knee pain...

[laneyj34]

I am not sure about any rules, whether written or unwritten on this board that may say not to ask medical related questions towards doctors, so I am going to post this question about knee pain that I have. Just so you all know, I am not trying to get out of going to see a doctor, I would just like some quick info on possibilities.

First off, I am a very active person (Sr. @ FSU who is in process of applying to med schools and hopefully one day will be an ortho surgeon), playing a lot of basketball/football and running nearly every day. I have played sports and ran my whole life, especially from highschool on. I developed moderate quadraceps tendonitis about 3 years ago which I take Mobic for each day (if I do not I have enough pain in the tendon to stop me from running and playing). This is not my problem however, as I have been to my ortho doc several times about this. My problem is, about a week and a half ago I was playing basketball and fell rather hard on the outside of my right knee. By the end of the game it was sore enough so that I could not play another game. I figured the pain would go away in a day or two, but it is still here. The pain is bad enough to where I cannot run (which in my case means it is quite painful), and have trouble walking up or down stairs. The pain seems to be worst when bending my knee and when I do try and run, it feels like there is something in my knee (maybe swelling??) that is making me want to stop running. The pain is located on the lateral side of my right knee, slightly anterior of the middle of the knee. There is a point I can press on the surface of my knee where it really hurts if I press hard.

Last night I had an intramural flag football game which I played (somewhat) in. I did not have much trouble cutting, but do have pain running straight, especially when slowing down.

I really do not have a clue what is wrong. Originally I thought I had just bruised something in my knee, like a ligament, cartilage, or my maniscus, but since the pain has not subsided at all, I am starting to get a little more wary of it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jack

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[SOUNDMAN]

Should go and see someone if it's not getting any better. Since you actually fell on the knee from what it sounds like, not really a twisting/cutting type injury it sounds like you either have a bone bruise on the lateral femoral condyle or something else. It doesn't sound ligamentous, nor meniscal. No catching no locking. Maybe wait another week, lay off of it and ease back into things, if no better go see someone. But to get a true answer to your question you need to go see a physician and get proper evaluation and treatment if necessary.

 

[laneyj34]

Soundman, thanks a lot for your advice.

Two more things to add is that it is a rather sharp pain, and I have the most trouble going down hills or stairs when my leg is at the most bent position in during the cycle of a step down.

 

[moquito_17]

You really shouldn’t be posting here for medical advice, and I shouldn’t be answering you, but you have a good story and I couldn’t resist.

Your story is very suspicious for a spontaneously reduced patellar dislocation/subluxation. What you are describing is clearly patellofemoral pain (Pain with deep flexion, going down hill, slowing down etc.) Things that could happen acutely in this joint are: patellar dislocation, patellar fracture, ligamentous injury, osteochondral fracture. The fall on the outside of your knee—may have been part of the dislocation/subluxation event, maybe not. Without examining you, I couldn’t know what part is tender, but knowing that would make or rule out the diagnosis.

Why do you continue to run on it if it hurts? God made pain for a reason, you know.

Bottom line: You need to be evaluated. If you do have a patellar subluxation, you need to get into the evaluation/treatment pipeline. Most orthopaedic surgeons / sports med docs should be able to handle this.

Let us know how this ends up.

Best,

P.S. Don’t Google ‘Patellar dislocation’ and spend the next 3 hours reading about it. I don’t even know if that’s what you have.

 

[laneyj34]

Moquito, Thanks for your advice. I will definitly let you all know what the doctor tells me. I am going to call and make an appointment.

I do believe that you have some telepathy skills. My first thoughs while reading your post pretained to, "what are these things he is talking about?" My next thought was, "I will search for it online." Anyways, thanks again.

Jack

 

[laneyj34]

Well, I went to my primary care doctor who did not know what to think of the injury. He told me right away that I need to get in to see an ortho specialist. When they called to make the appointment, we found out there were no openings until Thanksgiving (Nov 20). So, I will be in pain until then I guess. Tallahassee, Fl really needs some more ortho doctors, which is where I hope to help out one day... just wish we had more for the time being because Nov 20th is a long time to wait, especially if something really is wrong.

 

[Hardbody]

Well, I went to my primary care doctor who did not know what to think of the injury. He told me right away that I need to get in to see an ortho specialist. When they called to make the appointment, we found out there were no openings until Thanksgiving (Nov 20). So, I will be in pain until then I guess. Tallahassee, Fl really needs some more ortho doctors, which is where I hope to help out one day... just wish we had more for the time being because Nov 20th is a long time to wait, especially if something really is wrong.

How did that appointment go?