Overuse problems of the knee :

Softball Catcher w/ Knee Problems - - Posted by megster3117 (megster3117), 15 January 2005

Hi!  I'm new here!  

I shouldn't be posting because there are people who are worse than me, but I guess it's alright.  

So here's some background.  I'm a 14 year old fastpitch softball player who has been catching for 6-7 years.  Now, when I mean fastpitch softball, it's not one game every couple of days.  It's six games a weekend for a softball tournament, and there being about 8-10 tournaments in a season and then we go to a nationals were our team plays everyday for a week.

This is the first year my knee has actually bothered me like this before.  I had to sit out of a fall-ball tournament due to it, and it's very uncomfortable.  Now, I didn't have a blow to the knee or a sudden injury.  It just came on.  

A couple of days later I went to a doctor for an X-Ray.  They found nothing.  They told me stretch and that's what I did.  Two months later, the pain never went away.  I eventually went to a different doctor who later told me that I've got Tendonitis, Petallar Tracking Disorder, and Chondromalacia (spelling?).  He's having me me do physical therapy three times a week for three weeks, and he's also given me anit-inflammatory medicaton for 10 days.  After reading about some people with Tendonitis and Chondromalacia are having more problems with their knees and it scares me...

What other treatments are there besides Physical Therapy and anti-inflammatory medication?  I am getting an MRI on Monday just to make sure there's nothing else wrong.  

I'm sorry this is soo long.  
Posted by soccerblond52 (soccerblond52), 15 January 2005

As far as I kno tendonitis is mainly a PT type fix unless it's really bad, but chondromalacia can also be supposedly fixed through surgery as can Patellar tracking disorder, but strengthing muscles is a much better and more successful fix then surgery, or so i've heard. For the Chondromalacia they will just shave the tissue underneath your kneecap till its smooth, but a patellar tracking disorder is a pretty complicated and frusterating fix. I have both Chondromalacia and Patellar femoral syndrome (mal-tracking patella) and i was supposed to have the chondromalacia fixed through surgery so that didn't work out to well. But i'm hoping you will have better luck. I kno how it feels to have to sit out in your sport, i haven't been able to play soccer for over a year now, its tough but you will get through it! Best of luck!
                           Laura
Posted by Mandy (Mandy), 15 January 2005

Hey there!

welcome to kneegeeks!  sorry ya have to join the "crappy knees" club.  i totally know where you are coming from.  i have tendonitis, PFS, and i am recovering from a scope w/ plica removal.  

i too play softball...well used to.  i played for 11 years. (i'm 17). so i totally know how hard softball can be on the knees with so many games and practices etc.  finally i had to quit cuz my knee pain was really bad to continue.  i also play hockey..which can be demanding on the knees as well, i guess.  

i also was given anti inflammatories...many actually cuz none of them seemed to work for me.  what anti inflamm were u given?  i had bextra, vioxx, celebrex, relefin, and now mobic. none of them have really touched the pain, but i really hope that you get different results.   same goes for PT.  usually the PT does good things for the tendonitis, and can perhaps help with the PFS.  again...that really hasnt helped for me either. i was in PT for a year before my surgery and have been going to PT for two months post op.  

besides the PT and anti-inflamms, ICE ICE ICE.  also, have you been suggested a brace?  i had a brace for softball that worked pretty good, but that thing got so worn out.  right now i am using the breg PTO, and i must say u will hear really good things about this brace around here.  this board is what pushed me to change from my other brace to the breg.  if i do say so myself...try to stay away from the don-joy brand...they just give ya troubles!  

hope this has helped at least a little. again welcome to the board.  if ya wanna IM me with any other ?'s feel free to do so!

take care,
~Mandy
Posted by megster3117 (megster3117), 15 January 2005

Aww Thanks guys.  Right now i'm on Naproxen (I think) and I also have a knee brace to help with the pain, but like you said, they get worn out.  I'm getting an MRI on Monday to see how bad the Chondromalacia is, and hopefully I don't need surgery...but if I do, it should help.  

Thanks for the support.  
Posted by ATsoccergirl (ATsoccergirl), 18 January 2005

Are you using knee savers on your shin guards?  These reduce the ROM when you are squatting and have been shown to protect the mensicus and help with chondromalacia.  
Posted by megster3117 (megster3117), 19 January 2005

Yeah I do, but they don't seem to ease the pain.  It's more of an overuse problem because I've caught 80 some games each season, and then during the winter I catch, too.  It's alot on the knees.  

I also got my MRI's and the one little "frame thingy" and the it's got the two bones in the picture, and in between on one side there is like, the cartilage, but on the other side there is almost nothing.  Haha my mom was like, telling me to calm down because it's nothing.  But it's just a concern.  

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