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Richard Price
13th May 2002, 13:38
I've had on-off pain in my right knee for about a year. Usually comes and then goes just as quickly. I'ts always in my right knee...I suffered a Tibia fracture under my kneecap about 10 years ago. Anyway, just the last month or so the pain has been constant...mostly a dull ache and a feeling of weakness, but occasionally a sharp pain that makes me want to cry (boo hoo :cry: ). Also it cracks like a dry stick when I straighten it out and the tendons round the back feel like they are "popping" sometimes. Very uncomfortable...and due to the fact that I can't train at the moment...VERY annoying. I have been to the doctor...but they're a bit useless over here (not all of them .....before I get any irate British doctors on my case). It's going to take months for me to see a specialist. Does anybody have any ideas or observations. I will really not be able to handle not training for very long. Just don't want it to be Osteoarthritis...I'm only 31.

Chiburi
13th May 2002, 15:13
Well, I basically messed up my knees so bad I couldn't walk, run, kick, kneel etc. I took a break, then started to lift weights using more and more my knees, biking (the cause to messing up my knees: flying of the bike in rocky terrain :( ). This was a few years back. Now I train Bujinkan Taijutsu with (almost) no knee problems.Sometimes I still get aches and pain in them,mostly in the right knee, but not much. Maybe I should still go and consult a doctor. Stretching them carefully every once in a while and working on the muscles around the knee might help (If you've burst a ligament, the doc might tell you to strengthen all the muscles of the leg to compensate for the damage, or something. That's what I did, anyway. I'm no Doc, but someone who's been through a lot of knee problems. And BTW, the pain in my right knee could be a consequence of stabbing myself to the thigh..stupid, huh..

Good Luck! I used to live in Belgium then..so I understand ;)

Richard Price
14th May 2002, 12:15
You stabbed yourself in the leg? Was it a bet or something?

Budoka 34
14th May 2002, 18:31
I know how you feel!
Be very careful, I started having pain in my knees several years ago.
I had been weakening my ligaments thru poor training habits. A tap to the lateral aspect of my left knee during last years nationals blew out my ACL! Then I recently damaged the right ACL during a Jiu-Jitsu class. A thousand dollar brace holds the left one together and careful training the right. I now do knee specific training, like pliometrics to strengthen the muscle and ligaments and long bouts of warm ups. Try to find a good PT (physical therapist), they can tell you more and better exercises for the knees. GOOD LUCK!

:smilejapa

Jeff Hamacher
15th May 2002, 03:59
Originally posted by Richard Price
Does anybody have any ideas or observations.
my experience with knee pain was quite similar to yours, Richard, and based on what happened to me, i'd get it checked out double-quick, never mind what hassles the NHS throws at you.

i was experiencing pain in both knees, although truth be told i'd had an ongoing mild pain in my left knee for almost as long as i'd been training in aikido (a connection, perhaps?). foolishly, i continued to train, saying to myself, "ahh, it'll sort itself out in time." when it didn't, i approached my family doctor back in canada during a vacation and had some x-rays done. the bones were in fine shape, but the doc told me it was likely the lateral mensicii giving me problems. his solution was a two-month layoff from heavy physical activity and anti-inflammatory medication dispensed from a doctor in japan whose care i should seek immediately.

but instead i procrastinated and didn't take any medication, choosing instead to just stay away from martial arts. the right knee did sort itself out. when i finally sought the care of a japanese doctor, an MRI test turned up some pretty serious damage to the lateral meniscii in the left knee and i underwent orthoscopic surgery to fix it (slice out the damaged tissue). the knee is not 100% healthy and it never will be, according to the surgeon, but the serious pain is gone and i can participate in heavy physical activity again. having said that, i don't train in aikido anymore (took up SMR jo and i'm having a great time), so in the end i've been forced to alter my routine a bit as a result of the injury.

all this drivel is meant to say: don't try to be a tough guy or gal! if it hurts, get it checked out. your health has got to come first, even ahead of martial arts training.

Richard Price
15th May 2002, 08:56
As a follow on from my last post I have been to see a Doctor (an NHS Doctor). I sat there and described my symptoms. He prodded my knee in a manner that made me suspect he didn't know what he was doing and then said "Well, it may be something you just have to learn to live with". He then prescribed me some Anti Inflammatory Cream....despite the fact that I do not have any obvious inflammation. When I asked if I could see a specialist he said that a specialist would probably not even examine the leg and that it was not worth it. I have now changed my doctor....I'll see what joy I get from that.

The most annoying thing in this is that if I look for my symptoms on internet sites they are all saying that a doctor should be doing Xrays and MRI scans.....neither of which I am being offered....perhaps they are too expensive. I shall perhaps investigate emigrating to Canada. Or anywhere for that matter.

Anyhow ...I went training last night and took it real easy. My knee held up pretty much OK....but it hurts like hell this morning. Had to go though....I was going mad with frustration.

M Maher
20th May 2002, 20:01
I don't post here much, but I just came across your post about knee pain. In particular, you last post said you had gone to training and your knee hurt afterward.

I have something called (forgive the spelling) Chondromalsia of the Patella in both knees. What that means is the cartilage under both knee caps is not top quality and has been scraped off by repeated "trauma" and continues to degrade. I don't think this is what you have, but I also have knee pain after training. I wear inexpensive "knee sleeves" when training and it cuts down on my pain significantly. The sleeves should have a round hole for the patella (don't use the closed type). This keeps the knee cap tracking properly and provides general support too.

Like others have said: If you are injured - don't train. And yes, keep pushing for x-ray (bone problems) and MRI (tendon/soft tissue problems). If you find that the pain is chronic and stable and not an acute injury and want to train "with the pain" - extra support is a good thing.

Good luck,

Miranda Maher

Richard Price
21st May 2002, 09:39
Many thanks....
I usually wear a knee support for training...but it's only a cheap bandage type one. Usually it just makes the back of my knee sore fron chaffing. I'll investigate buying something a bit more substantial.

Chiburi
21st May 2002, 11:23
No, no! I accidentally stabbed my leg. No money involved (although I did consider making a bet afterwards..;) )
The blade must have hit the side pocket, which then changed the direction of the knife (which was in my hand, no one helped me stab myself...).
I sure haven't managed to do that again. Lucky it wasn't some full size hunting blade..:eek:

I fealt really stupid after that "stunt" :rolleyes: . People always keep asking if it was a bet or some showing of courage...is it so weird...?

PS. Sorry for not replying sooner, missed your post, Mr.Price!

Cheers,

Richard Price
21st May 2002, 14:13
Here is the ultimate stupidity story. A friend of mine was drunk...and so was his girlfriend. His girlfriend owned a cuddly toy, it was a sheep as I recall. Anyway, my friend on this particular occasion gets out the 12" Bowie Knife he had bought that week and starts pretending to cut Mr. Sheeps little fluffy head off. Just for a laugh you understand. Predictably his girlfriend doesn't take too kindly to this and starts trying to wrestle the sheep from his hands. At which point he slips and stabs himself in the stomach. He had to be carted off to hospital with (quite literally) loops of intestine in his hands. He now has a scar that looks like a second belly button. It took two weeks for the police to stop trying for a conviction against his girlfriend......they just wouldn't believe he had stabbed himself, they thought it was too stupid.

So there you are, there are TWO reasons you shouldn't leave a drunken Northerner alone with a sheep!! :D

Yojimbo558
19th June 2002, 08:35
Hi Richard,

You're description reminds me of what led up to my own knee surgery. In my case, it turned out that I'd torn the miniscus in my knee...I had put off getting it checked << studpidly >> because I was more concerned with not putting off getting to my next dan level -- eventually I had to look at the pain and realize that if I risked testing in this condition I was looking at risking permanent damage.

I saw the Dr & got the MRI which revealed the tear in my Miniscus...insist on getting an MRI. All I can tell you is that after surgery & a few months of physical therapy it felt like I had my leg back.

Best of luck,

Eric L. Bookin

davoravo
19th June 2002, 12:25
MRI on the NHS??? :p :p :D :p

Seriously. If you've had a tibial fracture (did it extend into the joint?) then it probably is osteoarthritis (is it worse after exercise?).

If you are very very lucky it may be a Baker's cyst.

I suggest you find a doctor who will at least examine your knee (even if it is just for show) and then refer you to physio for strengthening exercises while you are waiting your specialist. Are there any GPs near you with an interest in Sport's medicine??