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Sore Knee - advice please

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thought this was perhaps the most appropriate forum to post in!

I've just turned 40 and have a sore knee.

It all started doing some dreaded DIY at the end of last summer, I was painting the kids wooden swing/slide thingie and when standing got a sharp pain in the knee.

It didn't swell up at all and after a week or so everything seemed fine.

I also play hockey through the winter on astro turf, and sometimes the day after training or playing there would be a dull ache around the knee.

When skiing in Feb I noticed another dull pain when clicking into my bindings in the same knee.

Some more of the pesky DIY over the past two weekends including painting skirting boards and garage floors followed by lots of sprint work and turning/twisting at the gym has led the return of the dull ache again.

I can prod and push around and cannot cause any sharp pain. After one hockey training period a fellow player who is also a physio had a look, twisted various things and said nothing was damaged,I'd probably stretched something and it was just stiffness.

The only other element in the equation is that it is the same side of the body where I smashed my femur up ( a LONG time ago) and now have a lovely long scar from knee to hip! Note that I didn't damage either joint in this accident, just the bits in between.



Wearing one of these appears to help:



So what should I do:

1. feet up for a week, no exercise?
2. Go see the local GP and get referred to a physio/specialist ( I have BUPA cover through work)
3. Wear above mentioned support and carry on exercising?
4. Something else?

Cheers,

Greg


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 4-06-07 16:34; edited 2 times in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kitenski, 2, 2 and 2 again.

That isn't what I would call a brace, more of a 'knee support' - but I'm sure someone will tell me otherwise ... and they should only be worn, so I am told, under a physician's guidance.
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I would guess at a bit of wear and tear that could be the result of the femur injury
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Seconded on the option 2.

Nasty break.

I wouldn't call that a brace either, esp as all the braces I've seen are at least £300.
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2, defo.
I'd also say that if you insist on keeping on exercising, then a knee support may provide some protection. So, put your feet up, and get the wife to do all the work for you.
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kitenski,

Stay away from the deep stuff especially on blue bird days and a fresh snow fall.... it ain't no good for yer...Laughing wink
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I'm guessing that you have degenerative changes in that knee secondary to the previous fracture of your femur. Pushing it, I wonder whether you have a torn meniscus secondary to the early degeneration. I would go for option 2, and start with the physio, if it improves then fine if not then you need an orthopaedic opinion, who would recommend either an MRI or an arthroscopy. MRI is non-invasive, but if you have an arthroscopy and they find a torn meniscus then they can do something about it then and there.

Continue with gentle low impact exercise, but stop immediately if your knee starts to hurt.

Hope that this is helpful.
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Oh, and stay away from JT. wink
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Jeez........... I should have been a doctor wink
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If your knees are generally pretty strong I've discovered they can mask ongoing problems & even good physios aren't as good at diagnosing stuff as orthopaedic specialists. My ACL tear was diagnosed by 2 different physios as illiotibial band syndrome.

Any swelling after severe activity - like a full day's powder skiing?
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Frosty the Snowman wrote:
Jeez........... I should have been a doctor wink


...and there I was pondering on what I should be thankful for today ! wink
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Agenterre, One doesn't need to be a doctor to know what is wrong with you. Just being able to read the date on the birth certificate is enough wink
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Frosty the Snowman, Confused since when were Birth certificates certified ? wink
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Agenterre, I believe the vet was authorised to do yours wink
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Frosty the Snowman, Miaow !! .. although probably not the primate you were thinking of ... we have established I was born this way ... and your excuse ? wink
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
cheers all.

Firstly no swelling ever, even after skiing with JT Wink

secondly the femur break was in 1993, the knee problems have only really come in in the past 6-8 months, maybe the femur break is a red herring?

I rang BUPA, I have to get a GP to refer me, should I try and get referred to a pysio or a orthopaedic specialist do you reckon?

I'll be off to the GP Wed assuming I can get an appointment (normally ok ringing at 8am on the day), how do I convince him not to tell me just to rest.....

Twisting/sprinting isn't good for it, but gym machines, biking etc seem fine.....

cheers,

greg
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kitenski wrote:
secondly the femur break was in 1993, the knee problems have only really come in in the past 6-8 months, maybe the femur break is a red herring?


I'm afraid not. As soon as you break a weight bearing bone degeneration usually starts slowly in the joint above and below the break.

Quote:
I rang BUPA, I have to get a GP to refer me, should I try and get referred to a pysio or a orthopaedic specialist do you reckon?


Difficult one this, if you see an orthopaedic consultant it is likely that you'll end up listed for an arthroscopy, if you see a physio then you may get away without needing one. I'd see what your GP recommends after seeing and examining you.

Quote:
I'll be off to the GP Wed assuming I can get an appointment (normally ok ringing at 8am on the day), how do I convince him not to tell me just to rest.....


Shouldn't be a problem as long as you let him know that you've got insurance. wink

Quote:
Twisting/sprinting isn't good for it, but gym machines, biking etc seem fine.....

cheers,

greg
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Kramer wrote:
kitenski wrote:
secondly the femur break was in 1993, the knee problems have only really come in in the past 6-8 months, maybe the femur break is a red herring?

I'm afraid not. As soon as you break a weight bearing bone degeneration usually starts slowly in the joint above and below the break.



bah Sad

thanks for all the replies......
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oh and kramer, not questioning you but why does a break mean the joints degenerate? Just trying to learn more....


ergards,

Greg
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kitenski,

Just my 2p...but I think an MRI will show you the state of the knee and then the specialist can refer you to a physio with a good picture of the problem.
If you can go private you may be able to 'stear' the diagnosis this way... and it will be done PDQ..
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cheers JT, I have BUPA, but have to be referred to a GP, will be hopefully be down for an appointment tomorrow. Does kitesurfing count as lgentle low impact exercise Wink
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I believe that MRI can miss quite a few things that can be picked up by a half decent knee surgeon.
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my MRI a few years back showed nothing, surgeon decided to operate, and solved all sorts of long term problems....not managed to cure me from posting on here through Little Angel
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The MRI's are only as good as the radiologist reading them wink
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And the radiographer taking them.
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kitenski wrote:
oh and kramer, not questioning you but why does a break mean the joints degenerate? Just trying to learn more....


I was hoping that you wouldn't ask that one...

I think that it may have something to do with the bone almost never healing perfectly straight, and so creating abnormal stress on the joint. On the other hand I may have just made that up. Embarassed I can't quite remember.

The degeneration of the joints does happen though, honest.

JT MRI vs arthroscopy is a long running debate amongst knee surgeons.
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Kramer,
Quote:

I think that it may have something to do with the bone almost never healing perfectly straight, and so creating abnormal stress on the joint. On the other hand I may have just made that up. I can't quite remember.




if my biomechanics training serves me right...few years back now Confused that sounds about right
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so you mean with all those 18 screws, 12" metal bar as well as nicking bone from my hip and they still couldn't set my femur straight...............
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There's straight. And then, there's STRAIGTHT.
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Confused I'm no orthopaedic surgeon, but while I'm aware of early hip arthritis due to malalignment after proximal femoral fractures and early arthritis generally due to a fracture into a joint, I must admit I'm unaware of mid-shaft fractures being a particular cause of knee arthritis. Of course if it was splendidly malaligned in theory it could cause early arthritis of pretty much any of the lower limb joints. The other poss is that should be considered is there is some early hip problem and referred pain to the knee. Once again, all imho, not my field - go see an orthopod. Confused
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 Poster: A snowHead
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I have had both knees worked on, 10 & 8 years ago. My surgeon said the best way of finding out what was the problem was arthroscopy. To quote him he said that "whilst he was looking around if he found anything wrong he would tidy it with the laser". No further problems since, and I have not used the knee support again! Well worth it.
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well I've been to see the GP, he tells me he can feel clicking in my knee, and has referred me to a specialist, I have an appointment with him on the 26th June.

booked in to see Stuart Calder

http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEsurgeon/calder01/index.php?memberid=131

Biog: Dr Calder is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon specialising in knees.

He is also an Honorary Lecturer at Leeds University Medical School, and is heavily involved in the training of orthopaedic surgeons.

Special Interests
Sports injuries (from amateur to professional), arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery, ligament reconstruction, arthritis surgery (total and unicompartment knee replacement), tibial osteotomy and patello-femoral (kneecap) resurfacing.
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kitenski, he sounds like the man to see. He'll be able to give you a definitive answer.
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Kramer wrote:
kitenski, he sounds like the man to see. He'll be able to give you a definitive answer.


yeh his bio does read well Smile
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kitenski,

It must have been that Bupa ticket you waived around.... Laughing but if you end up with the right Doc, that sounds good...and he sounds good.. Ask him what sports knowledge he has in what sports and remember that alot of these guys start with the stance that they can get you to a reasonable standard of health... but what is his defintion of reasonable compared to what you will want to do? I mean. I once went to physio for a broken finger and most people in my sessions were trying to get movement out of a hand with toes grafted on as fingers... its kind of relative.
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Hi Kitenski

I run a physio practice in Bath. Sounds like youve got good advice here. The only thing I would add is to check what you wear on your feet. I get alot of people in the clinic who have all sorts of knee pains, and the problem is that they have remained friends with a pair of shoes along time. Sounds trivial doesn't it!! But it accounts for a fair proportion of knee pains. To check, buy a new pair of shoes wear for a few days. If it is the case your pains will drop substantially within 48 hours usually. Ask your physio to check yours. All the best
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kitenski, A friend of mine had a pretty bad ACL injury a couple of years ago, and he does alot of road cycling to keep it in shape..
thought I would bring that idea up, could be good after you sort your knee out to help get it better!
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cheers guys,

Stainforth, after lots of sprinting/turning it's still sore when walking up the stairs in the house with no shoes on! Or were you referring to the shoes I train in???

george - funny you should say that I've been doing lots more road biking recently!

regards,

greg
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well been to see the specialist this morning, from what I described he thinks I've torn a cartilage.

He kept changing his mind between having an MRI or an arthroscopy, saying if MRI shows a problem, he would do arthroscopy, if not he would do it anyhow to have a look, so may as well do it straight off!

In the end we plumped for the MRI next Tuesday.....

regards,

Greg
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Kramer wrote:
I'm guessing that you have degenerative changes in that knee secondary to the previous fracture of your femur. Pushing it, I wonder whether you have a torn meniscus secondary to the early degeneration.
wink
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