I am working a new job with a lot of walking, lifting, and kneeling. (I think of it as being paid to train.) When my left knee started swelling, I saw a doctor and was told it was probably arthritis. Dr. gave me some pills to reduce the swelling. It worked very well over night and the swelling was gone. Then I started down the steps and my left knee gave out.
I saw an orthopedic the next day, as they had an opening that weekend. X-rays showed arthritis and bone spurs. I received an injection in the knee and was told to finish the pills for the swelling. I did that but it still took the days before I could walk with it crutches or a cane.
It is now two months later and the swelling is starting back up by the end of 6 th hour of work in a day.
Truly sorry to hear about your knee. Not much advice but all my sympathy. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things. I wonder if a second opinion might be a good idea. You’re near a major medical center? I’d go to them and see what they have to say.
I’d suggest you see a physio and start a programme of non weight bearing quadriceps and hamstring strengthening exercises. These will help to stabilise the knee and take the pressure off the joint. E.g the heel bridge, and leg lifts in sitting with the knee locked into max extension. Changing the angle of the foot puts the work into the four different quadriceps heads. Also, lots of cycling - turbo trainer or static bike if roads are tricky.
I know this because I was hit on my skis this year and ruptured ACL and tore MCL and meniscus and am awaiting for a knee reconstruction!! Unfortunately postponed because all the pilates ( to make up for lack of tennis and HIT classes) exacerbated a spinal disc prolapse into needing urgent surgery, so I’ve just had my spine decompressed and need to rehab that and the leg for the knee surgery!!
All I can do is knit - and boy, have I knit this year! I can’t fit the jumpers in my cupboard anymore
Good luck. Muscle strengthening should make a really big difference.
Biofreeze. My chiropractor introduced me to it years ago and it works great… you can get it in the HBA section of Walmart, generally in the same aisle as the aleve, motrin and tylenol. NSAIDs (mainly motrin) work best for swelling but be careful of the amount you take. I would also get a brace for it to help with support and compression (my dh wears one sometimes).
Well, it seems to be working for me. I switched from wearing my elastic knee brace after the swelling and soreness started to using motrin before and wearning the brace for most of my day. I focused on my hams and quads with both isometric and stretching. My hams were tight and weak! I also returned to my experience in my youth with training for marching band and wrestling. Both taught us how to walk with propper foot strike and roll, but also with measured and controlled stride lengths.
I also did some slow practice walking, while I focused on best foot and knee positioning. I have eliminated the tendency to hyper extend my left leg, which I had identified as a large contributor to my pain.
It only took one half mile walk, while taking slow, controlled strides for my body to recover my muscle memmory.
I can again kneel and stand back up with little pain, even after an 8 hour shift walking and standing on concrete.
I Thank each of you for your words and suggestions.
as they had an opening that weekend. X-rays showed arthritis and bone spurs. I received an injection in the knee and was told to finish the pills for the swelling. I did that but it still took the days before I could walk with it crutches or a cane.
