Overuse problems of the knee :
tendonitis/scar tissue - - Posted by kneeprob (kneeprob), 25 November 2003
hello !!
Does anyone know if chronic (6 years ) tendonitis can turn into scar tissue , and that is what is still getting inflammed.? I've never be able to adequately heal my overuse injury.And it pretty much just stays inflammed.
thankyou
Posted by ozzybug (ozzybug), 25 November 2003
Hey there. I'm sorry to hear that you are having these problems. Try clicking on the link below. I hope this will give you some useful information.
http://www.tendonitis.net
Best of luck!
Lezlee
Posted by kneeprob (kneeprob), 26 November 2003
Right on Ozzybug thanx for the tip....I think scar tissue is my problem .
Posted by skv0000 (skv0000), 11 March 2004
I have been diagnosed with tendonitis about 6 years ago and have been living with it. My knee recently started to swell so I went to the OS. After an MRI, he saw a callus that had formed behind the patella tendon. I am getting it removed this month. I will let you know if I get my 35" vertical back. (maybe 15")
I am now 12 weeks removed of surgery. They did an arthroscopy, lateral release, excursion and a patellar tendinopathy. Sound like a lot, and I guess it was. The good news is that I could walk within 2 days and at least get around. My knee was super swollen for quite awhile, but I iced it all the time and was diligent with PT. I am back playing volleyball, a step slow when pushing off of the new knee, but that is coming back. I am generally pain free, my other knee actually hurts worse when I am done playing.
I will report back in a month or so if anyone is interested in my recovery. I was nervous about the surgery, but I now think I made the right decision and will get the other knee done in the fall.
You can see my scope pics on the www.raysvolleyball.com web site. Click on the link called "inside jimbo's knee"
Posted by jbean (jbean), 16 July 2004
I have also had tendonitis in my knee for over 5 years. I have played basketball and volleyball all my life, and switched to tennis because I outlasted my team mates. At 45 I still have another 15 years to improve my tennis game, but I have been frustrated with tendonitis that apparently started when I was jumping on my serve and landing on the hard court. I am just now getting over it.
Here is what has NOT worked:
* Prescription prednisone. It kills the inflammation, but over time reduces your body's ability to deal with inflammation on its own. Plus, you may find yourself starting to blow up like a balloon and unable to make it through the night without having to relieve yourself. If you use this, use it in small quantities and only in the beginning of a rest cycle.
* Stretching. Doctors will send you on a guilt trip telling you that you need to loosen and strengthen the quads. This is pure bullshit. Your quads are probably already 3x stronger than normal, otherwise you wouldn't be a jumper in the first place, and no amount of stretching will make your muscle as loose as simply extending you leg.
* Acupuncture. I heard that this worked on horses, so I concluded that it could not be a placebo effect. I tried it with nothing to show for it but a lighter wallet.
Here is what I BELIEVE WILL WORK FOR ANYONE that is not suffering from some structural defect (a pure tendon problem):
* ICE PACKS. I use the kind that you put in the freezer and then wrap them around your knee later. They are from a company called ICE DOWN. Use them EVERY SINGLE TIME you finish working out! Apply them for 30 minutes and be sure they are cold enough that you risk freezing your skin - but DON'T! It's a bit of an art to get it cold enough and when it is working you can feel it deep down inside.
* DEEP MASSAGE. Sit in the tub or the floor of the shower with hot water soaking your knee, and your leg extended in front of you, with no tension running through the knee cap. Then use your thumb or fingers to press down into the knee cap as hard as you can stand it, using a swirling motion on the parts that are painful. Continue the pressing and swirling for 2 or 3 minutes, or until you are no longer feeling pain when pressure is applied.
* CROSS TRAINING. Ride your bicycle for some zero impact conditioning of the knee. Plus, the thousands of reps that you get over a 10 or 15 mile ride seems to help the circulation in the knee.
* IBUPROFEN. 600-800 mg (3 or 4 pills) at a time, immediatly following a workout.
* WEIGHT LOSS. I'm a muscluar 6'2" build, and used to weigh 230 lbs. By dropping 20 lbs I have reduced the stress on my joints, and my wife says I look sexier now. I didn't think that was possible ! )
Updated Sat Mar 20 2010
