Anybody have/had knee problems?

[enRo]

Long story short... got hurt at work today thanks to my knee that was really bothering me since Wednesday. Pain is unbearable. Whenever I put pressure on my knee (I.E. Jumping up and down a 3 foot step all day) I get a pain that feels like a muscle is being stretched. Basically, in a sequence of events, that happened, then a slight "pop" sensation, and immediately afterwards it feels like someone is taking a hot knife, sliding it under my kneecap, and constantly twisting... Sitting down, other than that constant knife feeling, i dont have any pain when im moving my knee around. It's only when I am standing up.

So, as part of my work insurance, i had to go see a comp doctor. The guy is a total tool and said that it can just be "muscle fibers" breaking apart. Never heard of that. He proceeded to tell me to return to work on Monday and go to a follow up appointment afterwards.

Anybody have/had the same or similar problems?

[madness410]

well how did the pain first start in the first place. in 8th grade i got hurt playing football, i pulled a ligament in my knee/quad. it sounds sort of what like you are describing. i went to the doctor, stayed off of it for a week on crutches, and used a knee sleeve and i recovered. although these days when i squat heavy weight i feel it come back sometimes.

[NJSPEEDER]

What kind of a step were you taking when it happened? Pushing off? Landing? On the ball of your foot? On your heal? Foot flat? Is the pain actually in your knee, like directly under the knee cap or around the edges of the knee cap? Sitting in a chair, if you put some pressure on the back of your knee with your hand, does it hurt? Does it hurt just to stand or only when there is the added pressure of taking or landing steps?

The hot knife feeling usually means the nerve is involved. If it is centralized to the area of your knee it is most likely not terrible damage, just means whatever moved is pushing on the nerve. If that hot knife feeling pulses down your leg, that is a sign of more serious issues.

The knee is not a very complex joint, but magically there are a million ways to mess it up. If you are in pain tomorrow at work, tell them you wanna go to the emergency room, they are not allowed to deny that. As a part of your health insurance I am sure they will do MRI's or at least give you a referral to a specialist that will do a work up.

Do not take knee injuries lightly. Whatever damage is done and left unchecked will never magically heal itself. I wrecked my knees a long time ago. If I knew then what I know now I would have done things much differently. The knee is the only joint in your body that is expected to carry the full load of your body weight thousands of times a day, don't take that lightly.

[enRo]

Originally Posted by NJSPEEDER

What kind of a step were you taking when it happened? Pushing off? Landing? On the ball of your foot? On your heal? Foot flat? Is the pain actually in your knee, like directly under the knee cap or around the edges of the knee cap? Sitting in a chair, if you put some pressure on the back of your knee with your hand, does it hurt? Does it hurt just to stand or only when there is the added pressure of taking or landing steps?

I was getting onto a step of a garbage truck.... my knee was bent and i was pushing myself up onto the step with that knee. There is a little bit of swelling, no black and blues tho. If I press hard enough around the top of the kneecap there is a slight pain but thats about it. And yes, it hurts when Im adding pressure of taking and landing steps, primarily jumping onto the truck's step and bending down to grab stuff like a bundle of papers.

[12secondv6]

New doctor!

Dr. Lawrence Livingston
21 Philips Parkway
Montvale, NJ 07645

He has taken care of the giants, jets and me


torn ligament left knee - femur ground down -back of knee cap ground down -damaged catilige removed
knee cap relocation - left knee - 2 screws in it - damaged catilige removed
knee cap reallignment (left and right)

Amazing knee doctor.... contact him!

Sorry to hear about your knee problems.... I truely understand

[GP99GT]

problem with that james, is it happened on the job, therefore if he wants compensation for his time off....hes gotta go to their doctor

[sweetbmxrider]

Originally Posted by GP99GT

problem with that james, is it happened on the job, therefore if he wants compensation for his time off....hes gotta go to their doctor

i would think you could get a second opinion.

[Knipps]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

i would think you could get a second opinion.

Sure, if you want to pay out of pocket for it

[sweetbmxrider]

Originally Posted by Knipps

Sure, if you want to pay out of pocket for it

permanent knee damage vs a few hundred bucks

[NJSPEEDER]

Originally Posted by enRo

I was getting onto a step of a garbage truck.... my knee was bent and i was pushing myself up onto the step with that knee. There is a little bit of swelling, no black and blues tho. If I press hard enough around the top of the kneecap there is a slight pain but thats about it. And yes, it hurts when Im adding pressure of taking and landing steps, primarily jumping onto the truck's step and bending down to grab stuff like a bundle of papers.

If the pain is above your knee, I would hope for simple muscle or mild tendon damage. I am betting your foot was turned sideways 45 degrees or better when you went to stand up?

Serious design flaw of the human knee, it is meant to go forward and backwards, try to get creative and it will prove you wrong.

Go to the doctor, if he is a responsible citizen and doesn't liek getting sued he will perform range of motion tests and note the areas of discomfort. If it is just muscle.tendon issues, the only restriction to ROM present should be the discomfort. If going through range of motion causes any clicks, grinds, or other unnatural feelings and sounds, you did something a bit more.

James is right to suggest a good doctor. Most general doctors are more about maintaining the general illusion of health in the typical slack ass in society. Finding a doctor that understands someone who wants and needs to be active is important.

If you go to whatever doctor your health insurance or work demands and they seem disinterested, there will be something in the contract about getting a referral for a second opinion. It may require you to say you are in pain at work and head for the emergency room or make multiple visits to get it, but don't let it go. A little knee problem now is arthritis in ten years, and I can tell you from my own personal experience that isn't any damn fun.

[enRo]

A little update as I gathered information by pieces today.

Last week, my boss went out of his way to contact my workers compensation manager to request an MRI be done because I haven't shown any improvement (even though I havent worked since Feb 6th). So I had one done without IV contrast.

I get the MRI's and I'm not a radiologist so I didn't know what to look for. I was asked to bring my slides to a follow-up visit with a new worker's comp doctor, which occured yesterday. That visit lasted not even 5 minutes, and I was told that I have a bruised kneecap, and was told to return back to work April 6th.

I then got an extensive report from a radiologist who works at the MRI place which is completely seperate from the worker's comp doctor's office and it said I have a three things wrong; "runner's knee" (where the cartilidge under the kneecap is softened), a partial tear in my quadricep tendon that looks to be healing over on it's own, and a partial ACL tear.

My only gripe with this situation is that I was told to return back to work in 2 weeks, yet, I have not felt any better or worse since the injury occured. I have been continuing therapy with no improvement since I've been out. It's against the rules for me to go to a doctor of my choice, but I want a second opinion. Should I just go ahead and use my personal insurance to go out and get a second opinion or what?

[LTb1ow]

The partial tear in the ACL could come back to kick you in the ass later on... I would want to get that checked out ASAP.

[ShitOnWheels]

Find out if you can get a second opinion. I would think workers comp would allow it. It's stupid if they don't, and then I'd say **** it and do it anyway. My health is much more important than worker's comp.Especially so young.

[NJSPEEDER]

By law you are entitled to a second opinion and I believe in New Jersey it is by the physician of your choosing. You will have to check with your insurance what the process is for Dr and specialist visits.

Sorry to tell the professional insurance fraud doctor, but a bruised knee cap clears up in a few weeks. I know because I have done it before.

[tastyle88]

well lets see i worked for roxbury had almost same problem lil worse then got fired!!!!! lmk the drs there sending u to 2 of them are fed up if i can help u avoid what i went through lmk. u know my cell if ud like to b/s p.s i was told i was ok to go back to work for them then they fired me so DONT wait!!!!! and yes knee surgery after 6 months SUCKED!!!!! also if its a tear theropy WILL make it worse

[mc73nova]

Go for a second opinion. Dr. McEnernie<--Not sure on the spelling, I can get you more info on him if you want. I believe he is in Clifton. My uncle was never supposed to walk again after a motorcycle accident, not only did he walk again but he competed in many bi and triatholons. You only get one set of legs(as if you didnt know!!!), money is a small price to pay to be able to walk.

[enRo]

Update:

Went to a new doctor today for a second opinion... great guy. Actually, he is the NY Jets team physician, so I could expect positive results. No ACL tear which is awesome. Quadricep has a tear but should heal over to 100% function. Knee pain is coming from a degenerative meniscus. If my pain doesnt go away in a month, he recommends going back to him to discuss a simple surgical procedure to fix the problem.

[ShitOnWheels]

Originally Posted by enRo

Update:

Went to a new doctor today for a second opinion... great guy. Actually, he is the NY Jets team physician, so I could expect positive results. No ACL tear which is awesome. Quadricep has a tear but should heal over to 100% function. Knee pain is coming from a degenerative meniscus. If my pain doesnt go away in a month, he recommends going back to him to discuss a simple surgical procedure to fix the problem.

Did you go to Dr. Livingston then?

[enRo]

Originally Posted by ****OnWheels

Did you go to Dr. Livingston then?

Nope, Dr Lombardi in cedar knolls

[ShitOnWheels]

Originally Posted by enRo

Nope, Dr Lombardi in cedar knolls

Ah, ok.

Good luck with everything!