Knee injury journey

[norwegianfairytale]

Hi. I’m currently struggling with a tough knee injury that lasted for 5 months and I wanted a place to write about my journey, mostly for therapeutic reasons, but maybe there is someone on this forum with a similar experience as well. This is going to be a bit long.

In January (during EC) I fell on the ice (walking outside) and dislocated my right kneecap before it went back to place by itself. I had my kneecap dislocated two times earlier in the past 12 years, but it seems that this time it dislocated completely where the other times it was most likely only partly.

Already before the last dislocation, I had some issues with pain in my knee, and had my first MR scan in 2020. The scan showed that I might be anatomically predisposed to having the kneecap dislocated. After the scan, I went to physiotherapy to work on the pain and strengthen the muscles around the knee, and also worked on my right hip/knee as I have experienced pain and stiffness there as well.

Moving forward to the injury in January, after 1,5 week I went to my doctor who referred me to the hospital because I was very stiff in my knee. At the hospital they first thought I had a meniscus tear because of the stiffness and lack of flexibility. I got a MRI scan within a week and was sent home on crutches.

The scan confirmed I had my kneecap dislocated and revealed a big bone bruise on the lateral femur, some small tears on the kneecap etc., but the ligaments and meniscus were intact, so there was no need for surgery and I was told to start physiotherapy two times a week, and then some follow ups on the hospital. My orthopedic doctor briefly discussed with me if I should be referred to another hospital to discuss the possibility to have a surgery to prevent more dislocations in the future, but I need to heal from my previous injury first.

Moving forward to today. I’m still walking on crutches and my knee is still very stiff with almost no improvements, all though I have been going to physiotherapy two times a week and doing daily exercises at home. We tried a lot of different exercises. What happens when we get to the point that I can´t go further, is that I feel pain and like my knee is going to lock. I also still have some visible fluids around my kneecap.
I can’t bend my knee more than 90s degrees and it has been so since the fall. Since I can’t bend it more I don’t have the flexibility to ride around a bike. The biggest problem though, is that I don’t have full extension either, 10-20 degree extension deficit so I have a bend in my knee and limp when I try to walk normal, which is the reason I’m still using crutches, all though the pain has improved a lot. The injury also don´t help om hip/back issues, and it has become stiffer and more painful.

For the past 5 months I can only sleep on one side with a pillow between my knees.

I have an office job, and despite the injury I have been able to work full time because I have been given home office. I struggle though with more stiffness sitting all day, but I have gotten a stool to put my knee a bit higher and try to get up and walk every 40 minutes to ease up on the stiffness. It’s helping a little.

Both my orthopedic doctor and physiotherapist think it’s the muscles around protecting from the injury, that makes the knee so stiff. Since they can’t see anything else on the MRI scan. But they also admit that I have very little improvement.

A couple of weeks ago I had a new MRI scan to check on the bone bruise. It seems it’s mostly healed, so that is one good thing. I’m going to my orthopedic doctor in around 2,5 weeks, so I haven’t been able to discuss the new scan yet, but my GP briefly told me about the scan result, according to him it wasn’t anything new, other than it seems that I have gotten small tears in my lateral ligament since the last scan, but he didn’t think that was something to worry about.

My physiotherapist will send a description to my orthopedic doctor about my state and all the exercises we have been working on the last couple of months. She is a bit worried about the lack of improvement, and wants to suggest that I should undergo some kind of intensive knee rehabilitation, because it has been too long now and that it’s not good for the muscles to be that stiff for a long time. She said that physiotherapy two times a week and exercises at home is not enough anymore, and that I would need more treatment to get better.

You are welcome to follow my journey if you like. Soon it´s been a half year since the injury and to be honest I would never have thought I would still be walking around on crutches and not been able to walk normal after all those months. I now learned that knee injury, even though they don´t seem so severe, can be long and tough.

 

[elbkup]

So so sorry your knee seems so compromised; I remember your first post here and commiserated.

I had a similar journey over the last 2 years.. Midnight October 2 2021 my right knee painfully popped out of socket and would not straighten; my thigh and shin bones were at an angle
I called ambulance, went to Urgent Care (emergency), had radiographs, was told nothing could be done. Went home with entire leg wrapped in brace, on crutches and hobbled around the same as you unable to fully straighten my leg for a month then went to my scheduled appointment with my general physician who said it was probably a Baker’s Cyst. I tried to live normally, did many of the same things you describe to get through my day, in pain. Following Spring Went back to my general physician, no better. What freaked me the most was catching sight of my crippled walk in reflections and I made up my mind I was crippled.. I was 75 years old so accepted this would be my life going forward. At that time my general doctor sent me to an Orthopedic Surgeon For consultation.

To be continued.. (not in a good place to finish)

 

[elbkup]

Part 2:
The surgeon was a no nonsense, abrupt, to-the-point gentleman; he went over my x-rays thoroughly.. my knee had totally collapsed; I was walking bone-on-bone for six months. Not a situation that would correct itself.. he gave me two options (1) treat conservatively which would, over time, lead to break down of other joints and (2) total right knee replacement which statistically is 85% effective and one should not expect the result to be “ the knee that God gave you”. After much thought I had the surgery last August. My care from the outset - preparation, medications, physical therapy, strength training post surgery was exemplary helped by otherwise excellent health and ideal weight. Milestones observed at 3, 6,9, and (upcoming) 12 months.
I could drive and return to life at home after 3 weeks. Managed stairs with care
Drive myself to PT after a month of in- home visits. The recovery was slow, careful, pain managed well lessened over time..
I remember waking after surgery and asking my first question: is my leg straight? It was … and is. Stairs are still difficult but getting easier by the day; the scar has fully healed, I now move walk, navigate with ease. a long year, with good prognosis. Strangers would never know I had the surgery . Turning 77 in July

I talked with others who had knee replacement and got various viewpoints.

hope some details from my experience provides something helpful for you.
Wish you full mobility and recovery in future
All the best
E

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Part 2:
The surgeon was a no nonsense, abrupt, to-the-point gentleman; he went over my x-rays thoroughly.. my knee had totally collapsed; I was walking bone-on-bone for six months. Not a situation that would correct itself.. he gave me two options (1) treat conservatively which would, over time, lead to break down of other joints and (2) total right knee replacement which statistically is 85% effective and one should not expect the result to be “ the knee that God gave you”. After much thought I had the surgery last August. My care from the outset - preparation, medications, physical therapy, strength training post surgery was exemplary helped by otherwise excellent health and ideal weight. Milestones observed at 3, 6,9, and (upcoming) 12 months.
I could drive and return to life at home after 3 weeks. Managed stairs with care
Drive myself to PT after a month of in- home visits. The recovery was slow, careful, pain managed well lessened over time..
I remember waking after surgery and asking my first question: is my leg straight? It was … and is. Stairs are still difficult but getting easier by the day; the scar has fully healed, I now move walk, navigate with ease. a long year, with good prognosis. Strangers would never know I had the surgery . Turning 77 in July

I talked with others who had knee replacement and got various viewpoints.

hope some details from my experience provides something helpful for you.
Wish you full mobility and recovery in future
All the best
E

Thank you for your kind words and story It must have been painful having that injury. I´m glad to hear it turned out to be a good ending for you, and that the surgery was worth it. That gives me hope. I can only imagine how good it must feel to just walk normal again after all that time, and that you despite your age was able to have such a good recovery

The fear of not be able to walk normal again strikes me as well, I don´t even care if won´t get back the full flexibility in the knee, as long as I will able to walk without limping.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Today I did something to make the summer a bit better with my injury. I bought a sun lounger and a parasol. I wanted it for a long time and before the injury, but now I really had a good reason to buy it to make things a bit easier. With the sun lounger i´m now able to sit comfortable in the sun with my leg stretched out and can have a pillow underneath. It also makes it easier to do some of the exercises outside. So now i´m able to enjoy more of the summer. I havn´t been able to enjoy the sun much recently because it´s get too warm in the sun as well, and with a parasol I won´t get to warm, and I can also sit with the laptop on my lap, which i´m doing now. Maybe it´s some of the best money I have spent.

 

[elbkup]

Today I did something to make the summer a bit better with my injury. I bought a sun lounger and a parasol. I wanted it for a long time and before the injury, but now I really had a good reason to buy it to make things a bit easier. With the sun lounger i´m now able to sit comfortable in the sun with my leg stretched out and can have a pillow underneath. It also makes it easier to do some of the exercises outside. So now i´m able to enjoy more of the summer. I havn´t been able to enjoy the sun much recently because it´s get too warm in the sun as well, and with a parasol I won´t get to warm, and I can also sit with the laptop on my lap, which i´m doing now. Maybe it´s some of the best money I have spent.

How wonderful!! Really pays to focus on comfort now to make life as enjoyable and pleasant as it can be. I have continued using the pillow, tho it is not needed now, because it is so comfortable… Age was a consideration before I decided to have the surgery but the stars aligned for me health wise.. despite my years I was an ideal candidate and it gives me better mobility going forward if nothing else goes wrong.. ha!! Enjoy the sun

 

[norwegianfairytale]

At least something is happening now, I went to the hospital for a check up today and the doctor said enough is enough, they can´t find anything on the scan but with such little improvement and lasting for so long it´s time to do a arthroscopy of the knee to see if they can find something.

If they can´t find anything, they said that it´s possible for me to be sent to intensive rehabilitation at another hospital afterwards.
So there is plan A and plan B now.

They didn´t know yet when the arthroscopy will be done, but said something about the autumn. That could be anything between late August and November. I´m hoping it will be no later than August/September.

So now I have to wait for it to be scheduled.

I´m already starting to get nervous about the whole procedure and being put under anesthesia. I´m already cleared to do the surgery. I was sent to talk to a nurse today after my appointment, filled out some paperwork, she took my BP, then I was sent up to talk to a
nurse anesthetist who asked me a lot about my medical history and gave me general information about the day. It will be done at day surgery, I will be fasting from midnight the day before, and meet up two hours before the scheduled appointment to be prepped, they will put in a vein flon etc. The will give me something calming before and paid meds afterwards. The procedure wont last very long. They recommend to bring someone to guide you home after the surgery, of course I can´t drive that day.

How the days will be after will depend on what they find, she said that I might need to do another surgery if they find something they will need to fix later, or they might be able to fix then and there.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Maybe autumn is not such a bad idea for a surgery, just in time for a new season of figure skating, and lot of hours resting my knee but not my head

 

[moonvine]

This sounds awful. I hope you are better very soon.

 

[elbkup]

At least something is happening now, I went to the hospital for a check up today and the doctor said enough is enough, they can´t find anything on the scan but with such little improvement and lasting for so long it´s time to do a arthroscopy of the knee to see if they can find something.

If they can´t find anything, they said that it´s possible for me to be sent to intensive rehabilitation at another hospital afterwards.
So there is plan A and plan B now.

They didn´t know yet when the arthroscopy will be done, but said something about the autumn. That could be anything between late August and November. I´m hoping it will be no later than August/September.

So now I have to wait for it to be scheduled.

I´m already starting to get nervous about the whole procedure and being put under anesthesia. I´m already cleared to do the surgery. I was sent to talk to a nurse today after my appointment, filled out some paperwork, she took my BP, then I was sent up to talk to a
nurse anesthetist who asked me a lot about my medical history and gave me general information about the day. It will be done at day surgery, I will be fasting from midnight the day before, and meet up two hours before the scheduled appointment to be prepped, they will put in a vein flon etc. The will give me something calming before and paid meds afterwards. The procedure wont last very long. They recommend to bring someone to guide you home after the surgery, of course I can´t drive that day.

How the days will be after will depend on what they find, she said that I might need to do another surgery if they find something they will need to fix later, or they might be able to fix then and there.

as Shakespeare said, “screw your courage to the sticking place” and you will go thru it from one moment to the other until you come out on the other side. It is a journey like any other. All the best! Use recovery time to indulge your favorite things to ease your way

 

[elektra blue]

Maybe autumn is not such a bad idea for a surgery, just in time for a new season of figure skating, and lot of hours resting my knee but not my head

or your nerves happy to hear something is finally moving!

 

[labgoat]

Maybe autumn is not such a bad idea for a surgery, just in time for a new season of figure skating, and lot of hours resting my knee but not my head

I am sorry to hear of your troubles. I can only think that spending time in the sun will help you both mentally and physically. If I might suggest, eat some anti-inflammatory foods to maximize your health prior to surgery and to prime yourself for what will hopefully be a successful recovery. Keep us up to date. I can promise to add thoughts and prayers and a boatload of encouragement any time needed.

 

[yesterday]

And use lots of sunscreen!

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Hello all you lovely and caring people

I finally have a surgery date, it will be in the end of September. Good news a very experienced surgeon is going to do the surgery, according to my PT. When I talked to the orthopedist in July I got the impression that I would get another surgeon, and was a bit surprised when I got the letter. Maybe it´s because of my young age and that i´m a bit of a puzzle. Also the letter didn´t specify that it´s a arthroscopy, it actually just said knee surgery, without any further information. But potato potatho, I guess a arthroscopy will be described as a knee surgery, they will put me under full anesthesia either way.

It´s not a terrible long wait once the date was set, it could have been worse. At the same time, I wish they took the decision like 3-4 months ago, and I would perhaps have been done with it by now. I´m really starting to feel the impact on my body with aches, stiffness and daily pain in my another knee as well.

I don´t know what I should be expecting though. I don´t want to get my hopes up too much about the surgery and that it will fix everything and that I will be able to walk normal again a few weeks after. As I briefly mentioned, if they find the cause, they might not be able to fix it right then and there if it´s something that requires a longer surgery. In that case I would probably get a new surgery date, and who knows how long that will be, will it even be possible this year? Will I still be humping around on crutches in the beginning of next year? That is a depressing thought. And if they don´t find something, and intensive rehabilitation will be the next step, will I have to wait for that too?

This is really difficult how I should prepare myself mentally, because now and here it might be better for me to stay positive and think that the surgery in the end of September will fix the problem, but if I wake up with news about - you need a another surgery or we couldn´t find anything and you need to do more conservative therapy, that might be a big slap in the face if I stay too positive. Anybody with advice?

 

[Jeanie19]

Hello all you lovely and caring people

I finally have a surgery date, it will be in the end of September. Good news a very experienced surgeon is going to do the surgery, according to my PT. When I talked to the orthopedist in July I got the impression that I would get another surgeon, and was a bit surprised when I got the letter. Maybe it´s because of my young age and that i´m a bit of a puzzle. Also the letter didn´t specify that it´s a arthroscopy, it actually just said knee surgery, without any further information. But potato potatho, I guess a arthroscopy will be described as a knee surgery, they will put me under full anesthesia either way.

It´s not a terrible long wait once the date was set, it could have been worse. At the same time, I wish they took the decision like 3-4 months ago, and I would perhaps have been done with it by now. I´m really starting to feel the impact on my body with aches, stiffness and daily pain in my another knee as well.

I don´t know what I should be expecting though. I don´t want to get my hopes up too much about the surgery and that it will fix everything and that I will be able to walk normal again a few weeks after. As I briefly mentioned, if they find the cause, they might not be able to fix it right then and there if it´s something that requires a longer surgery. In that case I would probably get a new surgery date, and who knows how long that will be, will it even be possible this year? Will I still be humping around on crutches in the beginning of next year? That is a depressing thought. And if they don´t find something, and intensive rehabilitation will be the next step, will I have to wait for that too?

This is really difficult how I should prepare myself mentally, because now and here it might be better for me to stay positive and think that the surgery in the end of September will fix the problem, but if I wake up with news about - you need a another surgery or we couldn´t find anything and you need to do more conservative therapy, that might be a big slap in the face if I stay too positive. Anybody with advice?

I have no advice. But I wish you well and I'm optimistic that everything will go smoothly.

 

[yesterday]

Hello all you lovely and caring people

I finally have a surgery date, it will be in the end of September. Good news a very experienced surgeon is going to do the surgery, according to my PT. When I talked to the orthopedist in July I got the impression that I would get another surgeon, and was a bit surprised when I got the letter. Maybe it´s because of my young age and that i´m a bit of a puzzle. Also the letter didn´t specify that it´s a arthroscopy, it actually just said knee surgery, without any further information. But potato potatho, I guess a arthroscopy will be described as a knee surgery, they will put me under full anesthesia either way.

It´s not a terrible long wait once the date was set, it could have been worse. At the same time, I wish they took the decision like 3-4 months ago, and I would perhaps have been done with it by now. I´m really starting to feel the impact on my body with aches, stiffness and daily pain in my another knee as well.

I don´t know what I should be expecting though. I don´t want to get my hopes up too much about the surgery and that it will fix everything and that I will be able to walk normal again a few weeks after. As I briefly mentioned, if they find the cause, they might not be able to fix it right then and there if it´s something that requires a longer surgery. In that case I would probably get a new surgery date, and who knows how long that will be, will it even be possible this year? Will I still be humping around on crutches in the beginning of next year? That is a depressing thought. And if they don´t find something, and intensive rehabilitation will be the next step, will I have to wait for that too?

This is really difficult how I should prepare myself mentally, because now and here it might be better for me to stay positive and think that the surgery in the end of September will fix the problem, but if I wake up with news about - you need a another surgery or we couldn´t find anything and you need to do more conservative therapy, that might be a big slap in the face if I stay too positive. Anybody with advice?

I any case, I wish you (and the knee) all the best and as you said, you're younger than probably the average knee patient, so even if the outcome is not what you hoped for and you will have to undergo further treatment, you have "time" for it and it won't be wasted.

General advice: it's good that you are thinking everything through, but once you're done with it, think of way to get rid of all the thoughts. If it helps, write them down and lock the paper physically away (there's some similar mental "tricks" that you can google). If you're thinking about the aspects that you can't influence yourself, you'll only get crazy and it won't help your recovery.

There's studies on the topic of mindset connected to medical issues and treatment. Most of the time everything goes well and fast when patients are able to have a good mindset and/or get professional support if they lack it. Concentrate on that

 

[CoyoteChris]

Hello all you lovely and caring people

I finally have a surgery date, it will be in the end of September. Good news a very experienced surgeon is going to do the surgery, according to my PT. When I talked to the orthopedist in July I got the impression that I would get another surgeon, and was a bit surprised when I got the letter. Maybe it´s because of my young age and that i´m a bit of a puzzle. Also the letter didn´t specify that it´s a arthroscopy, it actually just said knee surgery, without any further information. But potato potatho, I guess a arthroscopy will be described as a knee surgery, they will put me under full anesthesia either way.

It´s not a terrible long wait once the date was set, it could have been worse. At the same time, I wish they took the decision like 3-4 months ago, and I would perhaps have been done with it by now. I´m really starting to feel the impact on my body with aches, stiffness and daily pain in my another knee as well.

I don´t know what I should be expecting though. I don´t want to get my hopes up too much about the surgery and that it will fix everything and that I will be able to walk normal again a few weeks after. As I briefly mentioned, if they find the cause, they might not be able to fix it right then and there if it´s something that requires a longer surgery. In that case I would probably get a new surgery date, and who knows how long that will be, will it even be possible this year? Will I still be humping around on crutches in the beginning of next year? That is a depressing thought. And if they don´t find something, and intensive rehabilitation will be the next step, will I have to wait for that too?

This is really difficult how I should prepare myself mentally, because now and here it might be better for me to stay positive and think that the surgery in the end of September will fix the problem, but if I wake up with news about - you need a another surgery or we couldn´t find anything and you need to do more conservative therapy, that might be a big slap in the face if I stay too positive. Anybody with advice?

Having faith in your surgeon is critical. I had a major back accident and blew out two discs. The surgeon said she wanted to go in and remove a free floating fragment from the rupture as that was my issue. I went to another renown surgeon who looked at my MRI and said that fragment was in a quiet place in my back and he would never risk surgury for this. He said to do the Home PT and I would recover, which I did....unfortunately, many of us old folk have knee issues. I injured my knees hiking in the Tetons when I was 35. Very long story short, 10 years ago I was in pain and no one could give me a real diagnosis. If I cant walk, it would be hard to go on...guess I am spoiled. I live to walk. So I got on the web and found out that military acadamy students used a strap to stabilize the patteller tendon when they ran. I said shoot, I can take a knee brace and roll it up to a certain tightness and see what happens. The pain disappeared instantly when I walked. Both knees. I was within two weeks of selling both my cars with clutches,.,,I couldnt push them. But at 74, more and more things break...we are lucky to have medical science to help us live.
Best wishes for the surgery and keep us in the loop. You are right that the mental part may be the hardest thing to handle....I have faith in my main three good doctors to keep this old decrepit body functioning. Lets hope yours is a doc you feel comfortable with....And for the rest of you, if you have things you want to do...do them now...the future for each of us is uncertain.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi @norwegianfairytale, I'm sorry to hear that you have been dealing with this injury and waiting for a cure/surgery etc for so long. I hope whatever becomes of it helps it and you can properly heal and be well.

Definitely stay positive and if it helps, I encourage you to ask all you need of the surgeon before and after the surgery. Trust (I know it's difficult) that all will go well and you will be on the road to healing sooner than later.

As you know, I'm a former competitive skater and now skate professionally. I have had my share of injuries from the sport including a meniscus tear in the knee on my landing leg while still competitive. I had to have surgery to repair the injury and was on crutches before surgery and had a knee immobilizer on for the first 3-4 weeks fulltime post-operation. I was only allowed to take it off to see Dr, participate in PT and to shower. From there I went to knee hinge brace and crutches. I wasn't allowed to flex my knee much during first 3-4 recovery weeks. Let's just say that I couldn't do much of anything impacting the knee including squats etc for 4-5 months post-surgery. Skating was a dream at this point since I didn't know when I was going to be allowed back on the ice at all then alone to train at the level I was pre-injury. It was a long, slow road but I'm glad that I trusted and stayed positive about everything especially when it became depressing and frustrating. I healed well, was able to compete again eventually, but to this day (15 years later I still wear braces and/or kt tape when I skate and for some workouts).

Please stay positive and if there is anything you should need, or have questions about this confusing/frustrating knee journey, you are welcome to reach out to me via DM.

Best of luck to you and keep us updated!

 

[NanaPat]

I don't have an experience with knee surgery, but have had the misfortune of having 3 surgeries in the past 15 years for 3 totally unrelated conditions. My best advice to you is to realize that little things are going to go wrong. Untenable treatment schedules, sitting for hours in a waiting room because someone forgot you, sent to the wrong part of the hospital for a test, day surgery done so late in the day that you don't meet criteria for leaving hospital before day surgery staff needs to go home, etc., etc.

Sometimes you have to advocate for yourself (ie remind them you're there) and sometimes you just need to roll with the punches (because I live close to the hospital, they sent me home when they technically shouldn't have, which was totally the right decision). It's best to realize that stuff happens and not to get too upset by the inevitable bumps along the way. The final result can still be fine despite personal and "system" setbacks.

 

[norwegianfairytale]

Wow, thank you for all the kind comments and advice, I read them all and it actually helped a lot. This week have been so much better mentally. I´m trying to have a positive mindset. The wait for the surgery now doesn´t feel so bad with the figure skating season starting tomorrow