Would really appreciate some advice on knee pain for over 1 year

[blueandwhitehoops]

Hi all,

I'm looking for any advice, thoughts, comments on a problem that is really getting hard for me.  I'm a sporty guy, enjoy running (2 or 3 half marathons a year) and love cycling, both road and mountain biking...but for over a year now I've had knee pain in one knee following re-starting badminton in early 2010 and haven't been able to do any sport.

The pain is normally worse when walking downhill, or taking steps downwards and comes from right inside the knee or just just below patella.  Sometimes pressing on the bottom of the kneecap is pretty painful.  Sitting or standing in the same position can make the knee stiff/sore/achy and even just lying in bed in certain positions can.  The knee is never swollen, but is often very hot to the touch.

I was advised this was tendonitis and have seen various doctors and physio's.  So far we have tried months or RICE, followed by physio to loosen the hamstrings, physio to build up quad muscles, injections into the knee joint (this worked really well, but only for a week before the pain came back), ultrasound, shock wave therapy...

Unfortunately the pain is still there, and I've been advised all the way along to not do any sport while it is giving me pain...meaning I've done nothing for about 15 months now  :-(

Can anyone say if they have gone through the same thing...and what has helped them?  Also...from what I have read about tendonitis, is that once is changes to tendonsis there is no more inflammation....however given my knee is often very hot, does this mean I still have tendonitis?

I haven't tried eccentric exercises yet...but I am seeing the physio again tomorrow and will ask him about it.  My concern is that given I am in some level of pain nearly 100% of the time currently, starting any sort of exercise could further damage the knee.

Sorry for the long rambling post...the lack of sport/exercise is really having an impact on me and I just needed to get this out somewhere. 

Thanks for reading, and for any replies!!

[Dizzy]

I had quad tendinosis (you probably have tendinosis too - after a year its scar tissue, not inflammation) for about 10 months. Two PRP shots under ultrasound and some eccentric exercises helped allot. The quad is about 90% now (knock on wood), it took about 8 weeks to settle down after treatment. A word on the eccentrics - start slow, go slow, avoid the urge to get crazy (and you will have the urge because a proper protocol is slooooooow). Almost all of the horror stories with eccentric exercises start out with "I was feeling a little better and....". I am sure you have already seen this http://eccentric-exercises.blogspot.com/, but this is a pretty good protocol (I modeled mine after it as the quad gets affected similarly during the exercises). As I have been struggling with PFS, I really never got to adding weight and had to be very very careful with the dips.

Hang in there!

[blueandwhitehoops]

Thanks so much for the reply...it means a lot actually  :-)

I think I need to seriously move onto the eccentric exercises.  My physio (4th one now) is just pottering on wit the same treatment all the time...and I don't seem to be making any progress at all.

I'm not sure if the PRP treatment is available in Switzerland...but I will inquire.

Such a ***** to be stuck not doing sports when everyone else if off biking, running etc...hard to keep positive for sure.

Glad to hear you are making progress...all the best and hope it carries on for you!

[Clarkey]

Hi There,

I know how it feels nort being able to compete in physical activities due to knee problems as I was unable to run for over 3 and a half years after a heavy fall onto the pavement while jogging. I like yourself enjoy running and only started running again during the last couple of months after having something called IMS on the NHS which is a form of dry needling that worked really well for my knee condition. Also had my knee scoped to trim the fat pad and removed the medial plica as I kept on feeling catching and sharp pain in my right knee. It took 18 months to fully recover from the surgery and can now say my knee is 85% back to normal.

I can feel for you not being able compete in sports anymore as I was really missing going for a jog. Have you tried swimming and going to the gym to keep yourself active that I did while not being able to run. You waited long enough and high time you see an sports physician as it still possible to get back to playing sports and running. I thought I would never be able to run again as my knee was just the same after surgery and glad I found out about IMS.

Seeing a sports physician was the best decision I made and saw one on the NHS at a sports injury clinic and only needed 4 sessions of IMS. Before the sessions I was still unable to run and felt pain while kneeling and squatting. I can now kneel and squat pain free and get very little knee pain while running. I would suggest that you also see a sports physician 1st before seeing an OS as they try none surgical treatments 1st.

Nick {2011}

[captainruss]

Blue,

If you are having pain 100 percent of the time and it has occurred over a period of a year, you must seek out medical advice from an OS who can diagnose what you are experiencing.  I can tell you simply that enduring the pain is not good as you are doing some sort of damage by not getting it treated.  I have suffered because I was not diagnosed with a simple complication early in my treatment and lost the opportunity for a simple but effective cure.

Seek out a good OS and find out what is causing the pain.  The knee is sending you a pain telegram stating it is time to seek help!

Russ