Knee trouble

M

michdad

Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
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My left knee is in rough shape. About every 20 minutes, it feels like there is something squeezing on IT SOO hard, that it is very painful, and the only way to relieve it is to bend it tight, which results is a pop so loud it can be heard across the room and is extremely painful. I do have to literally run stairs at work, but am fortunate enough to have the next week off. This has been getting worse for about 8 years now. I did have orthoscopic surgery done on it 9 years ago, when it was getting weak, and it is getting weak again. I do have an appointment with an orthopedic surgon next week, but it is becomming unbearable. Any suggestions to help me cope would be appreciated. Self medication has been tried, don't work, and is getting old.

Matt
 
When climbing steps remember to go up with the good leg and down with the bad leg as it accounts for supporting the bulk of your weight with the good leg and will prevent further injury. Strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint and stretch often and properly. Also, if you are overweight lose as much weight as possible. For every pound you lose it is about 2 lbs lost on your knee. Consult your doctor and if he recommends a cane or crutch use it or you will likely wear out the cartilege on your other knee by having it support the bulk of your weight.
 
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Worst part about it is I am not overweight. I am 5-6, and tip the scales at no more that 135. I work in a chemical production plant, and it is not unusual to climb 10 flight of stairs as many times as 20 to 50 times in a 12 hour shift. I just think I have beat up on my 43 year old body enough that it hurts, but economical reasons make it so that I have to do this a little more.
 
If there is no elevator and this constant climbing is necessary I would take the weight off of the joint as much as possible and use the handrails so your arms carry a lot of the weight or get a cane, at least until you talk to the surgeon. I'm not a doctor BTW but a pop like that can't be good. I think there are some doctors that frequent this place so hopefully someone will chime in.
 
Was hopin there might be a doc here that would see this post. That's the worst, is no elevator. Open tower, not sure where you might be, but I work in a production plant don't know if you know what it might look like. It is grunt work, biut what to do, ya know??? If you might have a suggestion for physical strenghtening, I would appreciate that.

Feelin' old. lol.
 
Probably not much to say until the Doc sees it. If you have a fridge there to store your lunch, maybe a refreezable ice pack that you can store in the freezer might help. Try to snag it a few times a day and use it on your knee. Have you tried a knee brace? Maybe a neoprene (sp?) sleeve with a hole cut out for the kneecap might help to support you at work. Slid it down your leg when you ice it.

Rest
Ice
Heat
Brace
Aspirin or equivalent
 
GET a KNEE BRACE soon (A GOOD one)(BREG made to fit YOU)watch football much? it's the one most linemen wear!!! at 35 now 43 had SERIOUS knee surgery ( complete ACL tear and replacement bad cartilage fractured femorial knob blah blah) and a carpenter ladder work scaffel etc. lots of up and down :thumbdn: get to a GOOD sports medicine Orthropedic surgen specializing in KNEES and usually an MRI is necessary to diaganose soft tissue damage! Good luck DO NOT be hard headed LIKE me and cause more damage :confused::mad:than you already have!
BTW popping/dislocation(loud) of knee joint is indicative of liagament damage.

Disclaimer: not a Doc but a person who has been through HE__ with knees and will till I am pushing up daisies!!! and from abuse and a fairly young age!!:);)

Good luck and take care of your self (U only get one with original parts and the new ones ain't like the originals!!!):eek:
Shawn
 
You need to see a doctor and have an exam. Pretty much anyone you see will refer you to an orthopedist, probably. I'm guessing you have a meniscus tear that might have pulled back a little, causing the cartilage to fold over on itself, but that's just a guess.
 
Sounds like you have a bucket handle meniscus tear. The meniscus tears in a linear fashion like a bucket handle and dislocates every once and a while into your joint. The pop is it moving back into its normal position. You need to see an orthopaedist or your primary care. They should order an MRI with contrast. It can either be repaired or trimmed out depending on how bad it is. If it has been going on for 8 years, it has probably degenerated a bit and will need to be trimmed out. No bracing or medicines are going to help very much, it is a mechanical issue unfortunately. Hope this helps. You can PM me with any questions.


Andy
 
Thanks very much for the input. Pain kept me up last night such that I went to bed early tonight, and am awake now and hobbling about cussing getting old. No offense to old folks, lol. Ortho appointment is this Wednesday.
 
michdad said:
Pain kept me up last night such that I went to bed early tonight, and am awake now and hobbling about cussing getting old. No offense to old folks, lol.
Click to expand...

None taken from this aging codger. :o

But one of the reasons I here now as it is less painful sitting up than being in bed.

The twisting and turning in bed with the pain gets me annoyed but here on BF there is usually something new to learn about and maybe help with a reply to a question if its within my limited knowledge and understanding to do so.

Not pain relief but more pain distraction.;)
 
May I suggest that you try using a hand warmer type heat pad, taped (with Micropore tape) over thin material covering the affected area.

I have used these pads to alleviate pain, and increase mobility and endurance in my lower spine, hip and knee for many years, with excellent results.

Most people whom I've suggested try these pads have experienced beneficial effects, often with remarkable improvements.

These are the type of pad, I hope that they work for you.

handwarmers.gif
 
Assuming no liver, kidney, stomach ulcers, anti-coagulants, or drinking problems you should go back on over the counter pain meds. The maximum prescription strength for ibuprofen is 800mg every 8 hours. You can get a big bottle for cheap at Costco or Walmart. Take with a bit of food.

It will relieve some pain and some swelling. Better than toughing it out until you see the doc.

Avoid any extra exercise on it until you get a diagnosis. Bad enough you have to work on it the way you do.

Hope that helps.
 
AeroNautiCal, hadn't thought of that. I know exactly what those are, use them during hunting season.

Zen, nope, no problems drinking :p. Yes, that helps, thanks. A little advice for those who might not know, Ibuprofin + alcohol CAN trash on a liver.

Just gotta make it to Wednesday, 0800.
 
Update: Saw the doc first thing this morning. Diagnosis was "Left knee patellofemoral pain". Layman's terms, left knee hurts. Probably arthritic cause. I did se the x-rays, and could see a little spur, not as obvious as the spur I could see in the pics taken when I had orthoscopic surgury done 8 years ago on the same knee. Surgery, injections, and/or therapy, was not recomended, but all were left open as a possibility to discuss. No follow up scheduled, but was left up to me as "as needed". I was given a perscription for a brace, and did get measured for one. Get this: $700 for the brace! :eek: Didn't know they could cost that much! Thankful for insurance! No work restrictions, but suggested a couple of things.
First, a change in the kinds of physical activities. Stairs being the first. I DO run alot of stairs at work. Still waiting for a less abuseful job to get posted.
Second, and this is what is interesting, had not thought of it, and as a matter of coincidence, there has been a couple of threads on the subject for unrelated reasons. Smoking: Disclaimer: I am not a doc, not a reasercher, not in any way an expert, but do read and understand enough to hopefully weed out at least some of myth from truth. Smoking causes a restriction of blood flow. Blood flow to the least of needing boby parts like cartilage and bones. Cartilage has a limited number of nerve receptors, bone has LOTS. Lose blood flow to cartilage, and it helps it to erode, and then the bones, which have a lot of nerve receptors, will hurt.
Drinking, especially in excess hurts the body in the same way also.

This is just what the result of my appointment today resulted in. Unforutanely I could not get my knee to POP when in the Ortho's exam room, so he did not get a complete appreciation of that. I do have the brace coming in in 7-10 days, then for the fitting.

Just thought I'd let yous guys know. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Matt
 
michdad said:
No follow up scheduled, but was left up to me as "as needed". I was given a perscription for a brace, and did get measured for one. Get this: $700 for the brace! :eek: Didn't know they could cost that much! Thankful for insurance! No work restrictions, but suggested a couple of things.

First, a change in the kinds of physical activities. Stairs being the first. I DO run alot of stairs at work.

Unforutanely I could not get my knee to POP when in the Ortho's exam room, so he did not get a complete appreciation of that. I do have the brace coming in in 7-10 days, then for the fitting.
Click to expand...

Hope typical for my visits to the doctor that when you want to show off the problem it does not happen, just like your no 'POP' :o

Geez you were left hanging in some respects but if the brace will help, and provided you use it, there should be hope for lessening of the pain.Good luck on the new job coming open even if nothing appears available at present. :thumbup:
 
I have wrecked my body over the years- knees being a big item. From jumping from planes, to moto-x, to 12-25 mile marches with heavy loads- mine are pretty trashed. I've had 2 'scopes done and now follow a pretty strict plan of glucosamine/msm and it has helped in the last two years I have been on it. Might look into that? It's cheap as well. Hope ya get better soon.
 
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