HELP-Bone Bruise?

[J_Jackie]

Hello, new to the forum, but VERY impressed! Some background info and then info over a week's span:
I'm currently recovering from an Oct. surgery for patella tendonitis and synovial plica removal. Things have been slow but sure so far in exercises, etc, but I'm fearing I may have done some damage....I jumped off of a 2 foot platform and landed on my solo leg (leg having had surgery) in a twisted position. My leg was bent about 30 degrees as I landed, but my knee was twisted laterally away from the body. As I made contact with the ground, my knee bent completely and I landed with my entire leg bent as in "Indian style" jamming the outside border of my kneecap into the ground. I immediately felt pain on impact. I now feel constant pain. I can no longer run up stairs without quite noticeable pain, feel popping/clicking within the knee joint, it feels unstable and weaker than normal.  Trying to ice it down at least 3 times a day. I feel most of the pain just to the sides of my kneecap (lateral and medial), but more on the lateral side I'd say. Some slight pain on the backside of the knee also. I wouldn't really describe it as a sharp pain, but definitely more than just an ache. Feels sensitive on the inside of the joint rather than on the surface. Feel most of the pain when squatting, going up/down stairs, when knee is bent all the way, or when jogging (which I haven't done much since). Some clicking does occur from time to time. It almost feels as if I cannot extend that leg all the way when sitting with both legs straight out...but might just be my imagination at work.  Tightening my quads causes some pain around the medial and lateral borders of my kneecap. 

Knee felt much worse today(5 days after fall)...VERY sore on the lateral side, especially sensitive to the touch. If  I push on the knee laterally from the patella and just a little bit distal the pain is very strong. I've been able now to pinpoint exactly where it hurts. When I push on it and the surrounding area, it feels like there is a big band of some kind present. 

Just returned home from the OS.  He said no MRI or X-Ray was needed and came to the conclusion of me having a bone bruise on my tibia. He did the classic physical examination tests for acl, pcl, etc. When he tested for a meniscus tear by rotating my leg I felt slight pain and said so. He didn't seem concerned the least bit. I guess I'm just doubting his diagnosis of a bone bruise. I really do not think I fell very hard on it to result in a bone bruise. Also, would a bone bruise cause symptoms of pain when squatting, climbing stairs, etc?? With track just around the corner, I guess my thoughts were to do an MRI to make sure nothing is torn (meniscus). My theory is rather be safe than sorry, but obviously he didn't find that necessary. What is your take on this? He said I can't really do anything to speed the healing process along except to just keep the ice on it and start back on stretching and isometric exercises and gradually increase back to biking and eventually jogging once I can take it and pain is under control. How long do you think I should let this go without wondering if something else could be wrong? Maybe I'm just a worry-wart, but for some reason I feel like it's something else going on in there. I'm not very knowledgeable about symptoms of a bone bruise or meniscus tear and all, but commonsense tells me my symptoms prove more severe in ways than a bone bruise.  Anyone else having suffered from a bone bruise and willing to share their experience?? Any thoughts would be appreciated beyond belief. Thanks!

[nandie]

Hi Jackie:

My one and only injury is a bone bruise on the knee end of my femur and I am still recovering 7 months later, although I am much much better now. I'm not supposed to try ballet, running, eliptical, etc. for at least a year from my original injury. I do the stationary bike 20 minutes 3x a week, and am about to start limited swimming.

My OS told me that anything that puts force on the knee will cause pain and re-injure the bruise, so I had to really learn to avoid any squatting, stairs, etc. I was pretty much housebound for the first 3-4 months. I lost my full extension and developed a limp from disuse, but now am ambling around OK and can walk nearly a mile without pain. But I still can't take the stairs up with my bad knee first--it's one at a time for me.

It really takes A LOT of patience to get better. For me, it was at least a month or two before the reality of the situation set in. It is a long and frustrating process. But it does get better--I try to keep my knee pain-free, and when I do get pain, get off it and ice it along with a couple of advil. Usually at this point I am back on track the next day. But 3 months in I hurt myself just a bit (ran down three stairs without thinking) and it set me back for a week.

My bone bruise showed on my MRI. Did your Dr say why he didn't want to confirm with an MRI? I'd get a second opinion if you want to be sure.

Let me know if you have other questions.

[stillhurting]

Hello, sorry to hear about your injury. I to fell from a catwalk at work I was approx 4 feet off the concrete floor and fell onto the lateral part of my right knee. I did this on sept 1 of 2005, had Mri in oct and they diagnosed the severe bone contusion started pt for 3 weeks and had to stop once I begin working out in the gym pain and swelling never let up. Had 2 mri in december showed improvement in bone contusion os said he would wait another 2 months before he would do a scope. I got a second opinion and this os said that since the bone contusion is on the lateral side and most of my pain and swelling is on the medial side that it deserved a look see. I had a scope on feb 21st, he found and repaired a tear in the medial meniscus and removed some plica. I posted in the Post OP section if you would like to take a look.  I knew that there was something very wrong with my knee and I am very thankful that I finally found an os that would listen to me. Take my advice and listen to your body, find an os that will treat you and not your xrays and mris. Goodluck with everything and keep posting.
Tonia