Knee Injury

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Good evening.

I have never been on a discussion forum like this before but thought I needed to get other peoples opinions as im in a bit of a state.

I'm a 27 year old male. Up until about 9 weeks ago I was a very athletic person who went running every night and went to the gym 2-3 times a week. I also played football for two football teams both saturday league and sunday league aswell as 5 a side football midweek.

9 weeks ago I was playing football in the biggest match of my career at the local football ground in the league cup final. - when I look back at this day (which was supposed to be full of brilliant memories) all I can say is "Why on earth did I play that match?, I would have been fine now".

We was around half way through the first half when there was a race on for ball between me and a player. I managed to get there first and then then it happened. My right leg seemed to just 'give way' as it landed. I heard a crack and straight away was in pain. At first I panicked as I thought that I may have twisted my knee and remember grabbing my leg and straightened it up. I was down for about 5 minutes before I ended up having to come off. I managed to walk off with a limp. - Luckily we won the game meaning I got a big trophy.

Anyway it progressively got worse over night and by the morning my leg had swollen up and I even had to call work in and have the day off sick. I tried walking to the living room and I had to quickly sit down as I was going to faint. - That was the worst of it.

As the days passed the pain slowly went and the bruising in my leg disappeared after two weeks or so. I was unable to run however and so have rested up over pre season hoping it will get better.

As the weeks went on my leg slowly felt as though it was getting better however I have developed a click in my knee now and also sometimes it doesn't feel as though it has straightened properly and then if I put a bit of pressure on it my knee would quickly straighten up and feel ok. I can fully straighten my knee now and without any issues but I cannot bend my knee all the way so my foot touched my bum. I get so far and it is agony. 

 Exactly 1 month ago I went to the doctors and he had a look at me and told me he was an 'expert' in sports injuries etc. He did a few tests and said it feels ok now and there doesn't seem to be any knee damage. He then decided that the left side of my knee needed draining. I agreed for him to drain it (which was pain free) and then he said come back in a month if it hadn't improved.

Also when I try to sit on my foot at the front of my knee I can feel some sort of lump. It feels like it's potentially another part of my knee that needs the fluid draining from. - See pic below. the fluid is where my finger is - you cannot see it when my leg is straight.

http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/ss247/NEO-BAHAMUT-/IMG_0448_zps4d63f205.jpg

I'm really worried about what is going to happen next if I go back. He mentioned that I could probably do with an MRI scan and perhaps a camera in my knee which doesn't fill me with the best of feelings.

I've never had an op or anything like that and don't really want to be put to sleep.

I was hoping someone on here could help or give me some sort of opinion as to what will happen next.

Thanks for reading.

2

I'm no expert.  But at the least I'd ask for an xray and an MRI scan.  Then they'll be able to tell definitively if there's a 'real' problem or if it's just a thing that will clear up after a while, with some physio and rest.

3

Hey man, gratz on winning the cup although it came with a personal price!

I am no expert here but it sounds a lot like the injury i have suffered in recent years, so alls i can do is pass on my experiences.

I am a (or was till recently) an avid rugby player and i have had many knee problems in my 18 years of playing. I am almost 28 and have recently decided to quit rugby due to my knee. I have done everything to it, twisted, bent it the opposite way, dislocated etc.

Mine swollon up just like you say and hurts on the sides when i apply a bit of pressure, i even felt a strange ball above my knee cap that i could move around till i recently lost track of it lol, no idea where it is now (worryingly).  I eventually had key hole surgery (2 years ago) and the pain is back and a lot worse! Burning sensation, clicking, poping, cracking you name it, this bugger does it! I have also lost strength in my leg due to not working out much on the injured knee and it also feels like i have pulled a muscle behind the knee when ever i bend over with my legs straightend. 

Untill the MRI you will not know the full extent of the injury to your knee, i am waiting now for an MRI as well.

Don't worry about anything!! The doctor may suggest key hole surgery and you will be put to sleep, but it's a quick procedure and they will most likely clean out anything they see wrong in your knee. You will be walking the next day.

Till then, maybe go to a physio and explain all the symptoms and ask them to asses your knee, sometimes a good exercise program to strenghten the knee can work some magic, it did for me till i injured it again rolleyes

All in all don't worry about it if it comes to surgery. 

4

Could be a torn cartilage. Sounds similar to the one I had. If it is the MRI scan will show it and keyhole will put it right. No worries then for a few years.