Knee/leg pain ??

[weerosebud]

Hi ya, I developed a pain at the back of my right knee roughly three months ago. I was playing Gaelic football and got tripped up and landed on both my knees but got up and played on, just felt general pain from falling. During the same week I had a second match and having extended my leg to kick the ball from my hands I felt a sharp pain in the back of my knee/hamstring which made me come off injured.
I have seen a physio at my club twice after that over the course of three weeks. He wasn't sure as to what the problem was so he referred me to my doctor. I had two appointments with my doctor over the course of two weeks and he then referred me unto a physiotherapist at hospital whom I have now seen 4 times and have been booked in for a 5th visit..... I still have not been given an exact answer as to what is causing the pain and have not even been sent for a scan of any sort.

Having been to the physio at the hospital, ligament tests have not given any indication of injury nor has hamstring. I even had my hamstring tapped to see if that eased pain but was of no use. I have now been told it may be damage to the cartilage.

My symptoms are as follows:
> sharp uncomfortable pain at the back of my knee
> pain when sitting with my legs tucked under me and leaning back on my heels
> pain taking off my shoe with my other foot placed on heel
> pain going up stairs (depending on the number of stairs)
> pain if sitting with my legs bent at 90% and i turn my foot either inward or outward
> pain when sitting with my legs crossed
> leg stiffens if sitting with the knee bent for long period, i then get pain straightening it
> pain sometimes when i crouch, sprint or turn quickly

Recently my physio told me to start back at training lightly, but i took a lightly too much out of myself and hurt my leg again. I went back to physio and as my leg was tender she put me on the leg press machine which with my left leg i could lift 20 kilos for ten reps with no pain and with my right leg however i was lifting only 10 kilos and that was causing pain, especially when pushing off. Having done a few exercises with the physio in the gym she then tested my leg again and when checking for cartilage damage i felt pain when rolling the leg inward and outward but there was no popping/cracking, she said it might be minor damage. Since my last visit I have now noticed my knee does crack when crossing my legs. (can i also state that at no point has there been swelling or bruising, only pain)

Can anyone confirm or give me any pointers as to what this may be. To be honest I'm getting a little impatient and my pre season will be starting soon

Thanks

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[Ironmike]

Given the mechanism of injury, and what you are describing, it could be PCL, maybe meniscus, hamstring tendon or popliteus tendon, but these appear to have been ruled out. I think your next course of action should be a referral for MRI investigation. You should be able to get the physio you are seeing to write to your GP outlining what she has done and that she recommends you are passed on for a scan. I think 3 months down the line this is the sensible course of action.

[sarahkelly]

Hi there,
I am sorry to hear that your symptoms are getting worse.
Do you have any other symptoms such as do you ever feel that your knee is slightly unsteady/unstable or not able to support you?
Does it ever lock into a position?
You say it is the back of the knee, is it more one side than the other or is it the middle?
I would be interested in hearing the answers to these questions and the results of the MRI scan.

[weerosebud]

Hi ya,

My knee never locks but does not feel as supportive in comparison with my other leg. I have noticed recently that if I cross my legs or even when I lift my leg in over the sill of the car when getting in, it makes a weird crackling sound from the medial side. I'm assuming it probably makes this noise at other times but I've only really heard it doing certain things.
Yes the pain seems more towards the back of the knee on the medial side. There is a general discomfort now though within my knee and I feel like the pain is also effecting the lower part of my shin.
I'm just hoping now that with my next phyiso and docs appointment that they refer me for an MRI as its really testing my patience

There is no pain when running straight but if I make any sudden change in direction or crouch (to touch a cone) i can feel it. Also at my last session of physio the leg press really brought on the pain.

I have my next physio appointment next week and then a doctors appointment the week after so I will update this after those.

[sarahkelly]

That's good news you're starting to get the ball rolling with the MRI scans etc. This has been going-on too long now. It may be ACL/PCL incomplete tear. It will be good when you finally find out what it is.