Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: gatus on 12/03/2004 21:14:46

Title: knee injury
Post by: gatus on 12/03/2004 21:14:46

Hi!

I have a question.
yesterday I injured my knee practicing Aikido. I'm not sure what happened, but I think I strained it. I started feeling a weird pain. Nothing major, but it was like a burn.
Some sweliing started appearing.
This was on the inside part of my knee.

Today, one day after, the knee bothers me, but I don't have a lot of pain, unless I touch it. It is also still a little bit inflamated. I can squad, walk, but I feel the knee different.
I also feel like a pop whe I straighten the knee out, although it doesn't hurt.

Can it be possible that I have a major injury, although it doesn't hurt that much??

Thank you very much!

Gatus

PS. Excuse my english.
     I'm pretty worried about this.

Title: Re: knee injury
Post by: chris on 14/03/2004 03:00:18

Sounds uncomfortable - you have my sympathy !

Does the knee 'lock' suddenly, such that you cannot straighten or bend it, but then release later ?

Is it stable going up and down stairs ?

From the history you've given it sounds as though you have strained the ligaments that support the joint. I ask about locking because you could also have damaged the cartilage inside the joint and a hallmark of this happening is sudden joint locking.

Take some anti-inflammatories (unless allergic, asthmatic or have a history of peptic ulcer disease) - Ibuprofen is excellent, rest it up and see how it goes.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

Title: Re: knee injury
Post by: OldMan on 15/03/2004 03:13:49

You  may find it bothers you just a little for a while. I twisted my knee out of joint a few weeks back and it still gets a little sore every now and then but structurally my knee is fine. I've been told I've got hyper mobile joints. Mind you my physio if it was still a problem I could come back and have it more extensively examined, but I figure doesn't give me any great grief at the moment so should be right.

Did you ice it afterwards? Now that it has been a couple of days you should be able to start applying heat pack to it as well. I've also been told by a friend that alternating hot and cold is good but I don't know if that came from a professional or is just a personal opinion.
If you do that and take some anti=inflammatories as chris suggested that should help you get back on track. Just be wary about taking anti-inflammatories before you practice again or you might not notice it hurting and end up making the damage worse.
Like a friend of mine, dislocated his shoulder, took some anti-inflammatories then flung his arm around going wow it doesn't hurt anymore.

Tim

Title: Re: knee injury
Post by: MissMontana on 15/03/2004 20:15:23

My knees sometimes lock in a bent position but don't so much release but I have to (this sounds disgusting) force it straight again and it sort of pops back (this is done very slowly). I have had x-rays but the options were live with it or be operated on.  It wasn't ever really explained to me what caused it but it sounds like a cartilage problem from your description.  What worries me though is that I am doing myself permenant damage by running, I am just so used to having pain in them that I hardly notice it any more.

Title: Re: knee injury
Post by: OldMan on 16/03/2004 01:52:39

That is what mine does. Locks in a bent position but it usually gets there when i've twisted the wrong way. I usually find the faster I straighten my leg the better as it just seems to prolong the pain if I try and do it slowly. Sure takes a bit of will power to do it though knowing the pain that is to come when it pops back in.

Title: Re: knee injury
Post by: MissMontana on 18/03/2004 22:19:49

Yeah, will power indeed but you know it has to be done and at that point there is no way I am letting anyone else near me.