Knee Injured or Severely Hurt?

[newgene]

Well, in the next few days, I will surely be making an appointment to an ortho that I've seen before. Here's what happened today, and please let me know what you think this may be.

I was repelling down a cavern (seriously), and leaned back too far. When I did, my weight flopped my butt to the wall, and I severely over-extended my knee. It was pretty scary. I had to be belayed down, and was in severe pain. I felt an immediate burning in my knee, and it felt like something ripped. The pain is pretty much gone now, but it is so swolen, it's hard to tell what anything is. I get severe pain when I try to extend it, but I can pretty much curl it ok. Straigtening the knee with any resistance on it is pretty much impossible. It almost doesn't extend at all. Again, this just happened a few hours ago, and it's Easter Sunday.

I'm not going to sub advice for an ortho surgeon, but what do others think? Does this sound like a common knee injury (minus the repelling)?

[gimpy835]

try some ice for a while and see if the swelling will go down and it will feel a litter better. if not i would head to the doctor!

[Fresch]

If there is a lot of swelling, injury to a cruciate ligament is most likely, probably the posterior cruciate.

Other possibilities include damage to a meniscus (cartilage) and a small fracture.

[newgene]

If there is a lot of swelling, injury to a cruciate ligament is most likely, probably the posterior cruciate.

Other possibilities include damage to a meniscus (cartilage) and a small fracture.

Yeah, there is a lot of swelling. It's been since Sunday, and I've been icing it down. However, it's still swolen pretty bad. BTW, I see the orthopedic guy tomorrow morning.

[Fresch]

Keep us informed of what develops.

[newgene]

Keep us informed of what develops.

I will. I'll be at the doctor by tomorrow morning. I've been icing and elevating it. I tried to wrap it, but I don't have the hand of that yet. If I had to guess, I'm thinking I have a problem with my patella tendon, or a crack in the cap itself. I don't think he'll be able to do much by feel. I'm assuming he'll be able to x-ray it tomorrow, but it may be a few weeks on the MRI and/or surgery.

We'll know shortly. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks.

[Fresch]

A dislocated kneecap can also cause a lot of swelling at the front of the knee.

[alecto42c]

I will. I'll be at the doctor by tomorrow morning. I've been icing and elevating it. I tried to wrap it, but I don't have the hand of that yet. If I had to guess, I'm thinking I have a problem with my patella tendon, or a crack in the cap itself. I don't think he'll be able to do much by feel. I'm assuming he'll be able to x-ray it tomorrow, but it may be a few weeks on the MRI and/or surgery.

We'll know shortly. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks.

not going to lie, I had that exact same feeling. I was playing football and got hit, fell to the ground, started burning really bad, just thought hum, minor tweak. that night it completly swelled up, i could barely drive the car (it was to my right knee). The ortho when first looking @ it said it was a bruised bone, but several months later when i would just lose support and it would collapse, I had an MRI done, i tore my LCL, MCL, and posterior horn. All of which took roughly 4 months of solid rehab, and slowly getting back into lifting weights. My squat after the injury has gotten back up to 545x2, so I wouldnt worry about it. But the second i read your post i knew that exact feeling that you described, and for me, sadly it was torn.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

[newgene]

Well, here is the verdict so far. After an easy diagnosis for ortho surgeon, and an x-ray, he said at a minimum, I have a quadriceps tendon tare. My kneecap is riding lower on that leg. He also said that based on what he's seen so far, and my description, he does not believe I have much more than that. I had an MRI done today as well, and we'll review that by Friday.

The good news is that we are going to have surgery as soon as the swelling goes down. So, I'll be in surgery either Monday or Wednesday.

Oh well, I kinda figured all this.

[Fresch]

That's a rare one! Don't see that injury too often at all.

[newgene]

Ok, here's the scoop. They looked at the MRI, and I have a quad tendon tare with no damage to anything else. He said tore it really good, but that actually makes the repair easier for whatever reason. I go in for surgery on Monday at 8:00, and I should be out by 12:00.

There is a minimum 8 week recovery period, but at least by this summer, I should be on my way back. The doctor said this is actually a common injury for really big bulky guys. I had no idea. Oh well, I guess there is some truth to the fact that you can strengthen muscle beyond the ability of tendons and ligaments. Either way, I don't really care. I just want to be back.

[Fresch]

bad news on the injury, but good that the healing / recovery process will under way soon

[Tyro]

Some word of advice start reading into some westside principles. Not only they build super strong people but they are masters at speedy injury recovery. After the 8 week period start dragging a sled, backwards then forwards, learn how to squat properly.

[swole2008]

sorry to hear about the injury. 8 weeks downtime feels like eons. glad the damage is reversible. best of luck

[newgene]

Well, it's been 6 days since the surgery, and most of the swelling has gone down. I still feel a decent amount of aches and pain, and I'm getting better at the PT plan. I should go back to work in about a week.

Here's what they found. When they went in to reattach the quad tendon, they found out that I tore 3 of my 4 heads of the quad. So, went the first one went, it tore the other two right after. That loud rip I heard must have been that combo. They also had some cartilage that they had to tack back, but I don't believe was anything related to my meniscus. So, they were in there around and hour, when they were planning for 15 minutes. They said they got a really good re-attach, and I will be back to normal soon. However, I just have more pain and swelling then they originally planned.

So, that's the story on the injury.

[Fresch]

Ouch!!

Good news that the surgery went well though.