Dealing With Knee Inflammation- Any Suggestions?

[Dooter 1,457]

Hey all-

Put your orthopedic thinking caps on- I've had a problem with my knee since January. I can't bend it past 45 degrees without great pain. I started exercising seriously in December, and in January I got sick and spent a week sleeping in a recliner because of coughing. That jacked up my knee pretty good for some reason.

Here's the problem: I can't have steroids because of leaky retinas, and no ibuprofen because my stomach is too sensitive. It feels like i'm trying to eat batteries when I take it. Is there ANY way to get the inflammation down without those two normally useful items??

I use the elliptical almost exclusively because of the non-impact. It would be nice to make use of the knee at other times though.

Thanks

[Finding MeMe 204]

OK here is my opinion, about two years ago I had an issue with inflammation of the knees mainly but also elbows and hands. Well it turned out that I was allergic to wheat, who would think that after 43 years of eating wheat I was allergic to it. I got tested and yes I had a wheat intolerance, I also found out that one out of every 5 Americans are allergic to wheat/gluten and don't know it. Once I stayed away from the gluten my symptons (leaky gut, tummy issues and inflammation) got immediately better. Recommend to do a google search for gluten and inflamation and see what you find. Good luck to you and I wish you well.

[keldolbeth 262]

Have you ever gotten an MRI or x-ray? I do take naproxen almost daily (doctor OK'd it) for a torn meniscus and chondromalacia. If that is not an option and it's to the point of inhibiting daily life and exercising, I would recommend seeing an orthopedist. When I first had my injury I did a lot of physical therapy and had a few cortisone shots. After a few days, my knee loosened up. The shots are a little unpleasant but they definitely helped.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

I . I can't bend knee past 45 degrees without great pain.

oops - i must have been typing while above kelda was being posted, so there are some similarities

girlfriend

sorry to hear about your ortho problems

it sounds like you havent' seen a dr (ortho dr.) -maybe i'm wrong? feel it would be a very important/good decision to see an ortho

Telling you to see a dr. might sound like a cop-out, cuz many here we say "see the dr." but i think it would be a good idea

I go to PT 3 times a week for the past 3 months w/more months coming- with more work to to have my knee worked on -

i'm having exercises to help strenghten my right knee, and then it gets worked on to straighten the knee, and then they stretch the leg/knee - knee in a a constant bent position for the past couple of years for various reasons....

PT could be very helpful to you - what could it hurt?

IMO seeking out an ortho dr. you talking to him, getting advice, whatever, and hopefully he would give you a script for PT. this might help,

too bad you can't take ibuprofin for the inflamation and pain - maybe ortho dr could suggest something else?

its so smart of you to basically only use the eliptical - great work out equipment - very low impact not effecting the knee - in any bad way.

i'm sure you don't overdue, the workout

above are my thoughts - suggested by a fellow sleever happily enjoying the sights and sounds of downtown Sleeveland

feel better soon

take care bud

your bud

kathy

Edited July 31, 2012 by likasulema

[Shayyt 26]

If you haven't seen a doctor I would start there but if you have and it is an ongoing issue there are several things to try depending on your pain. I have bad knees and have had surgery on one so far and have been trying to put off the other as long as possible. Bad knees and hips, sadly, run in the family. For me, if the pain is real bad I bust out the ice and tylenol. I have a bad habit of going out to dance and paying for it the next day so I will bust out the ice machine thingy they sent me home with from surgery. It is like an ace bandage you wrap around your knee that is attached to a cooler you fill with ice, plug in and it circulates the icey cold goodness around your knee. You might try a bag of ice to start and if that helps check a medical supply store for the machine cooler thing like I have. Also, I have found for working out Vibram 5 finger toe shoes ROCK!!! Took me a while to get some because of my skeptisism (sp?) but after a lot of research and words from people I worked out with I decided to give them a whirl and wow let me tell you they are awesome!! They are a minamalist shoe that forces your body so to speak to run, walk, etc the natural way basically barefoot. They take a little getting use to and will cause your calves to hurt until you are use to them but what a difference they have made for me. It has gotten to the point where I rarely wear heels anymore. I wear flats and my Vibrams and heels on special occassions and outting type nights.

Good luck to you and hope you find something to help ease the pain.

[Dooter 1,457]

Due to my exceedingly crappy health insurance plan with a $5000 deductible, I'm almost entirely out of pocket, so I'm looking for something that will work before i resort to the specialists. My M.D. was like..."well....don't use that knee." (HAHAHA, not really, but it seemed like it...) I was thinking "gee, ortho is not your strongsuit, huh??" LOL I guess he's waiting to see if I REALLY complain about it.

Thanks all. Keep 'em coming!

[fern 195]

Ice, ice and ice some more. Where exactly on the knee is it? I have an IT band injury from running. The pain shows up in my knee but is actually a weakness of my hips/glutes.

[Dooter 1,457]

Ice, ice and ice some more. Where exactly on the knee is it? I have an IT band injury from running. The pain shows up in my knee but is actually a weakness of my hips/glutes.

It's weird...it's kind of "inside" my knee on the left back and I can feel it below and to the left of it down my leg a little.

[tallysfunny 363]

Speaking as a chick with a crap knee...you NEED to see an ortho. I know it's hard money wise, but keep this mind...your knee is a weight bearing joint. You mess with that and it will throw your gait off, the alignment to your spine off and create a host more of issues that will just snowball at some point.

So that you know that I'm not just talking out of my butt...I'm 33, blew my knee out when I was 17. And by blew out...I mean I dislocated my knee cap and damaged the hell out of it. I had surgery when I was 17 to clean out the damaged tissue. Then again when I was 31 due to chronic patella dislocation. At some point prior to my second surgery I severed all of my meniscus off and it floated to the back of my knee and was causing more damage. I used to get cortisone shots until I found out how bad they are for your joints.

Now I get Euflexxa injected into my knees ever 6 months. It's a series of three shots over 3 weeks. It's not a steroid, it's just synthetic lubrication that replicates naturally found fluids in your need that provide cushioning to the bones. Works fantastic. The shots are tough but my surgeon is amazing. He is so caring and thorough. I am so glad I finally found one like him.

Also, the host of other issues...I have osteoarthritis in both knees, ankles and hips are heading that direction. I have degenerative disc disease in myL5 witha tear leaking Fluid onto the nerve bundle in my spine that goes down the hips, to the knees, down the legs to the foot. Horrible pain. I walk with a limp right now while I go through my series of epidural steroid injections. I get my second one today.

The pain and possible damage you may cause yourself is worth the monetary investment.

[keldolbeth 262]

It's weird...it's kind of "inside" my knee on the left back and I can feel it below and to the left of it down my leg a little.

That sounds like exactly where my pain was. I also had a lot of pain around my knee cap and on the bottom of it. If you're having a hard time straightening your leg it sounds like it could be something with the meniscus. Does it feel like something is sticking or grabbing when you try to straighten it? Does it ever pop loudly? Not that I'm an expert but I've been there. Like someone else said, strengthening your hips and quads can do a lot of good for your knee, especially your patella and everything around it. Even after I was done with PT I focused on those areas at the gym. I'm sure you could find some exercises online using an exercise ball, basketball, resistance band, etc to help if you absolutely cannot go to the doctor.

[Dooter 1,457]

That sounds like exactly where my pain was. I also had a lot of pain around my knee cap and on the bottom of it. If you're having a hard time straightening your leg it sounds like it could be something with the meniscus. Does it feel like something is sticking or grabbing when you try to straighten it? Does it ever pop loudly? Not that I'm an expert but I've been there. Like someone else said, strengthening your hips and quads can do a lot of good for your knee, especially your patella and everything around it. Even after I was done with PT I focused on those areas at the gym. I'm sure you could find some exercises online using an exercise ball, basketball, resistance band, etc to help if you absolutely cannot go to the doctor.

It's actually more when I bend it when I have the problem. I can only bend it to a certain point, then it hurts really bad, so swimming and biking and even pulling my leg up to get under the sheet at night hurts. I never had knee problems until January.