The Trainer’s Room: Knee Bone Bruise Treatment and Diagnosis
Editor’s Note: This is first edition of a new regular feature here at Midwest Sports Fans called The Trainer’s Room. This feature will rely on the expertise of Denver chiropractors Dr. Niall McNally and Dr. Ihsan Erhuy of the Mountain View Pain Center in Denver, CO.
Dr. McNally and Dr. Erhuy are certified in chiropractic neurology and have a strong background in sports injuries and in the rehabilitation of common nagging athletic problems. Our goal with The Trainer’s Room will be to provide timely background information on relevant injuries as they occur in the sports world.
All treatment options provided in this article should not be taken as specific advice, but rather as a general guide regarding what is typically done to treat the injury being described. You should always consult your doctor before beginning any pain management or rehab program.
——————–
Today we will focus on knee bone bruises. Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets bruised his knee on Wednesday, February 18th against Philadelphia and felt limited by it during Friday’s game at Chicago. Lamar Odom also suffered a similar injury to his right knee earlier in the year.
What is a Knee Bone Bruise?
A “bruised bone” typically refers to bleeding that occurs under the tough fibrous covering of the bone called the periosteum. It causes pain in the area of the bone but heals quickly as the blood is reabsorbed just like a bruise of the skin. The bruising may or may not involve the skin and soft tissues as well. The most painful
bruises can sometimes take months to heal. What happens in a bone bruise is a compressive force pushes the femur and tibia on itself. When this happens the outer layer of the bone (most likely the femur), which is fibrous, breaks down. This leads to leaking of fluid.
Knee Bone Bruise Diagnosis and Treatment
After the initial onset of the injury beware not to jump to the conclusion of a bone bruise, even if you are experiencing similar symptoms. The knee joint can support a handful of injuries and it is important to reach the proper diagnosis and to come up with the appropriate treatment to avoid future risks of injury. This is done by doing a thorough exam of the joint. X-rays should be taken to rule out a fracture or any possible underlying pathology that could be masking the symptoms. After that, an MRI is necessary to rule out any ligamentous or meniscus injuries. This will also show the bone bruise if that is in fact the cause of the symptoms.
First – Assess Knee Bone Bruise Symptoms
Recognize the symptoms of a bone bruise. Common symptoms are severe pain and swelling. Sometimes a blackish-blue discoloration around the affected area may be visible. Along with the initial stage ice massage, another valuable step that cannot be overlooked is rest. This step may be very difficult for any athlete as they may be willing to push their body to the extremes to get back in the game. The reason we suggest rest in this stage is simple: the healing process is just beginning. To push or rush the injury could lead to further problems, and in the long run keep the athlete on the sidelines for an even longer period of time.
Second – See a doctor
Consult your doctor and get an MRI (Normally X-rays do not show bone bruises very well).
Third – Treatment of Knee Bone Bruise
At the Mountain View Pain Center we have seen many injuries to various athletes. A bone bruise can becoming a nagging injury leaving the player unable to participate due to lack of range of motion and often very intense pain. The methods with which we treat each player are specific to their needs. As we realize it is 
important for a player to get back into the game, our methods involve rehab and therapy to speed up the patient’s recovery time with as little pain as possible.
The first step of the knee bone bruise treatment process is the application of an ice massage provided by your doctor of choice several times a day, for no more than 5 minutes per application. The purpose of the ice massage is to move the edema (swelling) out of the affected area, reduce pain, and also to promote the healing process.
The next step in the process is to apply microcurrent therapy to the affected area, in this case the knee. Many different therapies can be used to treat pain, break up adhesions (scar tissue), or stimulate healing. The reason the Mountain View Pain Center prefers to use microcurrent therapy for this specific injury is that this particular modality has all of these benefits, thus decreasing the amount of time and money the patient would need to spend.
Another important step in the healing process is to perform full range of motion, non-weight bearing exercises to the joint. Getting the player back to their original state of health is the upmost importance for them to return to the game 100% effective. The range of motion exercises will be performed to keep the joint in full motion and inhibit the chance of further development of scar tissue. This step can be done concurrently with the rest as it is a more natural approach and will assist the body in its healing process.
Additional treatment recommendations:
Start with
- Vitamin K – 500mcg: Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin which is needed in the body to produce blood-clotting components and help strengthen bones.
- Vitamin C – 500mg 2-3 times a day: Ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, helps support the immune system, acting as an antioxidant to hasten recovery.
- Vitamin A – 50,000 IU per day (not to be used by pregnant or women at risk of pregnancy): Vitamin A contains fat soluble compounds that help fight infection and speed recovery.
- Bromelain – 250-750mg: Bromelain comprises protein-digesting enzymes found in pineapple plants to reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain
Also, Kinesio Taping alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by lifting the skin. The taped portion forms convolutions in the skin, thus increasing interstatial space. The result is that pressure and irritation are taken off the neural/sensory receptors. Then, slowly, pressure is taken off the lymphatic system, allowing the edema to drain more freely.
And finally, remember to be patient. Bone bruises can take a few months to heal.
Disclaimer: This article is the opinion of the Mountain View Pain Center, for this particular type of injury. If you feel you have had a similar type of injury please contact your primary care physcian and do not attempt to perform any of these treatments without the approval and supervision of your doctor.
______________________________
The Trainer’s Room is written exclusively for Midwest Sports Fans by Denver chiropractors Dr. Niall McNally and Dr. Ihsan Erhuy of the Maintain View Pain Center in Denver, CO. You can contact them by leaving a comment below or sending an email to info@mountainviewpaincenter.com. Click on the image below to visit their website.
Dr. Niall McNally is certified in chiropractic neurology and has a strong background in sports i
njuries and in the rehabilitation of common nagging athletic problems. Dr. McNally also is trained in pediatrics, orthopedics, and nutrition. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma and successfully completed his Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, TX.
A very active athlete, Dr. McNally played hockey up into the junior level. In fact, it was his love for hockey, and the Colorado Avalanche, that originally gave him the idea to one day practice sports medicine and chiropractics in the area.
Dr. Ihsan Erhuy specializes in motor vehicle accident injures, back, neck, and extremity problems, as well as treating pregnant patients and children. He is certified in the Diversified, Gonstead, Thompson, Upper Cervical, Activator, Sacral Occipital, Applied Kinesiology, Soft Tissue techniques.
Originally from Adana, Turkey, Dr. Erhuy graduated from the University of Arizona and also susuccessfully completed his Doctor of Chiropractic degree, along with his bachelor of science in health and wellness, at the Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, TX.
Tags: knee bone bruise, sports injuries
---------------
If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing with your friends:
Hi, Dr. McNally
Is there a chance a bone bruise would not show up on an MRI? Because I had an MRI and it showed nothing. The doctor only told me to wear a brace. That was the only information I got, besides he thinks it will heal, and I will be able to run again. He told me to come back in a month.
My knee injury seems to fit a bone bruise, which is very disheartening, since I want to run, badly. I fell 2 days before running a half marathon. I did not think my fall was serious, even though it was a bit sore. The outside of my knee was swollen after I ran, and bruised, only after the run.
I thought it was getting better, until Thursday, when the pain became much worse, and I started limping. I fell on a Friday, ran on Sunday, and the pain became intense on Thursday. It has been a week now, and it does not seem to be getting better.
Walking up/down stairs is painful, so I have to protect it as much as I can. My house has steps going up to it, so I have to use stairs daily. And I walk with a limp, almost to the point that I can’t remember how to walk normally. Much less if this goes on for weeks/months. Any pressure to my knee, when attempting to walk normally, makes my knee buckle. Or if I trip a bit, it brings the pain on.
My knee is also sore to the touch where I fell, in addition to when I walk — feeling like it’s not superficial. And it hurts to straighten it.
If this is a bone bruise, will I be able to run again? (I know it may not be, or it could be a bruise and something else?) But, again, would a bone bruise always show up on an MRI?
Thank you!
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
February 28th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Amy I have replied to your comment in depth in an email, I sent to you. Please let me know if you recieved it. For anyone else interested in commenting or has a question feel free to comment. If the answer is short and sweet, I can put it in the comment section. If not I will do my best to get you a more in depth response and email it directly to you. Thanks for your interest
Reply
emmanuel Reply:
March 7th, 2009 at 2:52 am
@Dr. McNally,
i hyperextended my knee a about 4 months ago..they said i had small injuries including a bone bruise…its been 4 and half months and i was on crutches for about a month after i hurt my knee…im trying to be patient and its hard because i miss playing basketball and sitting is tough…but i want to get back to playing the way i was again. what should i do? the ortho. thinks it could cartilage but i can move my knee, it hurts going up stairs, putting pressure on it as if im about to do a squat (i feel pain as i come up from the squat position), obviously running and when i stretch my quads and release my leg i feel as if my bones are rubbing together..so im going to see the doctor again in a few weeks and see what i need to do…please help doc. i just want to play basketball again
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 7th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
emmanuel,
You injury sounds pretty substantial and would lead to me to believe you have another injury along with the bone bruise. It is not uncommon to have meniscal tears as well as ligamentour injuries accompanying bone bruises. Has your ortho taken xray, or MRI?
emmanuel Reply:
March 8th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
@Dr. McNally,
ive taken both of those things twice…and the ortho said, they dont show anything major, and that i need to make my quads stronger (which i have been doing)…he said if it still hurts after that, then they will have to do arthroscopic surgery and find out what is wrong…but i know there is something wrong
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 9th, 2009 at 6:15 am
@emmanuel,
You have take the correct steps so far contacting the ortho and having the xray and MRI. It is possible that the MRI may not show the damage to the softtissue so thats why the ortho may want to go take a look around. It is also possible you have a muscle imbalance causing additional pain, unless properly rehabed, it will continue to give you problems. Where are you located maybe I can recommend a good sports doctor that works with these kind of issues regularly.
Dr. McNally
emmanuel Reply:
March 9th, 2009 at 11:02 am
@Dr. McNally,
i am doing rehab right now, and my quads are gettin stronger, but the pain is still there..i have an appointment with my ortho on the 26 of march and so i will tell him that the rehab is not helping…
but im hoping i will be able to have the surgury and be back to playing basketball soon
Reply
Malcolm Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 12:59 am
@Dr. McNally,
Would you please forward me your reply/diagnosis of Amy’s
condition (omitting personal info obviously). My condition’s nearly identical – I will explain…
I play both rugby and soccer – for the last few weeks many games/practices have overlapped – so I am unsure of an exact event that was the obvious cause of my pain.
Symptoms are:
First occurrence was mid-May 2009. Rehabbed myself via rest, brace, walking stairs, unweighed squats…then running..then returned to sports after 6 weeks.
Then after a rugby scrimmage it came back, but worse. (~Jun 30th 2009)
My knee was at first very sore and swollen. Subsided after ~one week.
I started limping
Walking up/down stairs is painful
I walk with a limp
Any pressure to my knee, when attempting to walk normally, makes my knee buckle – feels wobbly (However, MRI indicated ligaments intact)
Any knee buckle or misstep results in intense stabbing pain in my knee.
Hurts to straighten knee, unable to “flex quad muscles” while leg straightened.
MRI also showed some signs of possible edema (cloudy white near tibia).
Any help and treatment suggestion would be greatly appreciated! I want to get back to my sports!
Thnkx, Malcolm
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
@Malcolm,
I am sorry I did not get you a reply sooner, this comment got lost in my email. How is the knee do you still need me to send you anymore info?
Dr. McNally
Hello! I have a similar situation – and am interested in what you think. I have been to two doctors and two chiropractors. No one seems to know what is going on and the only advice I have been given: rest. That is extremely hard for me.
Seven months ago I had a road bike accident where I landed on my right knee; I had bruising on the inside of my patella. I was training for a triathlon at the time so I continued running. About a week later, the pain in my knee was severe. Since then, as I mentioned, I have seen several professionals and had taken about 4 months off (which was absolutely terrible being non-active). Now seven months later with absolutely zero pain for the last three months, I began training for a marathon. No issues until a 10 mile run.. felt like the ‘bone bruise’ which I believe it to be was back. Few days later it was better.. and no more pain until my next long run (12 miles). Since then my ‘bone bruise’ area has been very painful on and off and I have cut back my mileage greatly. Some days I can run 5 miles with no pain.. other days I might run a half mile before I HAVE to stop because of the pain. What is going on? If this is a bone bruise – can I rest easy knowing that I WILL marathons again.. or should I be worried? Also what CAN I do as far as exercise and recovery. I have sort of been trying to run or bike as long as there is no pain. The last seven months have been the most frustrating, confusing in my life. Running is so important to me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much! Take care.
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:44 am
Alex,
I have sent you an email requesting some further information on your situation, so I may further assist you. Again thanks for the comment, let me know if you recieved the email.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Dr. McNally, I have not received your e-mail. Please try again or post it on here. Thank you for your speedy response. I am anxious to hear back about my situation! -Alex-
Reply
I suffered a bone bruise during my basketball game on Sunday February 22nd and I was wondering what, if any, damage it would cause if I was to play in my next game on Sunday march 8th. I have been resting it since the incident and the swelling has gone completely away. There is also very limited pain. Would there be any consiquences if I played?
Reply
JRod Reply:
March 5th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
@Joey cueroni, thanks for your question Joey. Dr. McNally is actually out of the country until next week, but he will be back answering questions once he returns. I’ll be sure that he sees your question. I know that does not help you for Sunday, but I’m sure if you call a local doctor in your area they would be willing to give you a quick consultation. At least, I would hope they would!
Best of luck finding out more info. I’d suggest something but, of course, I’m not a doctor. Dr. McNally will get back to you soon.
Reply
Dr. Ihsan Erhuy Reply:
March 7th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Hey Joey,
I am sorry to hear about your knee. Without really looking at your knee it would be really hard for us tell you if you should play or not. But if you’re having pain when walking or running I would advise you to stay off your knee and ice it (20 mins on and 1 hour off throughout the day). Even if the swelling as gone down your knee hasn’t had enough time to recover from your pervious injury. What we would advise you to do is see your primary care physician so he can look at your knee. He would give you a better idea after examination and tell you if you should play or not. If you must play I would advise you to have a brace on your knee while you play and ice right after the game 20 mins on and 1 hr off (but again I would not advise this if you are having any pain at all). I hope this helps with your problem please keep in touch to let us know how you are doing.
Thank you
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Faruk Akagun Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Mr Erhuy hi
This is Faruk Akagun,former Coach ..l am Turkısh and since 2001 workıng for the Pistons as their International scout..l live in ıstanbul ..l have a 225 Russian young athlete whom l am coaching privately basketball with..2 months ago doctors diagnosed he had bone edema -kemik ödemi-near the knee on the femur bone..after quitting all lower body exercises for 3 weeks he started easy jogging and some sea walk psractises but never jumped or squat ..the pain is stil there and never decreasing after 8 weeks ..l would like to hear your thoughts.. if pour paths cross l would like to meet you personally when l come for NBA draft in June to Detroit..thanks ..
Faruk Akagun
loyaltyforever@gmail.com
Reply
Hi doctor, I had a partial menisectomy in the lateral menisecus, and after 2 months of wrong Physical theraby my muscles got too weak. At that time I fall in home accidently. Ofcourse my knee was hurting me and I completed the Physical theraby for further 2 months, then my doctor advised me to begin a slight running. This was a begining of a big problem, I had a severe pain directly under the knee (the upper portion of tibia at THE MEDIAL PORTION) I had MRI done that cleared that I have a bone bruise and edema at site of pain, it cleared also some tears in the medial mensicus and partial MCL tears, and my muscles still very weak. What I have to do now?, and thanks.
Reply
Dr. Ihsan Erhuy Reply:
March 7th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Hi Bondok,
Once again with this type of injury it’s going to take time to heal. If you are having pain while running let your doctor know this most like means that you are not ready to start running yet. I would start with non-weight baring exercises such as a stationary bike or swimming. You must let your doctor know that you are in pain so he can properly treat you. I hope this helps please keep us posted with how you are doing.
Thank you
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Bondok Reply:
March 8th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
@Dr. Ihsan Erhuy, Hi doctor, I’ve done both x-ray and MRI. Regarding x-ray it has pionted out that I’ve a bone bruise but it has been nonaccurate, and regarding the MRI it pointed out clearly the bruise involving the medial tibial plateau in the T2 WS, and hasn’t clearly clarified some other items because of the inflammation and edema.
These items were:-Some tears in the medial mensicus.
-Partial tears in MCL.
-Disrupted Hoffa’s pad of fat.
N.B: All this happened after the sliding at home that was 2 months after the operation of partial menisectomy in lateral mensicus.
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 9th, 2009 at 6:21 am
@Bondok,
It will be important to get the swelling (edema) out of the area to help release some of the pain. You have to take it easy since you have the damage to the meniscus and MCL. With these tears, you have an unstable knee, and are at risk of tearing it further, and making things worse. Are you currently seeking treatment. If not let me know where you are located and hopefully I can point you in the right direction.
Dr. McNally D.C
Bondok Reply:
March 10th, 2009 at 7:09 am
@Bondok,
Dear Doctor, I’ve been taking (Aesin) for 2weeks. Also I’ve been taking (Glucose amine, Diclofenac, chemotrypsin) for nearly 2 months. But the edema is still present or it decreased slightly (the edema is in my knee with no edema on tibia). I don’t know wether the exercises increase the edema or not. As I said before my muscles are too weak and the range of motion decreases every day and the bruise hurts me in any motion. Would I do a slight exersie for range of motion or not? and is the ice useful in edema? Many thanks
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 11th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
@Bondok,
It is important to do excerises for range of motion. Remember to do these to your tolerance, if an excerise causing pain then do not do that excercise and move on to one you can. If you find you can only do one excercise for example a knee extension, then start with that and build up until you can add more. Single leg excercises are better when you are trying to rehab. It is important to listen to your body, do not push it to pain, or you will prolong the healing process. As for the ice yes it is helpfu moving out edema. There are many therapies as well that can help with this as well, we put some examples in the article, have you tried any of these?
Bondok Reply:
March 18th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
@Dr. Ihsan Erhuy,
Hi doctor, I’ve tried all methods except the microcurrent theraby. I want to ask you doctor, is it so bad that edema is still present from the surgery (16/10/2008) till now? what is its significance? as for ice what is the duration of putting the ice? and should I put it on my knee (site of edema) only or on the tibia (site of the bruise) as well. Nearly, what is the average duration of healing of the bruise? I’ve MRI done recently can you see it, if yes plz tell me how to sent it. Many thanks.
Reply
[...] unknown posted a noteworthy aricle today onHere’s a small snippetbDr/b. McNally and bDr/b. Erhuy are certified in bchiropractic/b neurology and have a strong background in sports injuries and in the rehabilitation of common nagging athletic problems. Our goal with The Trainer’s Room will be to provide timely b…/b [...]
my son hurt his knee playing football, took him to see the doctor and he said he had inflammation of the knee bone. they also said i had to keep an i on the swelling as it could be a fluid build up, my son is only 11.his knee isn’t bruise but swollen, could you please explain or help with the problem thank you.
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 11th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
@caroline,
How long ago did he do this? If it was a few days ago keep an eye on it, he is in the acute phase and the swelling is a normal process after and injury. Swellling can occur without a bruise, or sometimes the bruise is not visible ie. bone bruise. Keep ice on the knee, not directlym and try to have him stay off it, which I realize is hard for an 11 year old. This does not mean he can not walk around, but if he is wanting to get back on the field, then he should avoid any aggrevating factors that can increase swelling.
Reply
About a week and a half ago I was experiencing knee discomfort, I could feel something off but it wasn’t painful. I figured I had just tweaked it and that it would be better overnight with rest. The next day however it was worse and hurting, after limping to class and back the pain was unbearable so I went to the hospital. The doctor gave me crutches and painkillers and said I had a knee effusion. I went to the orthopedist, who initially thought I tore a meniscus, however after and MRI, could not find anything significant to cause a knee effusion except for bone bruising. As of now, the pain is completely gone and swelling is starting to go down, and I can put some weight on the leg, but I am still stuck on crutches. I was wondering, how much longer until I will be able to fully straighten and bend my knee again?
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 11th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
@James Ferioli,
Unfortunately there is no easy answer to that question, especially since I have not seen you and can not gauge your progress, some people can get over this injury very quickly and others can take months. For now start with very small fluid excercises, trying to go to full range of motion, or as far as you can go without pain. Do you feel like your knee is locking up when you try to bend it? That can often lead a doctor to belive there is a problem with the meniscus or something floating around the joint.
Reply
James Ferioli Reply:
March 11th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
@Dr. McNally,
I saw the orthopedist again today and he said I just had to wait and that it was a matter of time, i can almost fully straighten my knee now, and bend to about 110 degrees, which is improvement. I can’t bend farther because of the pressure and pain in the knee, orthopedist says it is due to the fluid still being there. Crutches are just annoying, was hoping to be able to at least walk by now. Seems I need to be patient though. Ice, elevation, rest, and ibuprofin.
Thank you
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 12th, 2009 at 2:43 am
@James Ferioli,
Hello again James thanks for the update. I am glad to hear you are improving, however as a fellow athlete I realize the worst news you can hear is to wait it out. The last thing we want to hear is to step back and wait till it heals, however if you want to fully recover that is the smart thing to do. Have you tried any other therapies to move out the swelling? We mentioned a few in the article, and if you are interested in trying to speed up the healing, I could possibly recommend someone in your area. If not I will certainly help you find someone suitable for your needs.
Dr. McNally, D.C.
James Ferioli Reply:
March 12th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
@James Ferioli,
Thank you, but I think I will be fine. I actually can walk as of today, even if it is short distances with a limp, so I know I am getting better! Also, spring break starts tomorrow, so I have a week to get better. I don’t mind taking a break from sports for a little bit, the grades were taking a hit.
Hello, In october 08 i was injured in a football tackle and was on crutches for about a month and then had an mri, i got the results back jan 09 and the doc said i had quite bad bone bruising and but my ligaments etc looked ok. I’ve been going to pyhsio and even been having massages on my knee but it’s still really painful all along the front of my knee. I can cycle and swin ok but i cannot run as the pain along the front of my knee is so bad. I’ve even tried wearing a patella band as some of the pain was coming from my knee cap, but this made no difference. The pain is like a crunching pain all along the front of my knee. Could you give me any advice on this as it’s been six months and desperate to start even light running again. I’ve been building up my quads as advised and stretching etc, but nothing seems to be working. Many thanks
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
March 11th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
@Ben Curtis,
Sounds like you are doing the right thing with the cycling and swimming. As for the patella band that usually only helps when you are experiencing patella tracking (or the patella moving around) which can often be attributted to an injury or muscle weakness. If you are experiencing a crunching or grinding it is possible you have something floating in the joint or on the back of the patella. Have you had an xray, there is also an xray methond where you bend the knee and the xray is shot down the patell so you can see the back of it and the space between the patella and the rest of the knee joint. This view may gie you some insist or help gather more information that can be missed on a straight AP knee view (front to back essentially)
Reply
Hi knee gods… I hope you are out there!
I injured my knee in nov 08 following a simple jump. That night I went to ER and had X-ray, was told noting was wrong and it was my inability to bend my leg and massive swelling that pushed for a referal to hospital fracture clinic. I had an MRI 3 months later and was initially told a minor menical tear, nothing to get excited about. 6 wks later it was revealed that I had the following:
Torn posterolateral meniscus (1cm)
Damaged ACL (still dont know excactly)
Bone bruising to femur in several places, and approx 15 cm down my tibia all the way through
Lots of oedema to right leg.
Bearing in mind that it took 3 months to get an MRI and to see this damage at this stage, is this a window into a horrid picture? Can I expect to stop getting aching in my tibia anytime soon…
I have been doing hydro therapy and ice packs. I have a post op hinged brace which is from ankle to hip as well as a crutch. Kind of terrified this may lead to OA.
oh, I need a Knee Fairy!
Happy to supply MRI images!
Reply
Dr. Erhuy, DC Reply:
March 17th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Sorry it took so long for us to get back to you. We hope you’re feeling a little better. It sounds like your “simple jump” caused a lot of damage. Do you still have edema in your knee? If there is still edema there after this long; we would advise you to see your doctor and let him know what’s going on. From what it sounds like you had a weak knee to start with and the jump was the last straw. If the knee swelling as gone down and you have good range of motion we would recommend starting with non-weight bearing exercises just as a stationary bike or swimming. The most important thing right now is to strengthen the muscles around the knee to stabilize your knee. If you want you can send the MRI report and we can take a look at it. I hope this helps let us know if we can help in any other way.
Thanks
Dr. McNally, DC and Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Deborah Reply:
August 12th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
@Dr. Erhuy, DC, Hi Again!
Thank you for you comments, I know its been a while, but A) wanted to give feedback and also ask a supplementary question if I may…
After 9 months I have learned to walk again and am beginning to rebuild muscle that as wasted to nothing. I am also waiting on a ALC Hamstring reconstruction as it was revealed to me that I had a dislocated patella for about 8 of those 9 months!
My query is as I can stand on my leg, I can pop my tibia out of the socket as I walk, not causing any pain but have to ensure that I plant my foot correctly to ensure I don’t do something silly… I am noticing that due to the extended time for bone bruising to heal and my ‘dicky knee’ that I no longer feel the constant ache, but if I don’t keep my mind on something else, the aching in the head of my tibia right about where the patella anchors in aches like hell! I’m pretty sure it is the bone as it feels different to the muscle aching I get…
Could this be due to the bone or the soft tissue?… should I be concerned or do you think I will be fine once the tibia is secured back into position again?
Thanks again for your time!
Reply
Hi Dr, I received a kick to the side of my right knee cap last thursday the 12th of March during a training session. I thought nothing of it until near the end of the session when i could hardly move my knee. I iced my knee after training and felt quite good, however i played on saturday and am now experiencing pain almost constantly. There is no swelling and no bruising and the pain shoots straight across my whole kneecap. I was wondering if there is anything i can do to speed up recovery other than anti inflammatory medicine and ice etc.
Thanks heaps.
Regards, Terry
Reply
Dr. Erhuy, DC Reply:
March 24th, 2009 at 9:35 am
@Terry Little,
Thanks, for the post sorry it took so long to get back to you. First have you been to a doctor yet? If not you might want to think about going. There could be some damage done to your knee at does not produce swelling. But it sounds like your doing the right thing with ice (remember only 20 mins on and 1 hr off). If you can’t find a doctor please let us know and we can point one out for you. I hope this helps and I hope your feeling better.
Thanks,
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Hi Dr. McNally
I injured my knee in Jnauary ‘09 while playing tennis. I did not fall but had a sudden jerking movement. I had swelling and severe pain for a rew days. I saw a doctor about a week later when the pain became unbearable and I had difficulty walking and extending the knee. I had an MRI a few days ago, which showed bone bruising and early subchondralsclerosis. for thepast several weeks taking the stairs has proven to very challenging and I have moderate to severe burning throughout the knee. I am not taking any medication at present.
Should I be using crutches at this time and what else do you recommend at this point.
Thanks
Lisa
Reply
Dr. Erhuy, DC Reply:
March 24th, 2009 at 9:55 am
@Lisa,
Thanks for the post; sorry it took so long for us to get back to you. As your doctor already may have told you; subchondral sclerosis is an early sign of Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD). The good news is you know about this now and you can start doing something about it before it gets any worse. What we would advise is start non-weight bearing exercises such as a stationary bike or swimming. This will help you strengthen the knee joint and slow down the progression of DJD. As for the crutches use them only if you’re in pain and can’t stand or move your knee. The reason we don’t advise you to use crutches all the time is because your knee will only become weaker the more you don’t use it. We also advise you to talk with your doctor before starting a workout program and make sure he/she is okay with it. I hope this helps please keep us updated on how you’re doing.
Thanks,
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Thank you SO MUCH for the information about bone bruising. It is way more than my doctor even provided me with. She just told me to take painkillers and not to use a brace or crutches. Your advice was just what I needed. Keep up the great work!
Reply
Ooops! I almost forgot to ask…
An MRI has shown that I have bone bruising and contusions in my knee area. I have been injured for four weeks. It still hurts to walk. I am going to Hawaii in 3 weeks. I would love to go SCUBA diving. Do you think it would be okay on my knee?
Thanks again for all your help!!!
Reply
I am glad we could help you. I think scuba diving will be fine for you. In fact swimming is a nice alternative excercise when you have a this type of injury. Obviously do this in moderation, don’t go for a three hour dive. After you swim stretch out the leg and get some ice on the knee. If you find the knee is bothering you then slow down. Thanks
Dr. McNally, D.C.
Reply
Hello,
I previously left comments regarding my bone brusising on my knee thanks for the response.
My knee is actually now feeling quite good after treatment and so i’m looking to start running/football (soccer) again but am unsure whether i should wear a knee brace and if i should which one as there are so many and none seem to detail bone brusing.
Should i wear a knee brace for stability as obviously my knee is weak with being out for 6 months and if so can you recommend any? All i know is that i should not wear one with exposed metal parts.
Thanks
Ben
Reply
Dr. Erhuy, DC Reply:
March 24th, 2009 at 10:06 am
@Ben Curtis,
Glad to hear that your knee is improving and we are more then happy to help in anyway that we can. As far as the brace goes it is important to find one that fits your knee properly. You might want to ask a trainer at the gym you workout at to look at your brace. It is hard to recommend which is best for you without seeing you first. Obviously you do not want exposed metal, to protect the other players as well. I would recommend wearing one at first because your knee more than likely is still unstable and player soccer involves alot of quick cuts, and stops and starts which can be hard on the knee. Do not forget to properly rehab, continue to excercise the leg, you can even do single leg weightbearing excercises as you feel it begins to heal, and gain stability
Dr. Erhuy D.C.
Reply
Dear Dr.,
Greetings! Last November 26, 2008, as I was walking along the road, I tripped and fell on both knees on great impact. My right knee hit the cemented pavement so hard that it was really sooooo painful that I nearly blacked out. Now, almost 4 months later, my right knee is still painful, specially when kneeling ( in church services ) and when sitting down when pants are stretched towards the knee. I had done already warm and cold compresses but the pain is still there. Do I need an MRI? Is this knee bruise am having not going to heal soon?
Thanks. I appreciate your advise. Thanks so much for your article. Am sharing it with friends.
Ms. C.M.
Reply
Dr. Erhuy, DC Reply:
March 24th, 2009 at 9:26 am
@Ms. Corazon Manaloto,
Thanks for the post, sounds like you hurt your knee pretty bad. As you read above without a MRI bone bruise’s can’t be seen so it would be hard for us to tell if this is a bone bruise or something else. Have you been to a doctor yet? If you have what did they say? If your still having pain we would advise you to see a doctor. If you can’t find a doctor let us know where your from and we can point one out for you. I know your going through a lot of pain and if this is a bone bruise don’t forget this is going to take a lot of time to heal. Please let keep us up dated with how your doing
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Hello,
First of all let me say how great it is that you all take time to answer all of these questions.
I skate for a roller derby team and took a really hard fall on my left knee on Feb. 28th. About a week later after massive, from above the knee to the ankle, swelling and bruising I went to get x-rays. (I know, I know, I should have gone earlier. I just thought it was a bruise.) Good news, no fracture. Bad news, severe bone bruise. The external bruising is almost completely gone now, still some swelling on the right side of the knee, below the knee cap. But really, what I want to know is when I’ll be able to put pressure on my knee. Right now any pressure at all is too much to handle, and obviously I can’t skate with the team as falling is a regular occurance while bouting. Any information you can provide would be wonderful.
It may be pertinant to tell you that there is a weird ridge that has developed underneath the swollen area. Not sure what that’s all about. And I should mention that I RICE’d my knee to death.
Reply
Andi,
Thanks for the response. We are happy to answer any questions as they come. First off I hope playing a rough sport like you are, that you are wearing appropriate knee guards, to help prevent this type of injury. How long have you been icing the knee, and are you using direct ice. It is possible if you ice to much that you can actually create a larger problem. Ice is extremely effective in the initial stages, because it decreases blood flow to the area, thus producing less swellling. However using ice for to long a period of ime can actually then reverse rools and rush more blood to the area, to protect the body from what it thinks is hypothermia, there are research articles explaining this in depth, if you want search for the hunting reaction, or check out this link http://www.springerlink.com/content/mcy724j7w5wtbmac/ . Also I would recommend having a doctor check it out, as another form of therapy may help move the swelling away from the joint. Your specfic injury sounds pretty significant so I would not, think you will be out on the roller derby track anytime soon. Of course it is hard to judge your progress without seeing you. Have you done any other therapies besides the ice?
Dr. McNally, D.C.
Reply
Hi I’ve had knee soreness for almost a year now.I’ll give you some background info.while playin basketball I jumped off my left foot and felt a pain.I continued playing for months as it was just a little sore but bearable.I finally went to physio where they thought it was tendinitis.I did rehab and leg strengthening exercises with no basketball for 3 months with no significant progress.it is now another 5 months later and it is still very sore.I don’t believe its tendinitis as the pain/sorness feels like its on the kneecap itself just to the inside.the tip of the kneecap also feels like there’s a chip or something on it.I’ve had an xray and ultrasound done and the doctors said nothings come up.any ideas or suggestions?this injury has affected my explosiveness and quickness in basketball.while also taking a couple inches of my vertical jump.
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
April 10th, 2009 at 9:40 am
@a. john,
Hi a. John, it would be unlikely to get a bone nuise from a regular jump in a basketball game, unless of course you landed funny or previously bumped or jammed it. It sounds like a soft tissue injury, are you currently under the care of a doctor, have they mentioned maybe and MRI to see the soft tissue. Where are you located maybe I can recommend a sports physician in your area.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Hello Doctor,
Your amazing, how Much information you gave me&Taking time for me.
My daughter is a soccer player and got Injured about a week ago in an Indoor soccer game. We went to the doctor& He said there was bleeding underneath&Bone bruise. It was very swelled up. Now, It’s about a week later&The swelling is gone, but it Is yellow&Blue&Black&Purple.
She has played soccer, But it has hurt her&She couldn’t move or barely kick the ball. Does she need time off? It’ getting better… Can you please help! When do you think she will be 100%? She is getting much better. Is there anything I should no?
Thankyou So very very much,
Serena
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
April 13th, 2009 at 9:58 am
@Serena,
Well thank you for the compliments. As for your daughter it is difficul to say if she will cover soon or not without actually seeing her. Yes I do think res will help her. If you want to take a more proactive approach try to find a doctor, chiropractor, or PT that specializes in sports injuries around your area. If you have trouble finding one let me know your location, and I will try to find one in your area.
Dr. McNally
Reply
My daughter was doing conditioning for highschool basketball running the stadium stairs. She missed the last step and hyper extended her knee. We went to the doctor and he wanted to do a MRI since it was still swollen after 5 days. We just got the results and she has a bone bruise to her tibila bone in the knee. The doctor said nothing but basid walking on her knee for 4 weeks because she could break the bone if she does anything else. Is this correct?
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
May 3rd, 2009 at 3:11 pm
@Dee ann,
I is difficult ot tell if she would actually break the bone with out having seen here MRI report. I would find it unlkiely the bone would actually break, unless there is an underlying weakness or hairline fracture. With a bone bruise it will be difficult for her to do any sports activities unless you seek some conservative care. Also with any hyperextension there can be damage to ligaments or tendons so be sure to properly support the area, and seek some sort of rehab program. If you need a referral let us know.
Reply
Hi Dr. McNally-
About 5 weeks ago I completely ruptured my ACL, have a small tear in my mensicus and a massive bone bruise on the tibia and femur as confirmed by MRI (it is a non-contact, running at full speed-then-stopping-suddenly injury). In preparation for surgery in 4 weeks, I’ve been going to rehab and they keep telling me to work on full extension and flexion. Extension isn’t too bad (although painful to go past 180), but flexion past 90 degrees is excruciatingly painful when the bones come together. If I push too far with my rehab one day, for 2 days after my knee gets very stiff and sore to where I can only bend it slightly. After 2 days is back to where it was before at 90 degrees. My question is, am I doing more harm than good by pushing through the pain like the PT and my doc want me to do (they are stressing getting complete ROM)? I.e., am I making the bone bruise worse and/or hindering the healing process? Should I be waiting for the bone bruise to heal more before working on my flexion past 90 degrees, or is my ROM more important? It seems like all I’m doing is making my knee sore and stiff without actually gaining flexion.
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
May 6th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
@becky,
It is hard to say exactly, as your doctor and PT have seen your MRI, and done an exam on you and I have not. During my treatment with patients who have similar injuries, we take the leg through the ranges of motion to the point just before pain. Each day we do this and try to progress further. If it causes pain then we usually do not do it, as the pain can bring in more inflammation to the area, makes more swelling and in turn decreases the range of motion as you are experiencing after. We go up in steps and provide stretches to move past each point. Remember though some treatment does hurt and their specific method may work for them. Let me know how things go. If you have a torn ACL, surgery is really the only option to get it repaired, and rehabbing before the surgery is a great idea. Make sure to stay on top of the rehab after as well.
Reply
Doctor,
About four months ago I fell about 3 feet directly onto my left knee. There was swelling and a lot of bruising. It has since (appeared) to heal.
I cannot apply any sort of pressure onto my knee. I can run, jump, snowboard; everything. The only problem is the area is extremley sensitive to direct pressure.
Also, this may sound exremley odd. I also have what feels like a small pebble moving around the inside of the sensitive area. I can pinpoint it and when I touch it it moves all over my knee (only in the sensitive area).
I have not been to a doctor. I will make an appointment, but would greatly appreciate a suspected diagnosis. A serious injury to my knee may disqualify me from some promising opportunities in my near future.
Thank you.
Reply
Dr.McNally, D.C. Reply:
May 11th, 2009 at 11:59 am
@Krista,
Thanks for the response sorry it has taken me a few days to get to you. Sounds like you have a bone bruise in the area if it has been sensitive for that long. If there is something floating around in the knee then it is possible that you have chipped the bone, or have some sort of avulsion of the area. It is also possible there is some scar tissue build up in the area. it is impossible for me to give you a diagnosis, without actuall seeing you myself. I do hoever recommend you see a doctor and have it checked out. If you can run and play sports now then I would not be to concerned that the diagnosis will keep you out of activity. The concern is that if something is floating around in your knee then, it could get into the joint space and cause the knee to lock up which could cause further problems for you in the future.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Dear Dr. McNally:
I was training for a half-marathon when 7 weeks ago I was running 9.5 miles and at 9 miles had some pretty severe knee pain. I have ran for 15 years, just started doing longer distances in the last two years and have never suffered any knee pain/injury. I overpronate and had scoliosis corrected by a brace t 26 degrees as a teenager [I am 40 – but no reference to my age would be appreciated
. At first the Chiro and sports trainer thought it was my ITBand. So I received some therapies and still ran the half marathon on April 11th. Things were not improving and saw an orthopedist and MRI revealed a deep bone bruise of the lateral tibula. I haven’t ran since April 29th. I have been able to elliptical without pain, but seem to have pain later in the day – each day regardless if I elliptical or not. The doctor told me no walking/running/etc. for 2-1/2 weeks then start with light walking and progress from there. My question is this… what other things can I be doing besides icing and your other website suggestions to enhance healing? What other restrictions, if any, should I be following. I have recently gotten custom orthotics and I am also not doing squats, lunges, plank etc in pilates. Lastly, how long does it REALLY take to be able to heal? I was hoping to begin training for my first marathon in October but an very discouraged. I want to be smart about this but with every passing day fear I am losing my established fitness/running level. Thanks in advance for your help!
Mardell
Reply
Dr.Erhuy, D.C. Reply:
May 19th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
@Mardell,
First I want to apologize for not getting back to you faster. After reading your comment it sounds like you’re taking the right steps by taking your time. Remember this type of injury REALLY does take a long time to come back from. Especially if your doctor told you it was a deep bone bruise. The reason for that is because of the decreased blood supply to the bones in general. I can’t stress the importance of icing your knee after you workout (remember 20 mins on and 1 hour off); as you read above we use Kinesio tape and it has helped with the inflammation that is produced from the bruise. If you want to stay active start with non-weight bearing exercises such as swimming or a stationary bike. Also, when exercising remember that if something you’re doing produces pain it’s generally not a good idea to continue. With the right training hopefully you should be able to get back into top form again. If there are any other questions you please let us know.
Thanks
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
CORRECTION
lateral tibia not lateral tibula
Reply
In June 08 during a self defense class, I was demonstrating a move and twisted to the left first then fell very hard directly onto the knee. Within a few hours my whole leg was swollen and red. I put ice on it. The next day it was black and blue from my knee all the way to my big toe. I went to the doctor he took an xray of my knee. It was not broken. He prescribed pain and aniti-inflamatory medications crutches a brace and rest. It took about 8 weeks for the bruising to go away. Since then I have been through 3 courses of physical therapy. The last one was conditioning to build me back up to normal functioning. I can walk on my leg with no limping. It is still sore all the time and gets much worse if I stand on it for any length of time. It sometimes locks when I stand. If I sit for a long time it is stiff and sore. Extending walking causes pain and swelling which lasts for several days. I cannot run without pain. A few weeks after I hurt my knee I noticed that I was walking sideways off balance. One leg feels longer than the other. My back feels crooked. I have been taking naproxen sodium for pain and swelling. I have had shots to relieve the swelling which helps for a few days but as soon as I do any activity I get swelling and pain. The Dr. says there is nothing else he can do. Would a chiropractor help? Will my knee ever get better?
Reply
Dr.Erhuy, D.C. Reply:
May 21st, 2009 at 11:19 am
@Connie,
It sounds like you’re going through a lot of pain. Have you had a MRI done? If so, what did the MRI report say? From just reading your brief history it sounds like you might have a meniscus injury but this is hard to tell without doing a proper examination. As for your back pain there is a good chance that your knee problem is the cause of your pain. I would recommend seeing a chiropractor he/she can help you restore your curve and help with your knee pain. If you need help finding one let me know where you live and I can help you find the right doctor for you.
Thanks
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Connie Reply:
July 4th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
@Dr.Erhuy, D.C.,
Thank you very much for your reply. I have had Xray and MRI and after seeing the Ortho Surgeon a few weeks ago had another MRI both MRI’s came back negative. I am advised to continue cortisone and Naproxen. But no recommendation for Chiro.
Thanks for your reply it was a big help.
Reply
Hi,
Back in September I had a football game, cant remeber getting a big knock and didnt feel any pain during game. Next day I couldnt put any weight on my right knee, severe pain to the inner side. I went to physio which said he thinks I damaged the cartilige. Went to the dr to get referel to get MRI scan. Didnt get appointment for scan under NHS until March. (During this time I can run, carry things without any pain at all, I only get pain when I twist suddenly when I attempt football. kicking a ball in a certain direction also hurts). When I turned up for the scan the Dr sayd that the scan is’nt that accurate and said that I should have key hole surgery. Received surgery yesterday and surgen said that they could see anything wrong, he said the pain could be from a brused bone. Is it possible that a brused bone could last eight months?
Please give me advice
John
Reply
Dr. Erhuy, DC Reply:
May 21st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
@John Jones,
It is possible that a bone bruise could last 8 months especially if you didn’t know you have one. Most bone bruises show up on MRI you should be able to get access to your MRI report if you ask your doctor for a copy of it. Let us know what it says the report may clear the air with what’s going on. Then we can take the appropriate steps to get you out of pain.
Thanks
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
John Jones Reply:
May 21st, 2009 at 6:09 pm
@Dr. Erhuy, DC,
They didn’t give me a MRI Scan as they said it wasn’t as accurate as keyhole surgery. But after surgery they said they didn’t see anything wrong. I only had the surgery yesterday but the surgen said that the pain could have been from bruised bone. Cant belive they have put me through keyhole surgery when there is nothing wrong. Cant belive they didnt give me MRI Scan 1st.
Reply
Dr.Erhuy, D.C. Reply:
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:37 am
@John Jones,
I am just guessing but I think they thought you had micro-trauma to you ligaments/meniscus and it is true they are hard to detect on MRI but an experienced radiologist should be able to pick them up. So I guess I am not sure why they didn’t start with the MRI. Let us know what they find on the MRI and maybe we can help.
Thanks
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Hi –
My 13-year old son was diagnosed with a bruised bone in his knee, after performing the high jump during a track meet. This has not improved in 3 weeks, despite rest and ibuprofen, and someone else mentioned that it might be something called osteochondritis dissecans. What is the difference between a bruised bone and this condition?
(PS – My son will be having an MRI in 5 days.)
Thanks!
Jutta
Reply
Dr.Erhuy, D.C. Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 10:43 am
@Jutta Braun,
I would like to apologize for not getting back to you on time but osteochondrtis dissecans is a condition of unknown origin which occurs in children and adolescents. It’s characterized by a small area bone that is eaten away. This could heal spontaneously or it may separate and become displaced into the joint cavity causing a joint mouse. Joint mice cause the knee to lock out on extension. The MRI should show you if it is a bone bruise or an osteochondrtis dissecans. I hope this helps you understand what’s going on. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us.
Thanks
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
[...] Knee Bone Bruise Treatment and Diagnosis Sports Injuries Dr Posted by root 7 minutes ago (http://www.midwestsportsfans.com) If the answer is short and sweet i can put it in the comment section subchondral sclerosis is an early sign of degenerative joint disease djd Discuss | Bury | News | Knee Bone Bruise Treatment and Diagnosis Sports Injuries Dr [...]
Hi,
I have had a football injury to the knee 6 months ago that was first diagnosed as a strained ACL, but the doctor then told me it was bone bruise and that I should be patient (performed MRI). 6 months have now passed and there has been little improvements but I am still in pain – I just can’t flex the knee when pressure is applied (stairs, going up and down and even discomfort when walking). I do some physiotherapy, but am not very disciplined. Can a bone bruise possibly take that long to heal or this must be something else?
Thanks a lot!
Toni
Reply
Dr.Erhuy, D.C. Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 10:44 am
@Toni,
Once again I am really sorry it took so long to reply back but yes, bone bruises in general take a long time to heal especially on a weight baring joint like the knee. I would recommend sticking with the physiotherapy and try some of the stuff we have recommended in the article it has helped our patients’ heal faster.
Thanks
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Hi-
hurt my knee during a basketball game. fell hard on my wright knee, and it was really painful. I kept on playing, and i didn’t contact a doctor for a long time. I kept up playing basketball 5 times a week, but the pain just got worse. I also felt that muscles seemed to decrease in my wright thigh (quads)..When I finally went to have a MRI and Xray of my knee it shoved a bone bruise..
I went to a specialist who could also inform me that I, as a result of the bonebruise, was loosing musclestrenght and therefore misusing my knee- and that had resulted in Hoffas (Hoff’s syndrome). After this I have tried to take it easy and to rest, (and RICEd alot!) but it doesn’t seem to help.
So.. I am terrified of loosing more musclestrenght, but I cannot use my knee without pain. Because of Hoffas, I must stay away from everything that makes it irritated- wich is everything basically. Even the easiest quads-exercises makes the hoffas fat pad irritated. What can I do?? I sooo want to be in 100% shape for next season! How long will this take? Is it normal to have a bonebruise and then hoffas? What are the consequences of having both?
I really hope you can help me with some answers, I am so frustrated.
Thank you for an exellent webpage, and really good responses!!
Reply
Dr.Erhuy, D.C. Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 10:58 am
@Ellen, It sounds like you’re in a lot of pain and I am sorry to hear that, but like we have said before bone bruises do take a long time to heal. The worse the injury is the longer it takes to heal. I am sure you already know this about Hoffa’s Syndrome but the main reason the fat pad gets inflamed is because of damage to the meniscus or ligament. So, your injury could involve a menisus/ligament and bone bruise this is hard to determine over email without seeing you but your injury sounds like it’s going to take a while to heal. It’s hard to give you a time frame to when you will heal because of the extent of the injury. We would recommend doing non-weight baring exercises such as swimming or riding a bike (but if any of this cuase’s pain do not do them). Also, make sure you ice (20 mins on and 20 mins off) after any workout you do so the swelling can decrease. I hope this helps if you have any other questions please feel free to contact us.
Thanks
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Hi–My son is 15 years old and was diagnosed with mild bone contusions of his femur and tibia. He is scheduled to fly to another state for a select baseball camp in two days. He says it’s not that bad and that he wants to go to the camp. But, from everything I’m reading, it seems that the more you push it–the worse it gets. What should I tell my son? Thanks, Tammy
Reply
Dr.Erhuy, D.C. Reply:
July 6th, 2009 at 11:04 am
@Tammy, Thanks, for the post. If your son is having pain I would not recommend letting him do the camp only reason for that is because this could get worse down the line. It’s best to let the knee heal that way there is no future problems. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us.
Thank you,
Dr. Erhuy, DC
Reply
Hi,
Thanks for such a great, informative site. I was diagnosed by my doctor with a femur bone bruise almost 3 weeks ago, after being kicked by a horse whilst I was riding (so my knee was at a right angle position when kicked). I haven’t had an MRI to confirm. It is already so much better than it was (and from your site I understand it may take some time to heal) – I can walk slowly for about 1/3 a mile now before it weakens and have more movement ie gentle squatting (with my other leg bearing weight) and moving my leg unsupported with my knee at a right angle.
Could you give me some further advice on on physio? I can straighten my leg fine when I’m standing, and gently with support, but I cannot stretch it out unsupported. Going downstairs with my good leg leading, my injured knee buckles and is very painful if weight bearing, and if I walk for more than about 3/4 a mile the knee starts to buckle again. I’m noticing its feeling increasingly stiff and tight, and I’m worried that I’m not moving it enough. Could you advise any physio exercises I can do to help recovery? I’m can currently do pilates(adapted for the knee) and plan to start swimming in the next few days, but no weight bearing exercise as yet.
Thanks very much,
Annie
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
July 13th, 2009 at 11:11 am
@Annie Mitchell,
It is great that you have started to rehab your knee already. However my advice would be to see a doctor about the knee. A kick from a horse is an incredible amount of pressure and force on the knee joint, and there is a risk of a fracture or soft tissue damage. At this point is difficult to say what type of rehab you should be doing, because we are not sure of the type or extent of your injury. With the knee constantly giving way it would indicate some sort of weakness or instability in the area. I would suggest seeing your doctor first before continuing with your home rehab as you could run the risk of further damaging the area. If you are not sure of one in your area please let me know, and I will find one for you.
Dr. McNally, D.C.
Reply
Dear Dr. McNally,
Thank you for your advice – I’ll get it checked out by my doctor again and take it from there.
Many thanks again,
Annie
Reply
My daughter has been doing off ice workout for hockey for the last 4 weeks ( she is 14 and this is the first time she has worked like this). She said she gets a bone on bone sensation in one leg(just started last week)when she does one legged squats. Doctor thought it might be tendinitis? We are going to an orthopedic this week. She has skated basically 6 months a year for the last 6 years but these exercises are different. I have read orthotics might be the answer but have not set her up to see a foot doctor?
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 10:53 pm
@David Connolly,
Where in the leg does she feel she is having the bone on bone sensation? I am assuming the knee if this is the case it is always a good idea to have an xray take to asses joint function and she a sports doctor in your area. Do you have any other information that may help point us in the right direction?
Dr. McNally
Reply
I dislocated my kneecap and tore my miniscus 2.5 yrs ago and had surgery to repair it. A couple weeks ago I fell on the same knee cap and suffered a bone bruise – I just got my MRI results back today. I’m wondering if you see any potential issues/injuries in the future, to be clear I mean does this make me prone to hurting my knee again? If so, what do you think I can do prevention-wise if anything?
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 11:19 pm
@Heather,
What were the results of the MRI you had? If you previously have had an injury to the knee then the knee will be slightly unstable which can result in further injuries down the road if not properly rehabbed. To start do body weight exercises on both legs, such as squats, lunges, and other leg exercises. Also do single leg workouts with very low weight such as extensions and leg curls. Let me know the results from MRI.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Firstly, thank you so much for a wonderful and informative site. It is comforting to know that you take your precious time to answer all of our questions and concerns. So many of us out there who have suffered injuries are just looking for straight answers (which we dont seem to able to get in many cases)
I suffered a serious knee injury whilst snowboarding in Feb this year. Within 20 mins my knee had swollen up to the size of a small melon. Whilst in the resort, I had a rather large amount of blood withdrawn from my knee in which there were lipids present, and I then had a full leg cast put on. Upon returning home, I went to the A&E who referred me to an OS. I had 2 sets of Xrays which diud not reflect any fractures.
I received a different “diagnosis” each time I went to see the OS (I always saw an associate rather than the OS himself) and finally after about 8 weeks I was sent for an MRI. I was on crutches for almost 4 months (pretty much until end May) and have been doing physio and hydrotherapy once a week. My movement has improved but the pain is still quite severe.
The MRI report was quite vague, though apparently indicated that I had done quite extensive damage. I know that there was quite a lot of bone bruising – talk of a torn ACL, MCL and damage to the cartilage. (I alledgedly dislocated the kneecap too which was put back by the first doc I saw in the resort – which may have explained part of the agony) I have been doing everything possible (R.I.C.E, all my physio exercises etc) but I still cant walk very far, my knee is grating badly and has “locked” a few times, albeit for only about 20 seconds each time. I saw a different surgeon a few weeks ago (who does not specialise in knees) who recommended that I have the MRI scans re-read as he felt that the initial report was too vague and that he did not feel that the full extent of injuries were picked up. I still cant kneel (or put any pressure on knee at all without excruciating pain and going up and down the stairs is still very difficult (almost 6 months later) At no point did OS associate recommend surgery (in fact he only properly examined me the first 2 visits (out of about 6)
Can you offer any advice or suggestions? (Will happily post up MRI Images if necessary)
Thank you so much in advance and apologies for the long post…
Reply
Dr. McNally Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 11:33 pm
@Simmi,
It sounds like you have bone bruise for sure plus other injuries as well. If you are still having constant pain especially upon pressure such as kneeling then a bone bruise could be part of the problem. If there really is a torn ACL, MCL and cartilage then you are looking at surgery. The fact that your doctor let it go this long without getting you a second opinion or changing treatment plans seems a little odd. You should not have had to suffer this long, and for that I am sorry. Are you going back for another MRI, or having the original re-read? Please let me know what your plans are or tell me your location and maybe I can send you to someone who specializes in these types of injuries. The reason you may need surgery is that with all three of those injuries it basically makes rehab pointless, and your knee will be incredibly unstable and you will have difficulty doing anything. Again this is just my opinion and it is hard to give you a definitive answer without having actually seen you myself.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Hi-
Last summmer (a year ago) I did a flip in gymnastics and i felt a terrible pain, so my mom took me to the orthropedist. They said i had bruised my knee cap and my fat pad. I was in a knee brace for 2 weeks and could not run, jump, or tumble. Then this year in February I was getting knee pains again and my mom decide to take me back to the ortho. They said i had pattello femoral syndrome. My orthopedisits said it will heal when i stop growing.
Is that true though? Will it really heal when i stop growing? I also have tendonitis in my ankle but im 13 and i would really like it to heal soon. I get knee pains sometimes but i dont usually where my knee brace while im doing cheerleading.
Thanks,
Melissa
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
July 22nd, 2009 at 5:55 pm
@Melissa,
It will not necessarily heal when you stop growing because you are active. Patella femoral syndrome is very common in athletes especially cheerleaders. Generally speaking cheerleaders have very strong hamstrings due to the tumbling. When you have tight hamstrings the quads become weaker which causes a muscle imbalance, thus leading to the tracking of the patella which causes some of your pain. You should not have to wait to stop growing which can be several years to feel better. If you would like I can find a sports doctor in your area that should be able to take care of this without much problem.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Dr. McNally,
Thank you for all the guidance you have provided people on this forum.
While training for an upcoming Ironman I experienced pain in my lower anterior quad / patella area while biking. I attempted to rest/ice the injury for a couple of weeks but still experienced some of the pain. I can run/swim without pain, but in any heavy gears in the bike I start to experience knee pain.
After a recent ortho consult with xray and mri I was diagnosed as having a bruised patella with damage to some of the tissue underlying the patella. He said the damaged cartilage was getting into the joint space most likely during the recent bike rides inducing the pain. I dont remember any trauma to the patella other than hitting it on a recent boat ride after striking a large wave but there was no bruising or pain after the initial jolt.
The ortho doc stated that long term I would have to have microfracture surgery, resurface the underside of the patella, and get new tissue transplanted. He stated short-term we could try a cortisone shot several weeks prior to the Ironman and see if that gets me through the race.
Without seeing the MRI images do you know of any other treatment options i.e. scoping the knee and only removed the offending tissue? Also, he stated that I probably couldn’t hurt the knee worse and for pain to be my guide through subsequent training. Any thoughts would be extremely helpful as my first Ironman is only 12 weeks away. Thanks in advance,
Brad
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
July 29th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
@Brad,
Thanks for the comment. First of all can you get a copy of the MRI report and email it to me so I can read it and go from there. If that is not possible, then I will try my best to help out. There is a syndrome called patellofemoral syndrome that affects many riders and is similar to this condition. I would always advise going the conservative route first before surgery if possible. As for cortisone shots you have to pick your poison with that. The shot will decrease pain as you train, however if you cannot feel the pain it is possible to injury the area worse. one or two shots will probably be fine however cortisone shots do weaken bone, tendons, and tissues therefore making the already weakened knee even worse. Try to send me the results and we will see if there is anything else we can recommend. Also if you want to let me know where you are located I may be able to send you to someone who specializes in the rehab of such injuries.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Brad Reply:
August 19th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
@Dr. McNally, D.C.,
Dr. I was able to get a hardcopy of my MRI report. It says: There is a well circumscribed bony defect within the lateral facet of the patella measuring 6×6x5 millimeters. This is located in the superolateral aspect of the patella. Overlying this is a linear, full thickness cartilage defect which measures only 1-2 millimeters in diameter. Its appearance is consistant with cartilage fissuring. No displaced flap is observed. Mild degree of surrounding marrow edema in the region of the defect. In addition, there is a less well defined subchondral marrow edema overlying the medial facet and patella. There is a linear, near full thickness cartilage defect within the medial facet, in close proximity to the odd facet. No enlarged plicae.ACL, LCL, MCL AND LCL unremarkable. Small ganglion cyst arising from tibiofibular joint. IMPRESSION: Full thickness cartilage fissuring overlying the lateral facet of the patella, at the site of a well defined bony defect. Mild degree of surrounding medullary edema. This could represent a dorsal patellar defect, a normal variant. Nonetheless, there is a overlying articular cartilage abnormality and edema, suggesting it may be related to an osteochondral injury. additional findings of patellar chondralmalacia between the medial and odd facets of the patella. Thanks in advance, Brad
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
@Brad,
Thanks for bearing with me on this I just wnated to make sure I got all the facts before I gave any advice. From your MRI reports basically there is a little bit of cartilage damage, some bone bruising (marrow edema), and the chondromalcia patella. Chonromalcia Patella basically is the term for getting pain and crepitus (clicking, popping, and stiffness) in the knee joint. The main criteria for this diagnosis is anteromedial knee joint pain accompanied with stiffness and tenderness of this area. Do you have any pain after long periods of sitting, or getting up from a seated position? Generally this can cause pain and stiffness, does it require surgery. Well that is always between you and the surgeon. If you can rehab the area appropriately and continue without pain, then it is likely that you can continue without too much risk for further injury. However there is always a risk of further injury, it sounds like you had some cartilage issues so you could tear that further, or there is the risk of some of the pieces to break off and lock the knee joint. Try to do some exercises that do not cause any pain in the knee for you to start billing up the area. Also try to do some training on the elliptical as this will take out some of the pounding pressures of running. I hope this helps, if I have left anything out let me know.
Dr. McNally
MRI – Knee Injury Partial Tears and Bone Bruising
I just returned from the ortho surgeon and received the results of my MRI. My symptoms include severe pain in the inside of my knee, knee cap, shin and upper thigh along with the feeling that something is ripping in my knee. I’m also experiencing spasms in the area as well as swelling of the feet on ocassion when standing or sitting for long periods. I started with pain in the knee, limping then finally needing crutches. The initial visit prior to the MRI resulted in the Ortho diagnosing preliminarily a Meniscal Tear. Upon reviewing the MRI report which states signal intensity of the ACL and PCL related to chronic partial tears. Edema of the bone marrow related to early osteonecrosis or possibly contusion. small chronic partial tears of the cruciate ligaments, a mild intra-articular effusion. The Ortho’s diagnosis after reading the report is that I have bone bruising. Are my symptoms indicitive of a bone bruising in the knee? He says that the partial tears are not what is causing me the pain that I am in and my inability to put any pressure on my leg. I am currently still on crutches and he has put out of work from August 3 – October 1st. He says to go to physical therapy and see if it helps. He also said that the bone could be dead. This sounds so scary. How do I recover from this?
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
@ssingleton,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. When did this injury occur? Was this something recent, if so that could explain the swelling. It is quite common to have similar symptoms with an ACL tear, especially accompanied with a PCL tear. If these are recent injuries or there is instability in the knee causing chronic inflammation that is also a probability. Without seeing you myself it is very hard to say. I have seen people on crutches from bone bruises as well though. When he says the bone is dead he is referring to the part in the MRI report where it says osteonecrosis, this does not mean your entire bone is dead. What happens sometimes in an injury is the blood vessels stop flowing to a certain area in the bone causing that small area to “die” since there is no more blood or nerves that area would show up whiter on an x-ray. I would get another opinion on this, just to be on the safe side. Also find a good sports therapist, chiropractor, or sports ortho. If you would like me to find a good one in your area, just let me know. thanks
Dr. McNally
Reply
ssingleton Reply:
August 23rd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
@Dr. McNally, D.C.,
Thank you so much for responding. To answer your questions, the injury occurred sometime in late July I believe after repeated stretching excersises that I had been doing for a month to relieve spasms brought on from a prior back injury. I have two herniated discs one in my upper back and lower back areas and also some scoliosis. I did have a second opinion yesterday and this doctor says after viewing my MRI that I have no tears and that I do have bone bruising. He instructed me to use one crutch and to add knee bends to my phsycial thereapy that I started less than a week ago. The knee bends are excruciating which is surprising since straightening my knee was the most painful to date. I still have significant pain on the inside of my knee my knee cap, outer knee and my shin. When I put any pressure on my leg it feels as though something is ripping in my knee accompanied by very sharp pains. I also get uncontrollable spasms in my knee and upper and lower leg. Are all of these symptoms of bone bruising? What is the healing time for this injury? When the firsts doctor I visited thought it was a meniscal tear he put me out of work from July 31 – Sep 14. Once he found out what it was, he put me out of work until Oct 6. This has me confused since I thought bone bruising was much less significant than a meniscal tear that would have required surgery. Both Doctors insist the partial tears are not what is causing me this pain with the second doctor even saying that he doesn’t see any tears which the MRI showed as chronic partial tears. How significant are chronic partial tears in the ACL and PCL? I would appreciate your feedback and also your recommendation for treatment facilities in the Bronx, New York 10462. Thank you so very much for your time.
Reply
Hi,
I have been out of soccer for sometime and have attempted after months of rehab to start up again and failed due to my left knee giving way. An MRI scan has shown no cartilage or ligament damage just bruised bone. Any advice on wether or not a bit of keyhole may help? i lasted only 44 minutes in my comeback game when the knee just gave way and caused more pain then ever before.
any help will be very much appreciated
Luke
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
@Luke Prangle,
I would always recommend rehab before surgery as you have tried. I usually would not recommend a surgery however for a bone bruise. There is really not much that can be done, beside letting the body heal itself and use rehab to speed up the process. The fact that your knee gives way would indicate some sort of ligament or cartilage damage. It is also possible your knee is just giving way from the pain. Sometimes a follow up MRI would reveal something originally missed. If you do opt for keyhole surgery that is usually less invasive, less expensive, and easier to recover from than traditional surgery. As for the comeback game, how much running did you do before, did you only rehab and then go into the game. When our patients go back into games we have them try some moves in the rehab process building up to the game. For example if you only rode a bike in rehab then went into a game using stops, starts, and cuts then you are moving the knee in a totally different fashion. We usually try to limit the first game or two to lower minutes as well as you want to see how your body reacts initial to see if you can step it up or need to hold back.
Dr. McNally
Reply
I am a volleyball player and my season is just beginning so rest really is not an option for me…in June of this year i was participating in our volleyball teams annual pre-season camp and fell on my knee a few times…at the time it did not hurt, in fact, the knee pain did not start becoming noticable until a couple weeks later during a “backyard” volleyball game…the pain does not throb until after physical activity…it is a constant pain whenever it is bent and not active which is surprising to me. tonight i applied a paper towel, ice and a considerable amount of pressure to it, i have created a constant pressure around the top portion of the shin and the bottom of my thigh with the ice directly on top of the knee cap…will this work and is it okay to fall asleep with it on
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
@MIKE,
It is not okay to fall asleep with the ice on the leg. The reason for this is extended use of ice on the skin, anything over 20 minutes can have the reverse effect. The body will think that area is undergoing some form of hypothermia, and send more blood to the area, causing it to swell and be more painful with less range of motion in the morning. It sounds like you could have bruised the knee cap which I have seen in volleyball players before. It would also be a good idea to get a quick x-ray of the knee, it is a relatively cheap way to look at the area, the doctor would be checking for a hairline fracture or displacement of the patella, as you will see no soft tissue on x-ray.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Hi Dr. McNally,
I stumbled across your site looking for answers with my own injury and was hoping you could help. I got into a collision while playing ultimate frisbee about 3 weeks ago. His knee collided with mine on the medial side (just next to the patella). Initially it felt like I got hit in the funny-bone, and my entire leg was throbbing, but I thought it would subside after a few hours (It swelled up a bit and I iced it and the swelling went away). Today I still have full range of motion and don’t feel any instability, although the joint feels much stiffer than normal. Furthermore, I can still press on the area that got hit and feel a sharp pain in it. Does this sound like symptoms of a bone bruise? Is it just going to take a while to heal or should i definitely go get an xray / mri done? Thanks so much!!
-Ezra
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
September 10th, 2009 at 8:21 am
@Ezra,
Sorry about taking so long to get back to you. Those symptoms do sound similar to a bone bruise, especially after three weeks of discomfort. Go see a local orthopedist or sports doctor to help you out, they will more than likely shoot an x-ray first, but generally speaking one bruises do not show up on x-ray. If the determine there may be an underlying injury such as a bone bruise, meniscus or ligament damage then they will order an MRI.
Thanks
Dr. McNally
Reply
Hi Dr McNally,
My daughter, Shannon, is a High School mid/long distance runner. She is in the top 25 in the Country for 2mile and longer distances. Mid April, her right knee started to have pain (no known incident. it just starting hurting severely). She had been seeing a sports chiro as a preventative measure as she had an aducter muscle pull 3 years ago. (She does over pronate and has custom inserts). He then started kinsio taping and lasaring her knee with slight success. He did encourage her to continue to run. In early June, she had to stop running due to the pain (she has a high pain threshold, so when she complains, it must really hurt). She took the rest of the season off.
We also took her to an Ortho who then started her on PT in late June. In early July, he had an MRI done:
The Orthopedic MRI reading of her right knee: “Findings consistent with focal osteochondritis involving the lateral femoral condyle. Patella and associated tendons normal. No other abnormal signal from soft tissues”
In mid August, the Ortho suggested “exploratory” arthroscopic surgery since her condition was going on “too” long. We decided against that at that point since she would miss her Fall and Indoor season (plus seemed too soon… we wanted to give her more rest and a chance for her PT to work)
Today (Sept 3), she “finished” her last PT session. The PT said her had built up her muscles (doing VOM exercises) and doing stim to promote healing. All along she has been icing several times a day, doing stretching etc. The PT will continue to work with her at school as he is the PT assigned to her school. She can now run up to an hour but still has some pain at the end of her runs (albeit less pain than a few months ago). The pain in on the outer right knee. She is running every other day and using the elliptical/water exercises the other days. Her PT is encouraging her to not only run but to start racing. I’m not so sure. He said at this point, there can be no more damage and as she continues to build up her muscles, the “bone rubbing” which he thinks occurs when her form starts to break down at the end of a long run, will lessen.
Would like your take on her case at this point. I do have an appointment set up with a Boston Mass General doctor who is the team doctor for the Boston Bruins at the end of Sept for a second opinion (earliest he was available).
Thanks!!!
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
September 10th, 2009 at 8:22 am
@Jerry,
I apologize about the lateness of my reply. As for your daughter, if she is having pain during her sporting activities then the PT or any other treatments for that matter have not been completed and there is still a chance of injury. I have obviously not seen her, it is just my opinion if the problem still clearly is there through the pain, then it will probably not just go away with further activity. Osteochondritis is basically a part of the bone that stopped receiving blood, and can break of with it covering cartilage, causing further problems. The cartilage does not always break off however there is that possibility. In cases like this early treatment can generally take care of the problem without further issues. Going to the doctor for the Boston Bruins is a good move, they should be able to either handle the situation or refer to someone they think can best treat the area. I am curious if the kinesio-tape helped her? I use it a lot in my office and get good results, so if you could keep me updated with the progress. How is she feeling now, and also let me know what the doctors say at the end of the month.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Dr. McNally,
I recently suffered a bone bruise to my left knee and was wondering the average healing time and if there was any way I could still play football with it?
Thanks,
Lane
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
September 17th, 2009 at 10:26 am
@Lane,
That is a tough question to answer depending on the severity of the injury. Some bone bruises will only slightly affect the person and can just be tender to the touch. Some make it difficult to walk and cannot play. It depends on you really if you can play or not. How much is the pain affecting you? Where exactly is the injury? How long have you had it? If you do decide to continue to play I would seek some sort of treatment for the pain, to make it easier and less painful to play. I personally had a bone bruise on my knee and continued to play. The pain was there but it was bearable so I continued to play, this does however make the healing process take longer so I stuck with the treatment while playing.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Dr. McNally,
The pain doesn’t effect my playing other than when I come off I occasionally limp, but playing a WR and DB/Safety position I do a lot of running which was the main concern. I’ve had it for about a week and a half and haven’t been playing since then. It’s on the outside of my left knee. I’ve been seeing our Athletic Trainer and doing some PT exercises with him, and then of course icing it after any activity.
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 11:55 am
@Lane,
Has the pain been constant since the injury, or has it gone down at all? It is possible since the injury is only a week and a half old that it may start to heal soon. However with some bone bruises it can take months to heal, especially if you continue to play. If you do continue to play and notice pain and swelling afterwards, have your trainer perform ice massage on the area. Also if he/she needs any treatment advice have them email or call us we would be happy to help. Also keep icing the area yourself.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Lane Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:34 pm
@Dr. McNally,
I have began to practice again this week and so far it hasn’t had any affect on my playing. It does ocassionally swell afterwards depending on how long and the drills practiced, but our trainer seems to know what he is doing as far as icing it and such. Thank you for your help and letting me know that it was afterall okay to play, just glad I don’t have to sit during scouting season.
Thanks again,
Lane
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
@Lane,
Not a problem at al,l we are happy to help. Have the trainer keep a close eye on the knee and don’t push it to hard if it begins to cause too much pain while playing. Good luck with the ffotball season and in scouting. Which school do you play for? If there is anything else we can do just let me know.
Dr. McNally
Lane Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Thanks again and I will definitly be careful with it. It’s just small town friday night high school football really, our school got a team my freshman year and that’s the first time I ever played. The only college that I’ve talked to about football is Lane College (ironicly enough). Though I’ve talked to Harding University and West Point Military Academy for baseball and I tend to take that sport a little bit more seriously.
~Lane
hey. i play soccer and i have to deal with os-goods or whatever its called and i was kicked directly on my knee the other day and th pain is unbareable. I went to my school trainer and she said its probably a bruise… but i cant climb stairs or walk with the feeling my knee is going to give out at any moment. ive been iceing for a week and no break through.
PLEASE HELP!
Reply
Dr. McNally, D.C. Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
@Austin,
If you can go take an x-ray of the knee. They are relatively cheap as long as you don’t go to the emergency room for it. The problem with Os-goods is there is already a weakness of that area, from the patellar tendon, basically tearing away the bone. You want to see if there is any further damage done to the area. If there is not similar treatments can be follwed. Get some interferential done on the knee which will help with the pain and swelling. If you need a recommendation in your area let me know where you are located and I will find a good sports doc for you.
Dr. McNally
Reply
Hello! I'm a dancer and just recently received my MRI results, which showed my left knee as having bone bruising and some fluid. It's been difficult to execute extensions of my leg, leap, and turn…
However, I've been trying to rest my knee as much as possible without much strain. My concern is whether physical therapy will help relieve the pain and am wondering what is my next step in helping the healing process. This is part of my career so taking every measure correctly is important to me, so I appreciate any advice that comes my way!
thanks!
Reply
Hi
05/09/2009 went off motorcycle landing on left foot, leg straight, knee "gave out". Hospital x-rays showed nothing.
05/13/2009 diagnosed lower leg blood clot approx dia of quarter, length of calf 2cm below knee to ankle. On warfarin, blood work weekly. Did physio, ultrasound, manual massage & lymphatic drainage.
06/25/2009 MRI done. Results-disconnected ACL, torn MCL, tear to LCL, damaged lateral meniscus, subluxated patella, significant tibular bruising. Rehab Jun-Aug, stopped as physio on vaca. On crutches 10 wks & cane since. Meds – Tramacet (37.5mg tramadol & 325mg Tylenol) + 500mg of Tylenol morning & bed but this week greater than normal pain now taking every 4 hours. Use ice pack, try to keep leg elevated at work, but today hurt so bad couldn't bear weight part of day. Since injury almost 6 mo. ago, wondering if pain due to bone bruise. What do you think?
Surgery needed, knee "loose" just standing, 1st ortho stated knee is "wonky". In Canada, things move a little slowly, awaiting consult w/ 2nd dr. who does ACL repair.
Any info appreciated.
Hannah
Reply