I am only 18 years of age and I play basketball. I have gotten a shot in my knee, 3 x-rays, MRI, and im doing physical therapy and nothing is working! My knees have been burning feels like its going to burn threw my pants. I was told I had alot of inflammation in my knees and i had jumpers knee. They get really red when burning and sometimes hot. I running out of options and its slowing me down on the court. Can somebody please help me?
C. - if you able to see Dr. Gene Desepoli, I suggest you try. Here's one way of contacting him: http://twitter.com/drgenelmt He has treated Hofstra basketball players w/ the sam problem. I am one of his students at NY College - so I can't help you yet! Good luck.
I second the alternative therapy. I used to think it was hokey and quackish until the regular doctors couldn't fix me and I had one knee surgery with the doctor recommending another one! I got a 2nd opinion. Can you get a 2nd opinion?
If you want to think outside the box, what are your emotions like while you are playing a game or even just practicing. Your emotions could be tightening up your joints and affecting your knees the most. Are you really stressed and tensed up? Are you a stubborn person? I know it is a strange question but stubborness can cause knee problems according to some alternative medicine that believes all health problems start from an imbalance in your life (Chinese medicine).
Or have you talked to a chiropractor and had your spine and legs, etc evaluated to see if everything is aligned correctly? Have you tried wearing shoes that are at least one size too big so that you can spread your toes out and it feels like you are barefoot in your shoes? Do your shoes have too much support around your ankles or arches? Just some things to think about.
I've had consistent knee pain for years - it started when I was in high school (due to basketball, cheerleading, volleyball, running, etc.) and has lingered ever since. FINALLY I made an appointment with the doctor and was referred for an x-ray and physical therapy. My knees have always made a clicking/grinding noise and sometimes they lock up or give out at odd times. Turns out this is a result of tendon inflammation. (I know, right? Who knew.) Inflammation can cause your entire knee to burn and ache. They recommended an anti-inflammatory (800mg Ibuprofen, prescription strength), as well as heat. That surprised me because I thought ice was what you were supposed to do, however the physical therapist said that with chronic inflammation, heat works better than ice. (Ice works better on acute injuries, he said.) Then he said something else that surprised me - a lot of athletes have knee pain because they are not flexible enough. Stretch your hamstrings, quads and calves (gently, and hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds). Massage the tendon in the front of your knee (just below the kneecap, it runs vertically and is about 1" wide). For me, this has REALLY helped. It takes a while (several weeks) to feel a lot of relief.
Best of luck - if you are doing everything they say in PT and it's not helping, then have them refer you to an orthopedic surgeon.
Go to a health food store or GNC and pick up Arnica gel/cream. I have the same symptoms, like you I was very athletic then I blew out my knee and now I dislocate it a lot. Two years ago a friend of mine recommended I try this so I did and that stuff is like fantastic/unbelievable etc. When I hurt my hand at work my orthopedist told me to get the Arnica in pill form and use it that way but I haven't yet, I use the gel and cream all the time. Also a friend of mine at school suggested Curumin which she swears helps with pain better than any prescription without the side effects but that is like $35 for 20 pills vs. a tube of the Arnica is $2. I am planning on picking up the Curumin this weekend, I pulled my back out lifting a resident at work and it has been 7 weeks with me not working and in pain and I need to get back to work and pain free so at this point I will try anything. Let me know how you make out.
Hugs,
T.
From the sounds of your tests, you've been seeing an Orthopaedic doc?
Have you seen some one who specializes in pain management?
How much icing do you do? And how does rest affect it? Do you need to stay off the court for a couple of weeks to get the inflammation down?
Also, have you tried accupuncture? Their techniques are extremely beneficial for anti-inflammatory issues.
And take lots of Vitamin C.
Hope you can get back in the game soon.
At 16 I was crawling up my stairs... take it from me... don't do what I did.. do what Susan did; TAKE A BREAK.
I thrashed my knees. 2 years of morphine for practice and competition and codeine to sleep and 800mg of ibuprofen every 4 hours thrashed my knees permanently and did a job on my organs. From 7-16 I was competeing. At 12ish the inflammation and pain started, by 14 I was in so much pain I couldn't sleep at night (and that I didn't notice I'd broken my ankle, becuase my body had just gotten used to always hurting. At 16 (no longer able to walk up my own stairs) I had to take a whole YEAR to rehab, and the damage is done. My ligaments and tendons are shot. I have to use my muscles to hold my joints together. If I'd just taken a couple weeks now and then for minor injuries... I wouldn't be in constant pain for the past 15 years.
I did okay after that year off... but I have to stay in top form or I get crippled... which means back on pain meds to rehab my muscles again to be strong enough to grip my bones.
There will only be another season if you don't break yourself.
You obviously need to get a referral to a good sports doc.
I feel sorry for you, I'm sure its horrifying pain, and you are so young!
Are you on any prescriptions anti-inflammatories?
If not, motrin works fairly well, and ice your knees, soak in epsom salt baths, take Magnesium and D3. Google "foods that are natural anti-inflammatory" and eat a specific diet.
Good luck.
... sometimes, you just really need to give your joints a break....
they really get hammered... or maybe you have Meniscus knee problems or something degenerative??
when I was in high school... I did a lot of sports... and track and cross-country... and my knees got like that. It was getting... way over-used and hammered and no real recovery time in between.
I had to just stop.
Or my knees would have gotten really messed up.
Sometimes, you just have to listen to your body....
My Hubby.. used to do competitive cycling... and he got that in his knees too. Like you, tests showed up nothing... but he had to stop competing.. his knees..... and the pain was just too much. Now years later... his knees are not well and he's had to have surgery. He even had surgery on it way back then, when competing.
What does the physical therapist say??? If they have no idea why your knees are like that... then why do things/therapy to it????
I would see... other treatments as well.... like Acupuncture too.
BUT if your knee problem is degenerative... or has to do with bone grinding on bone.. or the protective 'gel' in between the knee joints lessening... physical therapy is not going to necessarily bring back... knee mobility per say... because the problem is not muscular in origin....
all the best,
Susan
Let me know if you are open to supplements. The one I have been taking for about 8 months is known to help folks with inflammation and muscle issues. There is one specifically geared toward althletes that could help you. Send me a message if you'd like some info about it.
Hi C.,
You need to take a long break from basketball. Period.
Give your knees a chance to heal or you will regret it the rest of your life.
"Grams"
from the Pocono Mts. of PA
Are you seeing a orthopedist?? and i also agree with the other responses - you need to take a break from doing sports and let your joints heal.
