Sudden Knee Pain/Tightness/Swelling

Training
1

Like most people, I have always had knee “issues.” However, literally overnight I’ve developed all this in my right knee:

  • ABOVE knee cap, toward the OUTSIDE, when I straighten my leg, I’m getting a long series of pops (some small, but quite a few big one’s) when I press on the area. I’ve never experienced any popping in this area before.
  • Tightness, pain, and swelling all around the knee, as if my entire knee region is encased in an elastic band. I can’t see the swelling but I can feel it when I press and compare both knees.
  • Ibuprofen helps with the pain but has no impact on the tightness and swelling.

Also, for a long time, I’ve complained to various physicians and physical therapists that I can often just be walking along, with no problems. Then, suddenly, I’ll feel pain and a sense of disconnection in my right knee, as if my lower leg wants to snap away from my body. I have to stop walking then slowly and carefully start back up again. The pain and discomfort will linger a bit then go away. Until it “happens” again. It’s a big deal to me but health professionals act like it’s no big thing.

I’m snow-bound at home for the time being but will make an appointment with my new pt tomorrow.

In the meantime, anyone have any idea what this could be? The sudden change and all the tightness has me kind of freaked out and it’s brought my training to a standstill.

Thanks.

2

No doctor here, but I am a firm believer in the power of massage therapy. A foam roller, a tennis ball, and the occasional professional massage might be all you need. T-Nation has some good articles on the first two points, and I utilize both tools frequently. You’d be surprised what a little pain and a lot of water can do for muscle tension. Sounds to me like there is some kind of muscle imbalance, be it with different levels of strength and/or tension.

3

I’m definitely no expert, but when you say that you’ve had a sense of “dislocation” in your right knee for a very long time, and you’ve just recently developed the popping/swelling in the same knee, it sounds like you had some underlying issue that has recently been aggravated to the point where it’s caused more of an acute injury.

Have you done anything differently lately? Such as adding some new and unfamiliar lower body exercise or significantly increasing your training volume or frequency?

4

[quote]BobParr wrote:
I’m definitely no expert, but when you say that you’ve had a sense of “dislocation” in your right knee for a very long time, and you’ve just recently developed the popping/swelling in the same knee, it sounds like you had some underlying issue that has recently been aggravated to the point where it’s caused more of an acute injury.

Have you done anything differently lately? Such as adding some new and unfamiliar lower body exercise or significantly increasing your training volume or frequency?[/quote]

Yes. Yes. And yes.

Hopefully, all will be dealt with early this week. It’s driving me nuts but I ran and I squatted (okay, quarter-squatted) anyway ;). The tightness is gone, at least…

5

make sure you have ankle mobility, lack of can cause knee problems. see a chiro/podiatrist to make sure your knee does not need adjusting. Then get some soft tissue work. hope this helps cheers Spud

6

[quote]SirenSong61 wrote:
Like most people, I have always had knee “issues.” However, literally overnight I’ve developed all this in my right knee:

  • ABOVE knee cap, toward the OUTSIDE, when I straighten my leg, I’m getting a long series of pops (some small, but quite a few big one’s) when I press on the area. I’ve never experienced any popping in this area before.
  • Tightness, pain, and swelling all around the knee, as if my entire knee region is encased in an elastic band. I can’t see the swelling but I can feel it when I press and compare both knees.
  • Ibuprofen helps with the pain but has no impact on the tightness and swelling.

Also, for a long time, I’ve complained to various physicians and physical therapists that I can often just be walking along, with no problems. Then, suddenly, I’ll feel pain and a sense of disconnection in my right knee, as if my lower leg wants to snap away from my body. I have to stop walking then slowly and carefully start back up again. The pain and discomfort will linger a bit then go away. Until it “happens” again. It’s a big deal to me but health professionals act like it’s no big thing.

I’m snow-bound at home for the time being but will make an appointment with my new pt tomorrow.

In the meantime, anyone have any idea what this could be? The sudden change and all the tightness has me kind of freaked out and it’s brought my training to a standstill.

Thanks.[/quote]

Get an mri, only way to tell for sure what’s going on. it could be:
-partially torn acl
-torn or sprained collateral band
-lateral or medial meniscus sprain or tear
-corpus liberum, a small amount of cartilage floating around in the knee
-or nothing of the above

Not to scare you, it could also mean nothing, but do you have:
-a feeling of instability in the knee?
-locking of the knee?
-pain on the sides of the knee?
-a period of no complaint at all, and sometimes a period full of complaints?

Playing the internet physio isn’t my cup of tea, so I’d really advise you to get an mri. And trust me, there are a lot of crap physical therapists out there who just let you exercise to collect the money. Good luck!

7

[quote]arnoud verschoor wrote:

[quote]SirenSong61 wrote:
Like most people, I have always had knee “issues.” However, literally overnight I’ve developed all this in my right knee:

  • ABOVE knee cap, toward the OUTSIDE, when I straighten my leg, I’m getting a long series of pops (some small, but quite a few big one’s) when I press on the area. I’ve never experienced any popping in this area before.
  • Tightness, pain, and swelling all around the knee, as if my entire knee region is encased in an elastic band. I can’t see the swelling but I can feel it when I press and compare both knees.
  • Ibuprofen helps with the pain but has no impact on the tightness and swelling.

Also, for a long time, I’ve complained to various physicians and physical therapists that I can often just be walking along, with no problems. Then, suddenly, I’ll feel pain and a sense of disconnection in my right knee, as if my lower leg wants to snap away from my body. I have to stop walking then slowly and carefully start back up again. The pain and discomfort will linger a bit then go away. Until it “happens” again. It’s a big deal to me but health professionals act like it’s no big thing.

I’m snow-bound at home for the time being but will make an appointment with my new pt tomorrow.

In the meantime, anyone have any idea what this could be? The sudden change and all the tightness has me kind of freaked out and it’s brought my training to a standstill.

Thanks.[/quote]

Get an mri, only way to tell for sure what’s going on. it could be:
-partially torn acl
-torn or sprained collateral band
-lateral or medial meniscus sprain or tear
-corpus liberum, a small amount of cartilage floating around in the knee
-or nothing of the above

Not to scare you, it could also mean nothing, but do you have:
-a feeling of instability in the knee?
-locking of the knee?
-pain on the sides of the knee?
-a period of no complaint at all, and sometimes a period full of complaints?

Playing the internet physio isn’t my cup of tea, so I’d really advise you to get an mri. And trust me, there are a lot of crap physical therapists out there who just let you exercise to collect the money. Good luck!
[/quote]
I can answer YES to every question you asked, except locking - unless I just don’t recognize what locking feels like because I’m so focused on the sensation of instability. My left knee has issues (probably related to subconscious overcompensation) but nothing like the crazy stuff going on with the right. The flare ups (and pain when they happen) are becoming much more frequent.

The challenge is finding an orthopedic surgeon who will take my knee pain seriously. Around here, if you have knee issues and you’re not some hot-shot athlete they just blow you off (“Here’s some exercises to do, good luck” with NO follow-up). However, I’m fed up with sudden sharp pains, the feeling that my knee is ripping apart, and the sensation that my leg is going to snap in two.

I really appreciate your response. I keep looking at anatomy diagrams of the knee and I don’t see anything in the area where the pain is happening so I’M baffled.

8

In no particular order;

1)Foam roll you entire legs. If your interested I have a E-manual on foam rolling full of pictures etc. Shoot me a pm with your e-mail.

  1. Joint supplement: MSM, clucosamine, chondroitin

  2. Knee sleeves and or knee brace (Don’t cheap out on one): They keep heat in so stiffness doesn’t occur. As well I find they give plenty of stability. Knee braces are a little more extensive in the stability they give but they give you the ability to train in them. I see countless girls playing volleyball in them with no troubles. We want rehabilitation and prevention.

  3. Massage: I had problematic knees (knock on wood) and the best thing that “cured” them was getting a masseuse to massage in a around my knee and my I.T. band. After 2-3 sessions my knees haven’t bothered me in roughly 3 years to the extent they used to (knock on wood, again).

As I do not know the extent or what you have these are just general guidelines I like to give for people that are having knee issues. I would like to echo in getting a MIR. Good luck!

9

When I first started driving stick shift, I had a very similar sensation. It felt as if my right leg was going to simply bend backwards and dislocate at the knee after driving for awhile. There is probably some muscle that provides stability to the knee that has problems on your body. This would be my guess. I suppose it could be an actual injury but I would think that would bother you on a consistent basis.

10

[quote]SirenSong61 wrote:
Like most people, I have always had knee “issues.” However, literally overnight I’ve developed all this in my right knee:

  • ABOVE knee cap, toward the OUTSIDE, when I straighten my leg, I’m getting a long series of pops (some small, but quite a few big one’s) when I press on the area. I’ve never experienced any popping in this area before.
  • Tightness, pain, and swelling all around the knee, as if my entire knee region is encased in an elastic band. I can’t see the swelling but I can feel it when I press and compare both knees.
  • Ibuprofen helps with the pain but has no impact on the tightness and swelling.

Also, for a long time, I’ve complained to various physicians and physical therapists that I can often just be walking along, with no problems. Then, suddenly, I’ll feel pain and a sense of disconnection in my right knee, as if my lower leg wants to snap away from my body. I have to stop walking then slowly and carefully start back up again. The pain and discomfort will linger a bit then go away. Until it “happens” again. It’s a big deal to me but health professionals act like it’s no big thing.

I’m snow-bound at home for the time being but will make an appointment with my new pt tomorrow.

In the meantime, anyone have any idea what this could be? The sudden change and all the tightness has me kind of freaked out and it’s brought my training to a standstill.

Thanks.[/quote]

This sounds like something an allopath can’t fix. Try to find a practioner of Chinese medicine, especially one who does acupuncture.

If a Chi-doc can’t fix it, it can’t be fixed.