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The Kitchen Table

About My Knee Injury

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I fell on the ice last Monday, injured my left knee. It hurt like Hades the next day, I could barely move around my house. I tried to stay off it and keep ice on it as much as I could. I went to an Urgent Care center, they told me it looked like a sprain, and referred me to an Orthopedist. This morning I went to the Ortho. He did X rays and examined me, twisting my knee every which way. Again hurt like Hades. The X rays show a tiny piece of bone broke off my kneecap (patella) and a small crack in the bone behind the knee. He thinks we can avoid surgery by wearing a brace to support the kneecap and by doing several weeks of Physical Therapy. No wonder I was in so much pain! I know someone else here had a recent injury that might be a sprain, strain ,fracture or break. How did that go? I checked- it was Glenda, her problem is arthritis in her right foot, the one she uses for driving. Hope you are feeling much better, Glenda.

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Comments (7)

prairie_rose
9 years ago
Does your urgent care center not have an Xray? I am surprised they didn't do that before they sent you to the orthopedist. That happened a week or so ago, right? Holy Shin Splint, Batman!! I wonder if they had done the Xray right way if you couldn't have gotten into the orthopedist sooner?

You take it really easy, ok. And get healed up asap! (((((vicsgirl))))
janey_alabama
9 years ago
Ouch!!! I hope you can avoid surgery. Hope it feels better real soon.
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Alisande
9 years ago
Oh, dear . . . knee pain can be wicked! I hope your treatment plan is effective. Damn ice!
gyr_falcon
9 years ago
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.
vicsgirl
Original Author
9 years ago
This is Jannie/ Vicsgirl, the OP. First, it was my own decision not to get an X-ray at the Urgent Care. I thought it was a soft-tissue or ligament injury, not bone injury, and I figured the Orthopedist would take another set. The orthopedist I went to did treat me well, I believe. In addition to a very thorough physical examination of my leg, he gave me an injection of cortisone into the knee joint and it has relieved the pain. He told me to take OTC pain killers if needed, and told me I need an MRI. His office is arranging that appointment for me. (After I went to the Urgent Care,the day after I fell, I phoned one of the Orthopedists on the list they gave me. I explained it was an emergency, but the Receptionist said "There have been so many falls and fractures, the earliest I can get you in is nine days from now." so that's why it took so long to get treated.
marie_ndcal
9 years ago
Curious, what was the opinion on the piece of bone that broke off? Does it have to be removed? Could it cause some problems just sitting there or could it move to cause problems later? You might double check on that --even a fragment might cause problems later. Good luck and yes there are lots of falls this time of the year with ice and snow.
vicsgirl
Original Author
9 years ago
He said a very tiny piece of bone broke off my kneecap, so small my body will just break it down and absorb it.

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