About My Knee Injury

11 years ago

last modified: 11 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
11 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
11 years ago
Ouch!!! I hope you can avoid surgery. Hope it feels better real soon.
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Well, I was at the doctor recently with my sister, who'd had a sharp blow to her knee. He took x-rays to make sure that the kneecap wasn't shattered, and it wasn't. Then, he told her that blows to the knee almost always heal, but that it often takes 2-3 months. He didn't suggest any further diagnostic tests (i.e., MRI) until at least two months. It's been 2-1/2 months for her now, and it's just started to feel better in the last week or two. So, if you're not going to go to the doctor, I'd suggest ice for the swelling, rest as much as possible, keeping your leg up on several pillows when resting, etc. A compression bandage (eg. ACE bandage) can help with swelling, too. I know that my doctor has also recommended exercise to strengthen the muscles around the knee, but I'd have no idea when you should begin those. Here are the exercises she recommended, if you're interested: Lie flat on your bed or the floor. Point your toe. Keeping your leg straight, lift one leg a few inches off the bed or floor. Hold to the count of twenty. Repeat with the other leg. Then, do exactly the same thing, only with your ankle bent so your foot is at a right angle to your leg. I do this several times a day. I think it mostly helps with the common sort of knee pain that's caused by the tendons loosening, allowing the kneecap to slip from it's appropriate spot. Good luck. I'm sorry to hear you don't have health insurance. I know what that's like.
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Hi twotogo, I also pronate. Unfortunately, the clinic ordered me some custom orthotics and when I got them, they hurt my knees soooo much. They made the orthotics to make me have perfect feet, and they didn't work because I don't have perfect knees too. What a waste of money. Do you have orthotics or just new shoes? If your shoes/orthotics don't hurt your legs, I would keep wearing them. it may take awhile for them to help you. Here's the exercises they gave me to strengthen my knee: 1)Sit on side of bed and lift leg with 5-10# weights on them. Do about 15, several times a day. Sit on floor with legs outstretched and lift one leg at a time, holding for about 10 seconds. Do this about 10 times several times a day. (I sit in a chair with my leg on a coffee table). There's no getting down on the floor for me! There were others, but these seemed to strengthen me the most. Another important thing I learned was to try to never limp. It can really throw other parts of you out of whack. Does it help with the pain, if you walk slowly ....heal-toe, heal-toe? That helped me. I always thought pain was a signal that something was wrong, but according to my doc and physical therapist, it doesn't always mean that. And you have to work through it. When I was recovering from my knee surgery last year, I was having a heck of a time. I would get a horrible pain in my knee with each step. I finally realized that I wasn't walking right. I slowed down, started each step on my heel and followed through, and the pain disappeared almost immediately! Sorry for rambling. I hope you can get some relief. Its good that you are strengthening your knees now, in case you do have surgery......you will be ahead of the game afterwards. Good luck!
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So, first, let me say thank you for the links, the information, and the support. I had my surgery yesterday morning.........and while the hospital is wonderful, the nurses and staff were caring and amazing.......I Never want to go into a hospital again for anything. I may add "No Hospitals" to my Advance Medical Directive card!! It was like a bad case of claustrophobia for me, almost the whole time. And coming out of the anesthesia was miserable. I am the biggest baby, I know. The cold chills freak me out. He did the lateral release, the removal of the torn meniscus, and some cartilage shaving. Next wk, at my post-op appt, he's going to show me pictures! Yikes. I think I will take pictures of my updated kitchen to show him! Both my DD and DH came with me and it did take two people to get me in and out. She works for a doctor and made everything better by talking me through stuff, explaining procedures, etc. I am in an immobilizer today and not much pain. Taking Darvocet and it seems to do the trick. I've been using a walker today to get around and I seem to do ok. Both DH and DD were worried about leaving me home alone, but Mabel and Sawyer are caring for me. With your prodding, I had asked the Doc about pre-surgery phys.therapy. He seemed surprised that I even mentioned it. And he said we will see if I need PT at the appt next week. He specializes in these surgeries and I hope he did a good job, but he has a perpetually surprised/nonplussed look on his face when I ask questions. I am going to be moving this knee as much as I can when I get to take off the immobilizer. And for those of you who have graced the 'foundations' threads, I want you to know that I fixed my hair this morning, did my foundation, eyeliner, shadow and pulse-perfection mascara. Lined my lips and applied a neutral lipstick. Put on a bit of Bijan perfume and started a load of laundry. It's 11:15 am and I am sick of t.v. and the computer. Now what? Red Here is a link that might be useful:
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Sending a prayer that all goes well. My first knee operation was on both knees at the same time (not a smart move, as I didn't have a leg to stand on!), but I was in my early 30's, so it went well. The problem was the therapy that followed. They were too aggressive and I ended up re-tearing the meniscus in one knee. Therapy is critical, but it shouldn't be done to the point where it really hurts.
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Alisande
11 years ago
Oh, dear . . . knee pain can be wicked! I hope your treatment plan is effective. Damn ice!
gyr_falcon
11 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
11 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
11 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
11 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.

About My Knee Injury

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