for, and don't remember much pain!
Just get 'er done!

 

[Riven]

Well, they did xrays, I rested up real good the week before and was feeling almost no pain, even without my brace the last two days.

Anyway, the rays came up good, he pushed he pulled, he twisted, no PAIN, some uncomfortable feeling.. and he finds.. nothing. He says my knee cap is a bit off and maybe that's causing it. Gave me this special brace... I wore it for two days, and both days with limited activity ( I was just being lazy ) it hurt WORSE than before. So I took that off, and put my old discount store Ace one back on.. and it's feeling better. So I'm calling back and saying I want an MRI this time.

I told him that I have a very high pain tolerance, which concerns me when I have an ongoing "ache", because I worry that I'll make it worse before it gets better. He said well I didn't find anything, so unless you are the one in a thousand of people who tell me that ( you have a high pain tolerance ) who actually does, it doesn't appear that anything is wrong.

He really did try to find the problem, he kept doing them all over to see if he missed something. He said I have good strength and balance, I did some mini squat things on a box and all that, he watched for wobbling. I walked on the track for 30 minutes today, it started sore, got to where it hurt that I almost stopped ( so I didn't hurt anything, not because of untolerable pain ) then it went away and stopped hurting for the rest of the walking, but is sore now again at what I'd put at a 4-5 on a 1-10 scale.

I'm wondering if I need to really make it angry BEFORE I go in so he can find what's wrong?

I've never felt a pain like this before, I've had muscle problems ( tightness etc) and cracked and broken bone problems, even a dislocated hip problem, but this is a pain I've never felt before, which makes me think I messed up a tendon or something.

Any suggestions on what to request when I go back in?

 

[Rickman]

I think I'd try a second opinion from a different Dr.! Mine found the problem right away, but I had to stand on it to make the crack more obvious, while taking the x-ray. My wife is a surgical nurse, and spent 4 yrs. in ortho, and knew there was a problem, and figured it was in the cartilage, as the pain I was having was intermitten, too.
If you've gotta stick with him, maybe because of insurance, have him take standing x-rays of both knees, and compare them. Could be the socket is contacting the ball = wear!
Just a side note; my sister-in-laws mother had regular surgury on both knees a few yrs. ago, and now has adhesions so bad, it takes 15 min. of excercise for her to get out of bed! Insist on arthroscopic - small incisions, with a scope!
I'll be at the nationals, if you want to talk, and my wife knows some of the best ortho guys in Chicago - we'll set you up!

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

My knee was randomly aching when I started exercising more, it was terrible pain too! It'd get worse at night when I laid down and it would only feel better if I could pop it. Well, at the same time my knee was hurting I ended up spraining my ankle and had to buy a brace so I just bought two and then the pain stopped after a week. Weird.

 

[Tiatrack]

Just thought I'd throw out there that new data shows that long-term there is no difference between surgery for ACL repair and rest/PT, so if that is your issue I wouldn't be so quick to jump for surgery.

 

[Spoof]

Any suggestions on what to request when I go back in?

Have you ever been to see a sports therapist?

One here changed my life. I'm now pain free with no surgery. Knees, lower back and feet were causing me massive issues.

The short of it is that everyone has unbalanced muscles - by stretching the strong and straightening the weak you balance yourself evenly and it'll relieve the stress on the offending knee. In a case like yours where a doctor can't pinpoint it and your x-rays come out clean I'd bet it is the case.

Good luck.

 

[Riven]

I haven't been back in yet, but thought I would update.

The brace he gave me, is... well I don't know where it is, but it's not on me! I used my old brace for a couple days, and couldn't stand to not be doing some sorts of exercise because I am really trying to get my weight down and feel like I'm losing time ( yes I'm having a mid life crisis, I'll be 29 tomorrow! ) so... I walked just like 20 min. on the track, then went back the next day and did 30, about half way through my knee started to hurt, pretty badly even with the brace on, it was a weird sort of something is rubbing wrong pain, and then BOOM it went away, and hasn't bothered me since. It's been just a little bit off sometimes right before bed, but not achey or anything of that sorts, just like, whoa, it's been a hard day and I need a rest.

The unbalanced muscle thing might be the best yet Spoof. I don't know if anyone remembers, but I know I mentioned that I was going to the chiro to get my back fixed and acupuncture. Well, my hips are misaligned, and maybe when he fixed my back, it pulled things into where they should be, but haven't been for a long time which caused the problem? The timing would all be right for it.

I have a free adjustment or acupuncture for my birthday, isn't my chiro awesome?! And I'll talk to him about it when I go in for that. I better call and schedule it!

I know that I "should" go in and try to find out what was causing it, but I guess my mind says, if they couldn't find it when it was aching, I don't think they'll find it now that it's NOT aching!