Ripped tendons/muscles in knee/hip anyone?

[Orchidflower]

Yes, I was stupid and waited 3 weeks in pain--plus, ignorantly put heat on my hips and knees--before I went to a Chiro to straighten it out (i.e., he pulled my ankle and yanked the knee back in the socket).
I have been putting a coldpack on it probably 5X a day to get the swelling to go down, and I can say that I am now successfully hobbling for a longer period than the last 3 weeks--while the pain shoots from my knee and hip joints up to my eye sockets (I have seen some lovely stars from all this, tho). And I can honestly say I don't remember ever calling out "God help me" so many times as lately...truly.
Has anyone here recently ripped the tendons/muscles around the knee or hip joints? And have any words of medical wisdom to pass on--other than to keep taking Tylenol Arthritis or Aleve for the pain?
Or just keep icing? And how LONG does this last, for gosh sakes!?

 

[W2R]

I am so sorry to hear that you are suffering with this!!!

I have no words of wisdom, except to tell you to take care of yourself and keep seeking help, since this is a pretty awful condition and you don't want it to linger.

 

[socca]

I doubt that there's a reliable general answer to your question. There are too many different types and severities of injury. A "real" doctor could take an X-ray and try to give you a better estimate. On the positive side, you should certainly be able to heal sufficiently to get around without pain/medication. On the negative side, some kinds of this type of injury never fully heal. I jammed a finger over two years ago, and the joint is still swollen, and probably always will be. I remember reading somewhere that the business of living is acquiring injuries from which we never fully recover.

 

[Alan]

This sounds pretty nasty, I'm sorry you are in so much pain.

The only time I tore tendons and stretched ligaments was in my ankle from a bad fall. (how did you injure yourself?)

I was in plaster for a week, then in elastic bandages for 5 weeks. It was a very slow process I'm afraid. My knee injury 10 years ago was nowhere near as painful as my ankle had been, but after 12 months I gave up and had a torn cartilidge repaired.

 

[Helen]

Ouch, no wisdom here but sorry you are going through this. What happened?

 

[Nords]

Has anyone here recently ripped the tendons/muscles around the knee or hip joints? And have any words of medical wisdom to pass on--other than to keep taking Tylenol Arthritis or Aleve for the pain?
Or just keep icing? And how LONG does this last, for gosh sakes!?

Why, yes, I have. I tore the anterior cruciate ligaments in both knees about seven years ago and haven't had them fixed yet. I have cartilage damage to both knees that will require at least one and probably three meniscotomies (out of a possible four). I've also strained both iliotibial bands but they're much better now. However a taekwondo buddy of mine is facing hip-replacement surgery. Chronologically what's left of his hip joint is only 43 years old but it's been a hard 43 years of Navy running, basketball, softball, and flag football.

Cb has been down this road too-- take a look at his old posts.

[-]Run[/-] Hobble, don't walk, to an orthopedic surgeon. They can probably diagnose you right there on the [-]floor[/-] examining table but if it makes you feel better you could have an MRI on each joint that bothers you. (MRIs are a psychological boost but not always necessary. And they're a noisy hassle.) Surgery is probable but not always required. Physical therapy is mandatory.

I'd recommend buying a neoprene wrap with at least two of the alcohol-water bags that you chill in your freezer. (You can make your own with a 1:3 mix of propanol & water in a ziploc bag.) Ice the pain for at least 15 minutes at a time, and build up to as long as you can stand it.

I'd recommend 800 mg of ibuprofen 3x/day, but depending on your size & tolerance you may want to work up to that and take the doses after a full meal. My orthopod said that he usually worked his patients through a list of two dozen anti-inflammatory painkillers, and yours may step right up to the yummy prescription stuff.

Or just keep icing? And how LONG does this last, for gosh sakes!?

The more ice & anti-inflammatories you can do, the quicker the swelling goes down. But it took me over a year to regain full flexibility, and if I start lifting weights (squats & lunges) then my left knee balloons right back up.

These links are workplace safe but the pictures/graphics may be bloody & messy:
Articular Cartilage Problems of the Knee | eOrthopod.com
Patient Info (knees & hips links)
ACLSolutions- ACL injury, knee pain and ACL knee surgery explained.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Love it! ER forums as a third opinion, diagnose me too! Orchard, I'm sort of doing the opposite of you, went to two internists so far but not ruling out chiropractor. I had a muscle pain on my lower right back in early July. It went away after a while during a heat wave, with odd pain near tailbone, and also was very painful to lift my leg onto the bus. A week or so later on July 12 I couldn't move when I woke up, writhing in pain, both the lower back and front hip. Since it was on the right side I decided to go to the clinic the next day on the off-chance it was appendix-related. Got an X-ray which showed arthritis in the bone just above the tailbone. Was sent home with three meds and no other instructions: Relafen for arthritis inflammation; Robaxin for muscle spasm and Acetaminophen with Codeine for pain if the Robaxin didn't do it.

I was reluctant to take anything beyond the Relafen but after a few days, the pain was very motivating and began taking them all. The Robaxin worked so fast I thought I could go to work (on day six) but had a relapse while getting out of a chair. I e-mailed my regular doc for further instructions. She said to make an appt. and come in if I don't get better so on day 17 I went to see her. She declared it a muscle problem (and said, of course, "we" will have arthritis); since the Robaxin stopped working she switched me to Baclofen for the back pain and said to stop the Relafen as you should only take it for a while for arthritis inflammation. I can go get a full spine X-ray if I want in a week or so which I will to see how much arthritis I have in that area.

Here's the part I needed to know (but took two docs to get to this point): do cold pack for 20 minutes followed immediately by a hot water bottle for 20 minutes and then simple exercises being careful to stop, short of pain. I'm still in constant pain and went to work yesterday for only 3 hours until I couldn't stand it anymore; (I've been using a cane even at home since July 12); took some work home with me which I did this morning (amazing how quickly I got it done without the interruptions of the office!). This is the first illness I've had that I couldn't tough out--will probably not go back to work until Mon or Tues afternoon and only for a few hours a day. What can they do, fire me! I gave notice for Aug. 29 anyway.

But seriously I think this has everything to do with the stress of giving notice. Might be a good topic for a poll--did you get sick near retirement time? It's also giving me a good sense of retirement ideas for just "being" at home--liked your book review, Nords.

Thanks for your post, Orchid, misery loves company. I hope you get better really fast.

 

[Orchidflower]

Ah ha! Well, I see I certainly am not alone.
I did buy a neoprene knee wrap (how chic!), but it works--although I seem to be walking like the Bride of Frankenstein with or without it anyway. It helps if I have to do any walking more than 15 minutes at most. There is no way I can even grocery shop right now, so my son does it for us at this time (thank God he is here now after work to help).
Have been taking 2 Tylenol Arthritis each 8 hours, which is 1,250 mg. The directions say take it no more than 10 days without a Drs. approval, but I ignore instructions often.
How did this happen? Heck, I walked the 5 steps out of the low end of the pool and felt my left knee bone seem like it slightly pulled out of joint to the inside. Next thing I remember is having pain in my hip bones really badly for about a week, and, since I sleep on my back, waking up in pain often.
But did I go to the Chiro then? NOOOOO...I am too cheap, obviously.
No, I waited until the pain was so excruciating that I finally broke down and found a good one. So, for $70 I saw one (can you believe how cheap an appointment is here with a good Chiro, but, then, Palmer Institute--the Father of modern Chiropedic medicine--is located here, so there are plenty good ones here).
He pulled all back, but I have to live thru these muscles/tendons healing.
He did tell me 2 things--which may apply to some of you with this same complaint--
1. Ice it as you all suggest and
2. WALK so much as I can. I thought that was interesting, but didn't ask why. Anyone know?
As for my particular body and why it injures like this over and over? I have had 2 Drs. now tell me I am too loose or soft (I think they mean my joints). Why? I have NO idea. Maybe I inherited it from my father's side as we all have too weak ankles and never can learn to ice skate. I should learn to dance. If I'm that loose, I should be good at it.
Regardless, the pain is so intense it has interfered with my school course, my stock, my banking, everything but paying the bills that come in. My life revolves around eldercaring and icing my @#$% knee now. It sucks, and I am sick of it.
But thanks all for the kind wishes to get well fast. I hope I do and you do, too.

 

[Orchidflower]

We have Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists and Visiting Nurses coming to the house now as my elderly mother just got out of the hospital. They all seem to think this is a 4-6 week healer (God, but I hope so).
Now if I can just think of some really glamourous reason I have this...hmmmm...don't think they would buy an old war injury or maybe an old football injury.... Oh, well...I'll think of something.

CuppaJoe: Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if MORE people wouldn't fess up to injuries at retirement time. Retirement can be a pretty traumatic thing for the average person. Why don't you do a poll?

 

[W2R]

Now if I can just think of some really glamourous reason I have this...hmmmm...don't think they would buy an old war injury or maybe an old football injury.... Oh, well...I'll think of something.

My (now deceased) mother had a "trick knee". She never knew what to say about it until we told her to say it was an old athletic injury.

Actually, it may have been true - - she was on the women's basketball team for her college, and she had fallen in a game and injured it. But she never thought that sounded glamorous until we pointed out that it lent her an air of mystery, in a way.

 

[Moemg]

So sorry to hear about your pain . I second Nords advice on go to an Orthopedic doctor .

Meniscus Tear - Torn Cartilage

 

[Moemg]

Cuppa Joe , Sorry to hear about your pain . You also need to see an Orthopedic doctor . They can probably give you a cortisone shot and really help your pain !

 

[CuppaJoe]

Cuppa Joe , Sorry to hear about your pain . You also need to see an Orthopedic doctor . They can probably give you a cortisone shot and really help your pain !

Thanks, ER folks are so helpful on so many topics! Two years ago when I first had knee pain, my doctor sent me to the injury center to have the swelling drained. The (orthopedic?) doctor there said that they no longer do that (IIRC because they find it unhelpful and the swelling soon returns). He offered me a cortisone shot which I took; and yes, it was like a miracle for the pain. At some point I may e-mail by doc and ask about getting a cortisone shot again; you know, that might be more for the corporate world than for me, so that I can get back to w*rk and help our mega-corp and govt clients.

However, I suspect that my doctor is trying to teach me how to live with a chronic condition with pain meds, cold and hot packs, and exercise. I'm getting used to the meds so that they don't put me to sleep as much.... Funny when I thought I had knee arthritis (later found out I don't), I checked out a water aerobics class for people with arthritis, and plan to structure some of my retirement days around such a class; in that class they gently move every joint in the body. (Khan's mention of arthritis has been very helpful--one difference between she and I is that I didn't see it coming). It's a little embarrassing to admit to this condition as I am the youngest person in the class but I believe swimming is the way to go. For a $12.00 day pass at gyms scattered around the city, I get access to the class and an instructor who can give me individualized pointers.

Thanks also to Nords for mentioning the Cb posts--I read them and was happy to see the thread ended with a suggestion from RobertRetiree to swim.

Also, regarding the bone that shows up as arthritic, the pubis symphysis, if I believe what I read on the Net, knee pain is a side effect of arthritis in that bone.

 

[Moemg]

checked out a water aerobics class for people with arthritis, and plan to structure some of my retirement days around such a class; in that class they gently move every joint in the body. (Khan's mention of arthritis has been very helpful--one difference between she and I is that I didn't see it coming). It's a little embarrassing to admit to this condition as I am the youngest person in the class but I believe swimming is the way to go.

I do a water aerobics class . Ours has a lot of cardio and strength building . Several of the women in it have had knee or hip replacements . I do not have arthritis but I find it easier to do a hard work out in water plus my instructor is fun . By the way Khan is a he .

 

[HFWR]

By the way Khan is a he .

You might want to double-check that...

 

[Nords]

By the way Khan is a he .

Welcome to the club-- you're not the first person to make that mistake!

 

[Khan]

Welcome to the club-- you're not the first person to make that mistake!

Yes, physically female.

 

[Moemg]

Yes, physically female.

Khan ,so I was wrong . You are a female ?

 

[CuppaJoe]

Khan ,so I was wrong . You are a female ?

I also guessed wrong for a long time, probably was mislead by a previous avatar. You can be anyone you want on the net.

 

[Khan]

gender & identity & behavior & persona

Not sure what happened, moderators: feel free to move this to a new category.

I also guessed wrong for a long time, probably was mislead by a previous avatar. You can be anyone you want on the net.

Khan ,so I was wrong . You are a female ?

Welcome to the club-- you're not the first person to make that mistake!

I find it interesting that I am always assumed to be male unless stated otherwise.

And this is not to insult anyone: I find stereotypes and the resultant assumptions interesting.

I am physically female and my orientation is heterosexual, but on all those internet behavior tests I test as strongly male.

I do not want and never had children.

I have not wanted to be a man, just wanted equal access to education, jobs...

I have a great deal of empathy for other non-standards: homosexual, bisexual, intersexed, transgendered...

Not sure where I fit on the spectrum.

 

[Moemg]

Not sure what happened, moderators: feel free to move this to a new category.



I find it interesting that I am always assumed to be male unless stated otherwise.

/quote]

I think it is because your avatars are usually male images . For a long time I thought Meadh was a guy until she had Audrey Hepburn . Whatever your sex is your opinions are valuable and wanted !

 

[Khan]

Not sure what happened, moderators: feel free to move this to a new category.

I find it interesting that I am always assumed to be male unless stated otherwise.

I think it is because your avatars are usually male images . For a long time I thought Meadh was a guy until she had Audrey Hepburn . Whatever your sex is your opinions are valuable and wanted !

Thank you.

I have found that in real life, my opinions have sometimes been devalued when people knew I was female.

 

[Moemg]

Thank you.

I have found that in real life, my opinions have sometimes been devalued when people knew I was female.

Me too !

 

[bbbamI]

Yup...me too. I guess I could take this pancake off my head, that might help.

 

[HFWR]

My "bovine excrement meter" avatar pretty much sums it up for me.