My quadriceps tendinitis on my right knee/leg seems to have "grown"
Posted , 5 users are following.
For background, I have been doing 1 to 3, 8k runs per week, basically flat. I’m mid 50s, thin build, always have had to watch to make sure I didn’t overdo it with respect to my knees.
A year ago I was completing an 8k run and decided for the last couple of hundred meters to really go for it. Result: left knee seemed to have ITB syndrome which worked itself out more or less in about 5 months. Right knee: quad tendinitis. For several months I would do the cross-rubbing right where the tendon joins the top of the patella. It was painful (5/10) when I took stairs and got up out of a chair, to tolerable (3 out of 10).
I saw a physiotherapist who confirmed the quad tendinitis and he gave me exercises to do (hip, quad stretch, another exercise for the muscles under the glutes, can’t remember what they’re called). They helped, but the pain is still there after a year.
Lately I’ve noticed that the quad tendinitis pain is basically gone, but the whole region around the right kneecap (excluding the kneecap itself) is very sore when I try to stand up or climb stairs. Every muscle above, and to the sides of the kneecap has shooting pain when I try to stand up. I can get a less severe version of the pain by just clenching the muscles of the knee while sitting.
What is this “syndrome”? As I say, I don’t have kneecap pain, just everything around the knee. It’s been a year and I would absolutely love to get back to running!
1 like, 14 replies
renee38282 DaveWWW
Posted
Have you had an MRI done to see what's going on? I would go see an Orthopedic doctor and ask for an MRI. You could have a torn meniscus or something like that. If it keeps you from moving it's gotta get fixed. PTs aren't doctors. So they're just guessing. Good luck. I hope you seek medical attention ASAP.
Oldfatguy1 DaveWWW
Posted
Personally, I would dump everything and see an ortho surgeon, get an MRI and proper diagnosis. Therapists are fine when they stick to doing the Dr's bidding but for diagnosis I want someone to dig deeper with pictures for evaluation. Too many little things become big things when you continue to give that knee a beating day after day. A little tear........a small pull........some grinding and twisting become huge when let go. I have a definition of discretion that I have used for years: discretion is the difference between scratching your a** and tearing the h**l out if it. Good luck. Once more ill repeat my story .....11 knee/leg surgeries and 5 complete rehabs all because of a rare tumor that had never been seen by my surgeon or any of the other 7 guys in the practice. By the time I got the correct diagnosis by an orthopedic oncologist my leg was toast. 14 years of hobbling around in pain. Unfortunately the tumor can't be eradicated and still eats away. Get an opinion from the very best guy you can find. I go to a university medical (teaching) hospital myself.
renee38282 Oldfatguy1
Posted
You are so wise! I can't believe you still have the tumor. Wow. They can't remove it or radiate it? I had a golf ball size cancer tumor on my lung. They removed the lung. Ouch. Then they found a baseball size non cancer tumor ON my uterus. They removed that. Why do you have to be so difficult and stump the doctors with a tumor that can't be fixed?? Oh my.
Oldfatguy1 renee38282
Posted
Fortunately mine is benign or no cancerous: unfortunately it grows and apparently metal is a catalyst. They got all except a small amount that sits in the middle of a bundle of nerves and could cost me my leg if even the tinest mistake were to be made. I've already had 30 rounds of radiation that didn't get it all. The radiation is one reason I never got all the strength back in my leg. 6 months after radiation I had a synovectomy and they removed as much as they could get but had to quit. I'll leave the rest in the crematorium. They promised that would get it. The upside, I'm pushing 80 so at best I don't have all that many years to go, even with good genetics. One really sad note: last time I saw my surgeon he told me he had a 44 year old who had the same tumor. It is growing so fast and he has had to operate so frequently they may have to amputate. The tumor grows and then literally blows up internally and bleeds profusely causing all most unbearable pain. Morphine couldn't control it. They had to open me up 3 times and remove 200 c c's of blood (soda can full) and used a needle 6 times to remove 65-75 c c each time. Ill keep fighting as long as I can.
renee38282 Oldfatguy1
Posted
Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry to hear your story. But you're fighting it so hard and winning. The radiation must have been a terrible ordeal. Actually the whole thing sounds like a nightmare. Yet you still keep your sense of humor and have made me laugh many times. I'm blessed to know you through this forum. Old Funny Guy!
Oldfatguy1 renee38282
Posted
Oldfatguy1
Posted
Mkhp Oldfatguy1
Posted
I've read many of your excerpts and you always amaze me. I don't know if u are spiritual, however, u r in my prayers. U so deservingly should have relief of pain. I know what pain is, however, u have really had it rough. Amazing strength, no words to describe. God bless u and your wife
Oldfatguy1 Mkhp
Posted
Thanks again.....
renee38282 Oldfatguy1
Posted
Oh I'm sorry to hear you're having a difficult time. Just know you have helped so many people with your wisdom and sense of humor. Prayers for you my friend.
Waffalobill DaveWWW
Posted
I used to hike miles every day. I work nights so it freed me up to walk days. Would wonder around in the woods. It started out as a little soreness. Then grew. Eventually had pain in sides like you. After a while it grew to bad pain,locking,grinding. Went to ortho. MRI showed torn meniscus. Had it scoped twice to get all the pieces out. I tore the cartiladge and continued to walk on it. It chewed up the cartiladge and spread it all threw my joint. Took 2 ops to get the pieces out and was bleeding I'm there. Haven't been able to hike since. The damage from continuing to walk on it , doc had to take alot of torn cartiladge out. Thigh bone is cracked. Some bone on bone in there.
renee38282 Waffalobill
Posted
Waffalobill renee38282
Posted
Problem was original injury was on the job. Went to docs to have it checked out. Handed them my insurance card. Doc said nope. Was related to original injury. Opened workman's comp case back up. Took 7 months to get approval for MRI and then surgery. By then it was a mess inside. Never fully recovered. It's been 15 years. Get synvisc every 6 months. Arthritis set in. Just working and mowing the lawn is a task. No more hiking. Nothing. Why i say don't ignore it. It can get way worse fast. It will not fix itself or go away.
renee38282 Waffalobill
Posted
Shoot what can you do? You can't use your own insurance? That doesn't make sense. Maybe go to another doctor that doesn't know your history. I'm sorry you're in so much pain. Torn meniscus is so painful and the surgery doesn't seem to help at all. You've gotta get your life back somehow. Prayers and hugs.