Sprained knee acting up again. Brace advice.

[Atty]

I've noticed that on days when I'm on my knee for a while it starts to ache. The pain (if you can call it that) feels just like any muscle does when its sore a few days after a good workout.

It also feels a bit swollen, when I move my leg it feels stiff.

My question is, when I wear my knee brace (which is a two velcro strap one) it feels better, so I'm thinking of getting a slip on one. Anyone use one? Anything to look for or be wary of from someone who has used one?

I work close to a Dick's sporting goods so I thought I'd go there and pick one up, just wondering what I should look for.

TL;DR:
Sprained knee is February.
Still hurts.
Hurts less/not at all when wearing brace.
Need advice on slip on brace, velcro one annoys the piss out of me.

Thanks.

P.S: I know that it should not be hurting this late after the injury and I should see a PT, but I can't afford it at the moment. When I can, I'm going back. :-\

 

[SociallyChallenged]

You're likely just compressing the patellofemoral joint for too long. Put a crappy pillow, pad, or wrap a towel up and put it under your knee the next time you have to kneel in that position for a long time. That should reduce the pressure on your kneecap itself. If that continues to bother it, you might want to think about changing positions more frequently. You may not have to see a PT, just modify the time to spend on your knee and find different postures to use.

 

[Atty]

Well I work on my feet most of the day so I'm not sure how I would alter my position to fix that.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Well I work on my feet most of the day so I'm not sure how I would alter my position to fix that.

I thought you said it hurt because you were on your knees. "I've noticed that on days when I'm on my knee for a while it starts to ache." I guess you meant standing then. Thought you meant literally, sorry If that's the case, then there are a lot more variables at play. It's hard to say anything about it in the general standing position without evaluating it. Try the brace, try icing it, try taking breaks to sit before it flares up too much. Do you remember any of the exercises or stretches that you did previously in therapy (assuming you got therapy for the previous sprain)? Might want to start incorporating that into your routine.

 

[Atty]

Its ok, OP wasn't entirely clear.

I have started re-incorporating the exercises.. My PT had me doing 1 step step-ups, using a band and doing leg movements in every direction (attached at ankle and moving foward, backward, etc). As well as walking at 1-2mph on a treadmill sideways, backwards, and forewords.

I've started doing very very light (20lbs, if not just bodyweight) squats and just the bar straight leg dead lifts. I haven't done legs in weeks. I've also started doing adductor and abductor exercises hoping that strengthening them will help.

I tried to do 15 minutes on an elliptical today to see if I could save myself from knee pain associated with striking the ground when running because I was going mad from not doing cardio.

My knee is fairly sore right now, a bit stiff. About to take some NSAID and I already iced it. Should I worry about the general knee pain? It doesn't pop when I walk, only when I stretch it sometimes. It just feels more like dull sore pain vs sharp "oh shit" pain. I really don't want to incur more medical bills if I don't have to but I might have to suck it up, its annoying to not be able to use my legs.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Good, yeah, keep doing those exercises. I'd definitely suggest more hip abductor and external rotator work because it can reduce forces on the medial knee in particular. The general knee pain isn't a good thing and if it doesn't get better within a week, that's a good sign to see somebody about it. Avoid activities that aggravate it and don't push through it. Only utilize the pain-free range of motion during your exercises. Try to rest frequently during your work day. That's the best I can suggest under the circumstances. I'm sorry, man, I wish I could help more.

 

[Atty]

Went to the local Fit Niche and they recommended me to a local PT. They're giving me a no-insurance discount. Getting a new evaluation done on my knee. They also said they will offer some advice on my shoulder pain during that eval.

Thanks for your help, SC. You've been awesome!

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Good to hear it, man. Let us know what they say.

 

[Atty]

Saw the PT this morning. The original injury was, in his opinion, a grade two MCL tear.

He says that my knee is fully healed. Its strong in all the ranges of movement. The pain, stiffness, and discomfort I have been experiencing is because when it healed and the scar tissue formed, nerve endings from the surrounding area got caught up in the scar tissue and are being pinched constantly, causing the pain and discomfort.

His treatment is to do a friction massage of the MCL area to loosten up the nerve endings and get them free. Once that is done do stretches and movements to stretch out the tissue in that area and free everything up. I'm to do it every other day.

He said that within 3-6 weeks it should be taken care of and back to normal. I have a follow up appointment within the next week and a half.

 

[RomYJGold]

Hi guys, sorry to barge in to this thread

I also got a sprained knee last Thursday. Today I can walk but still I can feel stiffness when I move my legs in an angle.

Now Im wearing my Slip-on knee support, should I always wear it?

I have a game this friday, is it possible for me to play?

Thanks in advance =)

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Hi guys, sorry to barge in to this thread

I also got a sprained knee last Thursday. Today I can walk but still I can feel stiffness when I move my legs in an angle.

Now Im wearing my Slip-on knee support, should I always wear it?

I have a game this friday, is it possible for me to play?

Thanks in advance =)

No, you should rehab your knee so as to not need external bracing. It doesn't do its job nearly as well as your body does. A sprain, even if grade I (lowest grade), will frequently take at least 4 weeks to heal. Trying to compete one week after an injury like that is a bad idea. It greatly increases your risk of further injury.

 

[RomYJGold]

Ok, so I guess I'm not playing this Friday.

This stiffness that I'm feeling, is this normal?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Ok, so I guess I'm not playing this Friday.

This stiffness that I'm feeling, is this normal?

Yeah, but you definitely shouldn't push through it. Do you know which ligament was sprained? You don't sprain your knee as a whole, you sprain a specific ligament, but doctors don't typically tell you which without imaging. How bad is the stiffness? Is there any pain?

 

[RomYJGold]

I sprained my left knee. I feel that I sprained my lower right part of my left knee.

The stiffness now is not that bad compared to what I feel these past days. There is no pain, just stiffness.

 

[Atty]

Pretty sure that would be your MCL. At least, that is where my injury is and that's what my doc said the injury was. Take my advice, rest it. Don't do anything to agitate it. See a professional, have them do an evaluation, and prescribe a rehab regime. As much as I hated to spend the money, it was well worth it.