How long before I can walk on a sprained knee?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Is it reasonable to expect to walk 6 weeks after a serious knee sprain?
Had a motorcycle accident one month ago. The first three weeks, I had a plaster splint and couldn't walk. Now I have a leg cast due to a fractured patella that the doctor didn't notice during the first round of x-rays. Still feel pain inside the knee around the MCL ligament. The cast will come off in 2 weeks.
Of course I'll need PT when the cast come off, but is it reasonable to walk 6 weeks after a serious knee sprain? If I can't walk, then I'll definitley need an MRI to see if the damage is worse than the doctor originally thought.
0 likes, 3 replies
barefootrehab Garet
Posted
You're missing data.
You had a major trauma (motorcycle accident) and you haven't had a MRI to see what the health of the soft tissue in the knee is like.
To have an accurate picture of your knee, I recommend getting an MRI now. Without a clear diagnosis, you're shooting blind in regards to timelines and types of treatment.
Does that make sense?
Garet barefootrehab
Posted
I've since gotten an MRI and there is Level 1 damage to the meniscus and MCL. There is also a non-displaced patella fracture which I already learnt about after an x-ray 3 weeks ago.
After the MRI, the doctor removed the cast and put on a brace without locking it. It just provides a little stability.
I'm able to walk with a limp, but now I wonder if it's safe to do physiotherapy involving bending the knee 5 weeks after the injury.
barefootrehab Garet
Posted
Got it. OK - that's mild damage of the meniscus. Was there no inflammation? If there wasn't any, you should be fine in 5 weeks. If there was, it'll take on the longer side.
Now, the question is, what are the other problems?
Are you weak at all?
Are you tight?
You'll want to have these ranges of motion checked:
- ankle dorsiflexion
- ankle plantarflexion
- knee flexion
- knee extension
- straight leg raise
- hip flexion
- hip extension.
If you google "know your numbers (and any of the ranges above)" you'll come up the ranges for each movement. If you had a really horrible range that was related to the knee, you'll need to get this addressed by the appropriate adhesion specialist.