My pain is often hard to figure out, since alot of uninvolved parts react to pain somewhere else, with my fibrmyalgia. The only warning I may have gotten was that my leg started aching at night (which is what I had prior to the meniscus problem). Yes....If I sit or lay down, the pain all goes away, for the most part. I get up, and it starts immediately. I hope its not bone-on-bone pain. You'd think I would have more pain at rest if it was really inflamed. I have had big problems with my foot structure my whole life too. I had surgery on my left foot about 13 years ago, for an arthritis chip in the big toe, and several hammertoes. I had plantar fasciitis alot, because of my tight tendons. After my knee surgery (I think because of my limping), I developed a neuroma in my right foot. I could hardly walk. I got orthotics, and that helped alot. The pain went away completely when it forced my second toe to become a hammertoe. So I'm sure my gait has changed since then, which might be affecting my knee. Also, after my knee surgery I seemed to develop piriformis syndrome.....which eventually went away. Needless to say, I think I was born with an inferior/weak structure. I do know that alot of my tendons/muscles are really tight most of the time. I decided to quit doing my exercises yesterday, thinking it might be hurting it, but my pain got alot worse. So its back to the stretching and strengthening exercises today. Fortunately, I have a cryopak for icing. Another curious thing is that my body seems to fall apart every Fall. This has happened ever since I developed fibromyalgia about 15 years ago. I do take D3 supplements, in the event it has something to do with SAD. I've been to so many docs in my life and I know that not all of them are reasonable troubleshooters. Did your doc immediately realize that yours was the IT band problem? I also think some of the physical therapists know more about some of these things than the docs. Was the doc who diagnosed you an orthopod? Thanks for your help oilpainter.

I'm sorry to hear you went through such a painful experience, vicsgirl. Urgent Care definitely should have taken x-rays. I went in for a knee injury just last week. Thankfully not much pain except for when trying to put any weight on it--the knee wouldn't allow that at all. But the doctor said they were going to take x-rays even though he, and I, thought it was meniscal rather than a break. Because, he said, and I'm quoting, "It is a huge no-no to send you to the orthopedist without ruling out a break or fracture. So we are going to take x-rays to rule that out". Hope you can avoid knee surgery and that the support and therapy allows your injury to heal. Did they give you a prescription for something to ease the pain and swelling this time around, at least? Probably doesn't need saying, but be extra careful with your dangerous weather conditions. I don't want to read you tried for a retake on your first slip while on your way to physical therapy. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Yes JP- Start rockin that knee ASAP!! I'm preaching here from a downstairs bedroom! Damn spring cold!!! Missed work yesterday, & today is the normal day off. OSP- I KNEW it! Should'a had my surgery in JH!!! That way, I could've done my rehab at the Four-Seasons there....;-) DW & I walked through there in July 2013. Were staying in West-Yellowstone, but drove thru YNP one day, then down to JH. MIMI- I bet you've got lotsa rehab stories you could tell!!? My CPM-Machine was on when I woke up...I THINK... If not, it was on soon afterward! You also reminded me that I had started "Pre-replacement" exercises 2 months b4 surgery too! "Go in stronger" was kinda their mantra... Faron

It's harder to get into medical school than into podiatry school, entrance standards are higher. (Many who go podiatry school tried and failed to get into either allopathic or osteopath schools). Physician training is more intensive. For those going into surgery, the training route for physician surgeons (compared to podiatrists) takes more years and involves exposure to arguably better teaching practitioners and a broader variety of situations. Of course there are great podiatric surgeons and lousy physician orthopedists but if given a choice, why would anyone pick a service provider whose training was less rigorous and whose profession is less selective for entrance? There are things that podiatrists do that orthopedic surgeons don't, I don't mean to suggest that seeing one for one of those problems is a bad choice. But if surgery is involved, I think finding someone whose training and academic background are on a higher level is something most would prefer.