Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
On Wednesday night I was playing kickball with some friends. While running the bases I tried to avoid being pegged by jumPing to my left while at full speed. When I plants my left leg an pushed off I felt something snap on the outside of my knee and my leg just crumbled. Pain and swelling got worse throughout the night to the point where my knee looked like a grapefruit, with a big bubble on the outside of my knee. Didn't hurt to touch really, and I could stand on it, but walking caused bad pain and it was completely unstable. Today is Sunday, and I have been using a compression and ice unit since thursday bthe pain is mostly gone as is the swelling. Most of instability gone, but things like climbing stairs are still making me feel like I am gonna fall down b
Went to the doctor on Thursday and he said no an acl tear, but likely a meniscus tear. My wife keeps saying I sprained my knee, but ust can't believe that. I have a ct scan with dye tomorrow (can't do MRI because of an implanted spinal cord stim unit) tomorrow. I'll find out te results on Wednesday, but am wondering if it is possible that a meniscus tear could stop hurting so quickly? Thanks!
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
It depends on the size of the tear. With a small to medium sized tear, yes, the pain can significantly decrease after just a week. A snap and instability, though, that sounds more like a ligament injury.
Still, you'll find out soon enough. Meanwhile, keep icing and don't push it.
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
Thanks. Just had the dye injection and CT. My wife works for a medical supply office and borrowed a compression/ice unit, it has done wonders in just a few days for me! I can al so walk normally now, but stairs and twisting my leg cause pain and make me wobble. I'll know for sure in the next 2 days
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
Oh, man. I have a tibial plateau fracture, too! I fell the last week in January. The initial x-ray missed the fracture, but a later one found it. According to MRI, I also had a small meniscus tear (3 mm, much too small to need surgery) and some swollen tissue around the kneecap.
The first week or two was pretty painful. Even moving my leg was unpleasant! For 6 weeks, I wore a hard knee brace and used crutches to help walk (partial weight bearing.) I can now walk quite well, although I still wear the brace outside the house. The knee is still a little swollen, and I do have trouble with stairs still. The doctor says I should be fully recovered by about 4 months after the injury, so I have another 1.5 months to go.
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
In regard to the meniscus, yes it can improve quickly. On a Monday I turned and must have torn my left knee meniscus. So swollen so called the doc I'd seen before and did ice, elevation and ace bandage at home in the meantime (exactly what ER or Urgent Care would do). Thursday saw the doc and he removed fluid, said likely meniscus tear, had me do an MRI. Did an MRI the following Monday (one week after initial injury) and saw my doc 4 days later. Small meniscus tear, and he did a cortisone injection which brought down the swelling and told me to do some quad exercises. IF it swells again, he'd do an athroscopy. If not, just do light exercises and see how it goes. So far so good nearly 8 wk later. Occasional pain while doing light walking, but no swelling, etc
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by janewhite1
Oh, man. I have a tibial plateau fracture, too! I fell the last week in January. The initial x-ray missed the fracture, but a later one found it. According to MRI, I also had a small meniscus tear (3 mm, much too small to need surgery) and some swollen tissue around the kneecap.
The first week or two was pretty painful. Even moving my leg was unpleasant! For 6 weeks, I wore a hard knee brace and used crutches to help walk (partial weight bearing.) I can now walk quite well, although I still wear the brace outside the house. The knee is still a little swollen, and I do have trouble with stairs still. The doctor says I should be fully recovered by about 4 months after the injury, so I have another 1.5 months to go.
Basically in the same boat. Small tear, not big enough for surgery. No brace though, which I'm very shocked at! My leg hurts a little and is a little unstable, but the doctor says the brace won't do anything
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
It sounds like your injury is similar to mine, but a bit less severe. For the first week and a half, I had constant pain that got worse whenever I moved around, even with crutches. You sound like you're doing better than that, so hopefully you will heal faster!
Still, it might be a while to your full recovery. Were you given a timeline?
Meanwhile, ice, ice, ice. Several times a day. When the ice doesn't seem to bring down the swelling, I try heat, then ice. A nice hot shower then my ice pack is the best part of the day.
At this point, my knee is almost normal, but it still swells! I think that's normal with bone injuries.
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
Was told 4-8 weeks on crutches. I'm not Pain free, but can actually walk on the leg (although was obviously told not to). My shin tends to hurt more throughout the day, and my leg hurts more when sitting at a desk with knee bent.
My wife works for a med supply place and borrowed an ice and compression unit. Definitely helps!
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpineAZ
Those ice and compression units are SO helpful. Had one when I had ACL surgery and it reduces swelling a lot. Are you on anti inflammatories as well?
Hey, I'm in Phoenix too! Thinking about getting a second opinion. Saw dr Martin at az bone and joint, can you give me a recommendation of another doc?
I've had a lumbar fusion (3 years ago) and a spinal cord stimulator for back and leg pain put in last summer. I see dr grove at the Arizona Center for pain relief for my ibuprofen and painkillers, so I'm good on that. LOVE him, can't refer to him enough.
Re: Possible meniscus tear, but pain gone after 5 days?
HaHa! Ready for this? Kubitz in Grove's practice is my Pain Mgmt doc and Grove did my discogram and lumbar ablation. Kubitz started me on Meloxicam as an anti inflammatory for my Spineand it's helped my knee too. Martin is my current knee doc (also within that practice Landsman is my spine doc and Tipirneni is my hand-carpal tunnel surgeon). I started seeing Landsman June 2009 and switched to Martin about 1 yr ago. Previously I saw Waslewski for my knee. He is excellent (operated on me 2x in 10 yr, once was a microfracture technique). I almost felt bad changing to Martin as Waslewski is great but more sports med oriented and I'm beyond that with arthritis in both knees. After Martin said I didn't need surgery I almost went back to Waslewski for a consult but I decided to wait to see how I did after the cortisone injection Martin did. The cortisone shot removed the swelling and true to Martin's prediction I have no swelling or pain (other than arthritic pain). For a second opinion Waslewski is a good option. The other reason I switched to Martin is I wanted my spine doc and knee doc to be able to openly understand and access the other's treatment plan, since I need my right knee replaced in about 5 yr and will always have spine issues. At one point I had Dean in Waslewski's office wanting to do cortisone while Pain Mgmt and spine doc wanted cortisone in my spine. So I consolidated (not knowing I'd need a hand surgeon a year later).
. Find ou more tomorrow
