Knee Problems :(

C

clothesminded

Cathlete
Please allow me to whine, vent, and beg for some advice....

So during the summer, since I'm not working, I really focus on getting back in shape. I've cleaned up my diet, worked out 6 days a week, and tried to be very conscious of my 35 year-old knees. I thought I did a pretty good job until I went for a 35 min. moderate walk and had a sore knee the next day. I decided it wasn't that sore, and did the step portion of BM2 (yeah, I know. Not the smartest thing to do, but at least it's wasn't an Imax!) All this happened July 29th. It's now, what? 11 days later, and my left knee still hurts.

Since then I haven't done any lower body anything, no walking, no step, no weight workouts, no nothing since the 30th. I've done all the steps which were suggested to me when I went to see a doctor about my runner's knee six years ago- elevated, ice, ibuprofen (6 of them throughout the day), and resting it. Result= no change. I started the ice, elevation, and ibuprofen this Sunday.

I've had arthritis since I was in high school, and the pain would cause me to curl up in the fetal position and cry for hours. It was that dull, ache that would last for hours and hours. So, I know that I don't have the best knees. All those high school sports are coming back to haunt me! I learned to live with it and pretty much stop it before it happened with ibuprofen.

But this pain is different. It doesn't feel like arthritis pain or the "knife in the knee cap" pain like when I injuried my knee six years ago. It feels like my knee isn't stable, has a dull pain that feels like when you need to pop something (that full feeling), and feels like a pinched nerve (but a dull, not sharp) pain when I bend it all the way up (especially when I have the leg on its side and bend it). it doesn't hurt when I touch it or just sit.

So, I'm at a loss here. I don't know how long to wait before I go to the doctor. I really don't want to go and have him tell me to do the same thing I've been doing since Sunday (rest, ice...). But I realize that it's my knee. I don't plan on not being active anytime soon, although I have realized that I may just not ever be able to jog or run again. I'm just worried that he might tell me that I won't be able to do anything I like.

All of this makes me very sad and I've been feeling sorry for myself all week. I WANT to be healthy, and besides my left knee, I'm very happy with the way I look and feel. (While in a Bone Daddy's BBQ place where the waitresses wear next to nothing- think Hooters- I was even given a huge compliment by an acquaintance that I'm in better shape than the 20 year-old waitresses! Now, that made my day!) So, why should I have bad knees?! Why not someone who sits around and eats fast food and doesn't care? Why are they "wasting" good knees? I know. Sounds harsh. This just really, really sucks! Will I only be able to swim? I haven't done any swimming in years, and don't belong to a gym.

If you've made it this far, THANKS! If you have any idea what could be the cause of my knee issue, I would love some help.
 
As someone who also suffers with knee problems (and I agree about the wasted good knees, by the way!), I recommend you go see the doctor. He can refer you for PT. It's probably an alignment thing (it is for me and many, many women). The PT helped me tremendously. I can say it is probably okay for you to do the Cathe floor leg workouts, as well. Many of the things the PT had me doing are in Cathe's workouts!! But, particularly with your history, your first step is the see the doctor.
 
I am so sorry about your knee problems. I think we all here on the boards completely understand how frustrating it is to WANT to exercise and be active when you can't.
I have had runner's knee in the past and have had to stop running or doing any exercise with impact for about 3 months. At the time I decided to join a gym and get on the bike, elliptical and take water aerobics classes until my knee healed. I could also do yoga and upper body excerises. It wasn't the same as running or doing step, but it was all I could do. My knee is fine now.
I would suggest that you go to an orthopedist.
My son (24 now)has a congenital knee issue called osteo chondritis desican (sp?). He absolutely LOVED all sports and was quite an athlete until this developed when he about 15. He has had several knee surgeries and now knows that he is only able to walk and ride a bike.
All this to say that I understand your frustration.
Take care and let us know how you are.

Gin:)
 
Thank you both for the support. I've read every post I can find on this forum regarding knee problems. When I was whining earlier this week about people who have good knees and sit just around, my husband said that I could do way more than they could, and I'll live a longer, healthier life. Yeah, I know. It does make me feel guilty to complain when at least I can walk.

Gin- That is so sad about your son. Surgeries at such a young age. I can't even imagine what that would be like at an age where all you do is play and run. I might just have to do what you did- join a gym and start doing other forms of cardio.

Since I moved last year, I don't know many people. How do you find a good orthopedic doctor without a referral?
 
I would recommend that you get an MRI from an orthopedic surgeon to find out if you have torn something--ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)injuries frequently feel unstable. Or it might be a torn medial meniscus. An MRI is the only way you can find this out, and maybe arthroscopic surgery will solve your problem. My husband has had two meniscus surgeries and after both of them, he was up and around after two weeks. My son had a torn ACL, surgery, but the rehab on this is lengthy, but as good as exercise.

Good luck finding a doctor! Around here it's mostly word-of-mouth.
 
First off, my deepest sympathies. Knee problems are a seriously back luck of the draw. My friend starts talking about her rotator cuff problems and I want to say "Do you have 120 lbs resting on your rotator cuff 24/7??" Of course I don't (I'm not trying to belittle rotator cuff injuries), and of course I know that I have PLENTY to be grateful for, but I know what it's like to cry in the middle of the night because I can't sleep because of the knee pain. And to wonder if I'll ever be able to go hiking with my dog again.

My advice would be to not only get to a doctor asap, but get a referral to an orthopedic surgeon asap. I had several general practitioners (one sports med) and a PT completely miss my conditions (chondromalacia and synovial plica syndrome) for months before I basically strong-armed a referral out of them to see an ortho. (They were giving me acupuncture in my elbows, hello?!? That's not gonna put my kneecap back in its spot!) All while in constant pain which no one seemed concerned about. The pain is still there, unfortunately, and all I can do is keep doing the PT and hope for the best. I'm just at the point now where I'm visualizing being able to walk my dog, go back to work, etc.

My situation sounds quite different from yours, so I don't have any particular answers for you, other than to go see an ortho! Pronto! Especially since they're usually booked weeks in advance, and you definitely do not want to get to the point where it's an emergency (to you at least, if not the insurance companies) and you're listening to some cheery voice on the line tell you that "he can fit you in in about 3 weeks, how's that sound?". Do you have colleagues you could ask about referrals? If there's one with a sports med certification, I would definitely try that one out.

Best of luck, and stay away from that step! ;)
 
I'm terrified of having any kind of surgery on my knee.

I wish an MRI didn't cost so much money, but a knee's a pretty important thing to take care of!
 
Nadja- Sounds like you know exactly how I feel! Your road to finding answers must have been so frustrating. Acupuncture in your elbows? Crap! Best of luck back to you with your knee problems. Who would have thought that step workouts could be so anti-knee?!

You mentioned that you're still doing the PT. What exactly are you doing? Can you do any cardio- walk, kickbox? Any lower body weight workouts?
 
Knee problems suck, I understand. And I totally agree with the "wasted good knees" When I hurt mine the 1st time (ended up being plica syndrome) My Dr 1st diagnosed with a bruised kneecap, which is what the MRI showed, but then when it wasn't getting any better, she was smart enough to know that she DIDN'T know, and sent me off the the Ortho/sport Dr - he diagnosed asap and fixed me up. The 2nd time I messed it up, I went straight to the Ortho.

Were you doing a lot of hills in your walk or uneven ground or mismatched elevation where your one leg was higher than the other? That may have tweaked/pulled something funny.

If I were you, I'd be at the Dr ASAP. It's been a bit and it still obviously not better and the RICE doesn't seem to be helping you, so I would think something more is wrong (I'm not trying to scare you). Go to the Dr, and if your primary gives you the rest/ice hooey - tell s/he that's what you've been doing and gently push for a little more investigation. If it is a decent Dr, they will do a little more investigating.

Best of luck, let us know what happens!

Nan
 
I've had reason to visit an orthopedist (but not for knee issues), and I'd highly recommend it! They can help so much more than a regular doc. Do you have a good regular doc that you trust? He/she can probably make good recommendations about orthopedists in the area.

And your absolutely right. Your knee IS a pretty important thing to take care of!
 
Shannon- I don't have a regular doctor here, but I don't need a referral with my insurance. I can just go see an orthopedic doc. I've found two in my area, and just called a friend (who's an ER doctor) to make sure that they are good. She said they both are!

So, I'm going to figure out the insurance part, and make my appointment.

Even if my knee gets better by my appointment time, I think I realize that this will happen again in the future. x(
I'll still need to get some advice on what I can and can't do and the reason why it happened in the first place.

Thanks for your insight!
 
I'm so excited! I got an appointment for next Wed. with an orthopedic doc. who specializes in sports medicine and knee injuries AND he works with the area teams- Texas Rangers, UTSA sports teams!

I feel better already!!

Any specific questions I should def. ask?
 
Hi Clothesminded,
My best advice: don't wait! I injured my knee in February and waited til June to take it to the Dr. Next week I'm going back because it's still sooo painful. All this time my workouts have been almost non-existant and I am so frustrated! I definately feel your pain. x(

Darlene
 
Darlene- I'm so sorry that you're knee is still bothering you. Did the doc. say what happened? yeah, I am the queen of just trying to wait it out. The truth is that this has been an ongoing problem for me. It will be fine for months, but then if I even try to jog for a block, it's back again. And forget doing an Imax workout, another step workout, and two lower body weight workouts in the same week. It's a very good thing that I am a clean eater and have a high metabolism. By the time this is over though, my upper body is going to be ripped, since that's all I can do now. Funny thing is that I HATE to work abs. Now, I've been doing them all the time between upper body workouts. Makes me feel like I'm not skipping workout days.

Best of luck, Darlene, with your knee issues. I truly understand how frustrating it is.
 
Yeh, watch those Imax workouts - Imax 2 is how I injured mine in the first place. (I miss doing that one sooo much!) I'm going to have a steroid injection next week to help with the inflammation and hopefully that will give it a chance to heal. The thing with knees is that you need them to get around so it's a little hard to rest them!!! :eek:

Darlene
 
I hardly ever do any of the Imax workouts anymore, although I really enjoyed them. It's just not worth it to me. Even Low max made my knee hurt!

An injection? I've heard about people getting those. I am terrified of shots and will basicallly do anything not to get one. Gosh, I hope the doctor doesn't recommend that. But you do what you have to do. Sounds like you are forced to take the next step. That might be me next week! (although there aren't many steps, literally, being taken around my house these days)

What kind of symptoms do you have? Have you always had knee problems? What happened with Imax 2 that caused it? I know that anything that involved twisting or rotating the knees during step workouts are a death sentence for my left knee.
 
That's excellent that you could find someone like that.

To address your fear of surgery (which hopefully you won't need), I had surgery for a torn ACL back in November 2006 and it was, hands down, one of the BEST things I could have done for getting back into my fitness groove. There was definitely some hard work involved in the recovery, but it was totally worth it to have a stable knee again.
 
Clothesminded,
I didn't know you were in TX. If you are close to me I could have recommended someone. It looks like you have appt with a good doc. A few years ago I went to Dr. Keith Meister and he was the Rangers dr. If that is who you are going to see, he is good.

Good luck!
Gin:)
 
Gin- I have an appointment with Dr. Rodriquez in Arlington. That's not too far from me (I'm in Southlake)and he was recommended. There are prob. tons of great doctors in Southlake; I just don't know anyone around here yet. Only a few people in the Arlington area. This doctor has written many articles regarding knees and has worked with some of the Rangers and the UT (not UTSA, my typos!) sports players. So, hopefully, he will have some answers. But I'm writing down Dr. Keith Meister just in case! Thanks, Gin.

I just wrote out all my knee drama issues- what injuries I've had, what types of exercises I do, treatments I've tried, pain symptoms, etc. I hope to be ready when I go. I don't want to forget anything.

ETA: Dr. Meiser looks good on paper. They don't have an appointment until way later, so I'm going to stick with my appointment next week. But he def. sounds like he knows what he's doing!
 
Clothesminded,
I never had knee problems til February and I suspect the basement floor I've been working out on is the culprit, not the workout itself. My injury involves the front inside of my right knee, ya know that funny little fatty area there? Hurts like h-e-x( -x( !

Good luck to us both for getting our knees back! I'll be watching for your post after your dr. appt. :)

Ooh, by the way! I used to live in Mansfield, TX - right next to Arlington, right?
 
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