Is this Runners knee ?

Discussion in 'Injuries' started by varun, Sep 25, 2010.

  1. varun

    varun Regular Member

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    This is a detailed explanation:

    History: I overtrained in badminton once and my right knee started paining - I had to take rest. One doctor told me that rest for 4 weeks. But then it dint get better in 4 weeks. Then when it was 6 weeks, i asked another doctor, he said start playing, your knee is fine - nuthing is broken. I probably restarted playing with little to no rehab. So, I got this pain which comes back whenever i play badminton/squash which need a lot of lunging. I stopped badminton for 2 years - when I have total rest, the pain becomes very minimal, but comes back when I start playing. I went to another doctor - he said that your muscles are weakened and gave physiotherapy and stretching exercises, and again said that your knee is fine, there dont seem to be damages and its all in the muscles not being upto the mark. He also recommended biking/swimming.

    Symptoms:
    My knee feels solid to the touch - like there is no tenderness or swelling or increase in pain when i press down on any part of the knee.
    1) Pain is not localized - its at the outside back of the knee, in the front where the quads attach to the knee and on the right side of the knee (lateral)
    2) The pain is very dull/nagging/low intensity pain
    3) There is a weird sense of tightness/vague feeling in the knee. It just feels as if something is not fitting correctly. Because of the tightness feeling, I also feel like I want to stretch/tighten my knee all the time
    4) When I stretch/tighten, I sometimes get a painless clicking sound in the knee and it feels as if the click relieved something in the knee - it gives a comfortable feeling which lasts 3-4 seconds and then goes away :( - so its like I try to stretch/tighten my knee so I can get that comforting clicking sound in my knee.
    5) It sometimes increases slightly if in a sitting position
    6) The pain also extends along the hamstring at times but my feeling is that since something is not right in the knee - that is causing a lot of extra strain on my other muscles.

    These are pretty much all the symptoms - one thing to note is that the pain is never sharp even though intensity is varying and doctors have generally ruled out cartilage/knee structure damage, so I am hoping its primarily a muscle imbalance and . Currently, I do stationary biking/cross trainer in the gym for 10-20 minutes, do leg extensions at 35 pounds, 2 sets 20 reps, same with hamstring curls 35 pounds, 2 sets 20 reps. Also do other hip adductor exercises. If at all I do any running, I do very very slowly without increasing pain. Then, I stretch hamstrings and quads. I am going to start swimming soon.

    The closest overtraining injury I could match my symptoms to is runners knee. If anyone has had similar symptoms/has information to share, that would be great.

    Thanks
     
  2. blindaim

    blindaim Regular Member

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    kl-cor-pdfs-knee11.jpg
    Seif_knee%20anatomy01.jpg
    meniscal.gif

    Hi varun:

    Below is only a speculation:

    Runner knee is usually at the bottom of the knee due to overuse/overrunning.

    Yours is at the side, so i think it is not runner knee.

    Refer to the pic: i believe your laternal meniscus and medial meniscus is injured.
     
    #2 blindaim, Sep 25, 2010
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2010
  3. varun

    varun Regular Member

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    Hi, thanks for the response - but this does not seem likely to me for a few reasons:

    1) Meniscal injuries are generally traumatic - I really havent heard of meniscus degeneration due to overuse particularly in people who are my age - the age of 23. Its unlikely that I will have a bad meniscus like above due to arthritis.
    2) There are a few well known tests that doctors perform for testing bad meniscii - for me, none of those tests actually produced any additional pain.
    3) From what I have heard the meniscus is really important and fairly tough to tear - so I would assume that I should have had swelling/tenderness at some point. I have never had a tender/swollen knee.

    Moreover, i dont know of the name but there is this solid tendon that goes behind my knee and is at the right of the right knee - i feel pain there too, its like the pain is all over the knee, I simply cant say its here or there. Btw, I look at this youtube video and I seem to have all the symptoms of runners knee except swelling.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4dC4U0AyEc
     
  4. blindaim

    blindaim Regular Member

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    PCL tears are graded I- III with III being the most severe. These gradings are classified depending on the amount of backward tibial displacement observed when the knee is bent at 90 degrees. In extreme cases the ligament may become avulsed, or pulled off the bone completely.
    Symptoms of a posterior cruciate ligament injury:

    • Pain at the time of impact which, over time, may also be felt in the calf region.
    • Swelling, although this may be minimal (video).
    • Pain when the posterior cruciate ligament is stressed (video).
    • Positive sign on the 'Posterior draw test'.
    • Pain and laxity when a 'reverse Lachman's test' is performed.
    • Instability of the joint, perhaps associated with the feeling of the knee 'giving way.
    Treatment for Posterior Cruciate Ligament Sprain:

    What can the athlete do after sustaining a PCL injury?
    What can a professional do?
    • A sports injury professional will firstly firstly aim to correctly diagnose the injury. This may be achieved by performing specific tests such as the 'posterior drawer test' or 'revese Lachman's'.
    • Referral for an MRI scan and/or X-ray to assess the extent of the damage.
    • Operate - surgery for posterior cruciate ligament.
     
  5. GettingRusty

    GettingRusty Regular Member

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  6. midtownace

    midtownace Regular Member

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    I'm not sure if it's runner's knee, but you should definately take a rest from the excersises. Overtraining is just as bad as undertraining
     
  7. sayakeren

    sayakeren Regular Member

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    I hope you've found out what's going on with your knee because I also have exactly the same symptoms.

    I rested it for almost 2 weeks and it got better, then I tried to play in a mild way and the pain went back. Since then I have been fully resting for a week and now the pain has gone, but that weird feeling of unease is still there. Yes, I like to do those "cracks" too for temporary "relief" -- which I try not to do anymore because I read it may actually worsen the condition.

    So, if somehow you've known what happened and which treatment working on you, I'd be glad to hear (surely be glad to hear from other BCers too who may know what happened or been there before).

    PS: I haven't gone to any medical expert because I'm not quite sure what to tell them, and whether I should see an orthopedist, a physiotherapist, or a sports masseus. Somehow I feel what happened to varun would happen to me: "Your knee is fine," but I know it's not.

    Appreciate any response. Can't stay too long not playing badminton, that is :p
     
  8. bradmyster

    bradmyster Regular Member

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    I have not read through most of the suggestons and comments however I have had similiar injuries in the past and my right knee is still in pain. It may be due to incorrect footwork when lunging forward your body weight and knee may be moving forward too far causing intense strain on the ligaments/tendons in the knee. Your knee should not move past 90 degrees when lunging forward infact hitting 90 degrees is still often too far. If your leg strength and footwork is correct your quad muscle should be absorbing most of the impact and pushing you back into position before this risky position happens.

    Just food for thought. I am in the process of fixing my footwork and already my knee pain is lessening.
     
  9. abans

    abans Regular Member

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    It is an old thread but I am having similar issues as OP. After consultations with therapists and doctors, it seems that I have a repetitive strain injury which is causing tendinitis. The therapist says the my ilo tibial (it) band is very tight and hence pain in the right knee is on the right side where it inserts into the knee. It band is overused because hip muscles (glutes) are not doing their job and causing a strain on it band. This band is a thin layer of muscle and there is no way to develop
    It. To fix, glutes must be made stronger. Isometric excercises help in that.
    I am not sure if this applies to OP, but I wanted to share my experience. The easiest way to see if u have an it band issue is feel the outer side of your thigh. My right side is rock hard while left is soft. Getting a massage by a specialist also helps. Ice also helps me a lot.
     

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