Anyone know about knee injuries? Went to the ER last night.

goodbyefreshman15
goodbyefreshman15 Posts: 71
in Motivation and Support
They did some x-rays. The doctor felt the side of my knee for about two seconds. They watched my try to walk (a.k.a. they watched as I fell down because I'm not weight bearing). They gave me an immobilizer and a prescription for Vicodin. They discharged me with a "severe sprain" of the MCL.

My question is... I mentioned that I was really bothered by my knee cap, which I can move with just one finger. I can push it to the left and right, forward and back. It's just...floating? The nurse looked concerned but the doctor didn't even look at that, even though I told him directly. In fact, he didn't seem interested at all in what I had to say.

Should I be nervous about my knee cap? Is it just doing that because I stretched out the ligament? Should I seek another opinion?

I can't bend my leg even a few degrees because of the pain. It won't support me at all. I fall if I try to stand on it. It's been hugely swollen.

I'm 18. In college. Fell ice skating. Seriously distressed. :(

Replies

  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
    I speak from personal experience as I suffered through 2 knee injuries in 2 months. Continue with meds, ice 30 minutes at a time. Keep leg elevated above your heart. Lost of water and rest. It will take about 2-3 weeks to get better. I would follow up with your doctor if there's no improvement in 1 week.
  • dwood1231
    dwood1231 Posts: 275 Member
    The above post is good advise, make an appiontment to see ortho in about a week, even if it is feeling better.
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    First of all, stop pushing on it :) Seriously, none of us can tell from here just how bad the tear is or in which ligament(s), but there's no reason to aggravate it by pushing it around - I can push mine around a little bit also (they go crunch, crunch, crunch when I do), but I can't tell how much "give" you are seeing there.

    Yes, I would definitely get another opinion from someone who will take a closer look, and give you a better idea of what to expect beyond the next week. In the meantime, I totally agree with the previous advice. And take your time with the healing, even though it totally sucks.

    I'm sorry.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Both of my knees have had surgery and the best thing to do is just go to a professional that deals with rehab. I don't want to hate on doctors because they are a VERY important part of health, but sometimes some doctor's just think that keeping someone alive is about all they have to do.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    My kneecaps both move. If you are concerned see your regular doctor Monday. ER docs just address the pain and you should follow up.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Both of my knees have had surgery and the best thing to do is just go to a professional that deals with rehab. I don't want to hate on doctors because they are a VERY important part of health, but sometimes some doctor's just think that keeping someone alive is about all they have to do.
    To be fair, that IS all an emergency room doctor has to do. Stabilize the patient, make sure they aren't immediately dying, then do just enough to make sure the patient can go home (or admit.) Otherwise they'd never be able to get through everyone.

    OP, the ER doc is there to make sure you aren't in immediate danger. You need to make an appointment with either your primary doctor, or an orthopedic specialist. At least the primary, who would most likely refer you to an orthopedist anyway.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    Both of my knees have had surgery and the best thing to do is just go to a professional that deals with rehab. I don't want to hate on doctors because they are a VERY important part of health, but sometimes some doctor's just think that keeping someone alive is about all they have to do.
    To be fair, that IS all an emergency room doctor has to do. Stabilize the patient, make sure they aren't immediately dying, then do just enough to make sure the patient can go home (or admit.) Otherwise they'd never be able to get through everyone.

    OP, the ER doc is there to make sure you aren't in immediate danger. You need to make an appointment with either your primary doctor, or an orthopedic specialist. At least the primary, who would most likely refer you to an orthopedist anyway.

    Agree with this. ER docs are really there to stabilize people having emergencies.
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
    Both of my knees have had surgery and the best thing to do is just go to a professional that deals with rehab. I don't want to hate on doctors because they are a VERY important part of health, but sometimes some doctor's just think that keeping someone alive is about all they have to do.
    To be fair, that IS all an emergency room doctor has to do. Stabilize the patient, make sure they aren't immediately dying, then do just enough to make sure the patient can go home (or admit.) Otherwise they'd never be able to get through everyone.

    OP, the ER doc is there to make sure you aren't in immediate danger. You need to make an appointment with either your primary doctor, or an orthopedic specialist. At least the primary, who would most likely refer you to an orthopedist anyway.

    That's good stuff.
  • Doc_V
    Doc_V Posts: 20 Member
    Your MCL is the ligament on the inside part of your knee- it keeps it from buckling in toward the other one (knock knees, essentially). When you sprain that, it makes it hard to bend the knee front to back since you're taking the sprained ligament along for the ride. You can also get some laxity of the patellar ligament (which holds your patella in place) with a complex strain. The patellar ligament joints your quads ligament with the patella in between. Sooo if you extend your knee by flexing your quads, it pulls on the patella and pain and unhappiness ensues.

    Good news: with rest, immobilization, and NSAIDS most of the time the knee will heal just fine. Don't push it. If it is a serious tear, you don't want to make it worse. Ortho will be able to take a look at it after the inflammation phase is over. Use a compression knee brace or ace wrap it for a about a week or so and assess later.
  • ThinkInOregon
    ThinkInOregon Posts: 283
    +1

    Most excellent post!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    An ER Doc is not a specialist in every discipline and it can also be difficult to give a complete assessment when the injury is fresh and still very painful.

    A car driver used my knee to remove his bumper (bumper=fender for those in the US) and the complete rupture of my PCL and a bucket-handle tear of the lateral meniscus was diagnosed as bruising!

    Suggest you see a specialist and get a proper assessment and diagnosis.
  • MyFoodGod
    MyFoodGod Posts: 184 Member
    The above post is good advise, make an appiontment to see ortho in about a week, even if it is feeling better.

    Unless your insurance requires a referral from your general practitioner, start asking around for an ortho. Then make that appointment. Even if you have to go to your gp. Ask around. So many doctors in groups that require them to refer to someone else in their group they might not even know.

    (Based on my own experience.)

    Ask your parents to poll their friends if you don't know anyone who might have had knee issues. The older crowd is well versed in this area


    Good luck. So many options out there. Physical therapy might help instead of surgery.

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