tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post8741783319673997786..comments2024-03-13T11:19:08.598-07:00Comments on Saving My Knees: Open Comment Forum Again, Your Turn to Speak!Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-82115776854447508432017-12-28T21:00:46.619-08:002017-12-28T21:00:46.619-08:00I also have saphenous nerve irritation with synovi...I also have saphenous nerve irritation with synovitis (PFS) diagnosed by Dr. Dye and on gabapentin. How have you progressed?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-61018316266409954902017-04-30T04:13:58.454-07:002017-04-30T04:13:58.454-07:00Very interesting story, with the saphenous neuriti...Very interesting story, with the saphenous neuritis diagnosis. Thanks for posting all this and please keep us updated on how your knees feel (and if that improvement holds up). I may do a post about this, as it sounds like the pain medication was quite beneficial.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-31241628113652586542017-04-25T13:54:25.228-07:002017-04-25T13:54:25.228-07:00Saw the Pain clinic they diagnosed bilateral saphe...Saw the Pain clinic they diagnosed bilateral saphenous neuritis- field blocked medial knees with maracaine and kenalog. Immediate improvement. Now one week out and 95% improved.<br />Three weeks out and now living with ADL PAIN FREE!!!! Able to walk 1 mile 3x daily with no pain. On gabapentin 300 QID.<br /><br /><br /><br />When/how do knees hurt:<br />Prior to July 2016 I never, let me repeat NEVER, had any knee pain at all whatsoever.<br />Knees can hurt at insertion of VMO area medial and right beside knee cap. Common place if I feel during swimming, sitting with straight legs, or standing for a long time in same place.<br />Occasionally will feel full below kneecaps. Happens at work towards end of day or if I rest for a while laying down and then stand up.<br />Never hurt on stairs (although I can hear crepitus in both knees on stairs left more than right)<br />Never hurt from sitting down with legs bent or crossed. IN february they started to hurt when sitting. <br />When I was running 4 miles in december I would develop heat in the area of the medial condyle at the end of the run which I could feel afterward- would resolve with ice. Happened to both the right and left knee on different days.<br />Right knee does have clicking sensation usually when I get off my horse or get up after laying down during the day and start walking something feels odd, then knee clicks, then i can walk normally. No pain felt with the click. Left knee has no snapping or clicking sensations.<br />Pain is never greater than 1/10in the morning, mostly it is just irritation. But with increased activity I absolutely have increased pain up to 3-4 while at work with burning pain below the patellas.<br />Two weeks into second attempt at rest. Knees 80% improved BUT still having random irritations thru day. Usually walking 3 miles but one day walked 4 and while no pain walking significantly more pain later in that day. Even swimming irritates knees in the medial aspect of patella, medial femoral condyle. I am a two beat kicker which is a VERY minimal kick and I have on neoprene shorts to aid in not kicking and I still feel irritation more right knee than left.<br />KT tape somewhat masks the pain during work. <br />Starting in February: Left knee very occasional pain directly above or below patella on quad or patellar tendon. Right knee occasional pain below near patellar tendon or on medial side near IT band. Both legs occasional pain at end of day in quads, VMO.<br />With second round of PT following 3 weeks rest I find that while the intensity of the pain is less the frequency and consistency of the pain is more. In addition, the pain finally feels as if it is behind me knee cap and inside my knee where previously it was mainly on the medial femoral condyles. ALso, my right knee is having a lot more of the clicking, catching feeling than it ever has before. I think the PT is hurting me. The pain is there earlier in the day and with all activities- walking, sitting, driving, riding pony, swimming with pull buoy, standing at work. By the end of the work day it is like chinese water torture as there is no position I can get into that alleviates the pain. I only work 2 12 hour days a week but I am a veterinarian so there is a lot of standing, squatting, leaning over going on.<br />After three weeks strict couch rest I have pain medial to the the patellar tendons. Lidocaine patches OTC seem to help with this pain. My right leg also has developed pain in the area of the pes anserine area which I can feel when I walk . The area of the pes anserine can also be tender on the left leg if I palpate.<br />3 Weeks post injections from pain clinic and I am 95% improved. Absolutely amazing. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12717621326795827833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-85915754477994202552017-04-25T13:41:55.227-07:002017-04-25T13:41:55.227-07:00Please read through my history about my knee pain ...Please read through my history about my knee pain which has ended up in a diagnosis of saphenous neuritis- I do not often see stories that end like mine but Dr. Scott Dye says they are actually quite common:<br />KNEE HISTORY<br /><br />Athletic history:<br />Lifelong dressage rider, currently ride my own horse 45 min a day<br />Began running at 36 years old: 2011 ran first marathon. 2012 Olympic tri and second marathon. 2013 3 13.1, 70.3 tri. 2014 3 13.1 trained for 140.6 tri gear lost so no race but otherwise full training year. 2015 3 13.1 and 3 Olympic tris. 2016 3 13.1 and 140.6<br /><br />Pertinent details:<br />I am a veterinarian<br />Father is Mayo trained orthopedist (dad quotes about my injury: “You can’t put the tred back on the tires.” “Its a nothing, there is nothing wrong with you. You overdid it. Just cut back and keep running and live your life.”)<br /><br />History of injury:<br />July 19 on a long run felt stabbing pain in medial aspect of left knee near insertion of VMO. Stopped running but continued cycling and swimming. Did probably 4 more century rides with only very minimal very occasional irritation that I would work out of. Would only very occasionally feel irritation in knee later in day or during daily activities.<br />August 19 developed pain in medial aspect of right knee. Not as severe as initial injury to left knee. Went to osteopath who is an Ironman he diagnosed patellofemoral pain and said keep training and get thru race. <br />Sept 25 Ironman no pain during race or after race so I came home and was excited to run again. Started running 6 miles three times a week with day off in between. Minimal stiffness in knee which I would run out of after first mile. Within a month significant knee pain during the day which was delayed after running. <br />October went for recheck at doctor and started PT. PT said to cut back on running so I spent the month swimming with pull buoy, occasional sets with flippers, every day and doing PT exercises religiously. PT exercises: clamshells with band, leg raises with band, straight leg extension with ankle weight, balance exercises, core exercises, front, back, side walks with band, glute bridges all worked ok. Lunge with twist, step ups with overhead raise, squats, single leg deadlift all irritated knee but did them anyway. After two months of this no significant improvement. Still irritated during the day especially at work. After 6 weeks I decided to try running again per my father’s recommendation and the fact that PT said try. Able to run with no pain during run for about 3 miles. Built up to 4 miles over the month. Knees continued to be irritated with delayed pain. <br />December bilateral MRI in addition to knee films of both knees all normal. <br />January 11 Second opinion with orthopedist said cannot say what is causing pain. Steroids wont help. Most likely not plica as no pain on palp and not seen on MRI. Said take 6 more weeks rest with pull buoy swim and walking alternating days continuing PT exercises that dont irritate knee<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12717621326795827833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-92085428530309765452017-04-08T03:45:53.293-07:002017-04-08T03:45:53.293-07:00Yup, after thinking I was really on the mend, I...Yup, after thinking I was really on the mend, I've flared mine up again the last few days. Started with a bad sleep in an uncomfortable motel bed on a work trip, followed by cycling and doing some sissy squats on the same day. The difference is, I now know that all my cartilage has not magically disappeared, and with care I can get things back on track.TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-85167069604444395742017-04-07T18:47:15.797-07:002017-04-07T18:47:15.797-07:00Hi TriAgain. It seems synovitis can manifest in di...Hi TriAgain. It seems synovitis can manifest in different ways and sometimes can only be identified through direct observation during arthroscopy. My surgeon said I had a lot of scar tissue that wasn't visible on the MRI. That's what he removed. It sounds to me like the "knee expert" you mentioned dismissed the possibility in your case too quickly. In my case, the arthroscopy answered a lot of questions. It helped rule out cartilage degeneration and meniscus tear as culprits. Knowing what I know now, synovitis makes a lot of sense. That doesn't mean I'm necessarily out of the woods. It can be a chronic condition that may not resolve with surgery or may come back. I'll continue to post with updates on my recovery. I hope it can help others. <br /><br />S.A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-9074393709991954632017-04-06T13:20:23.618-07:002017-04-06T13:20:23.618-07:00Definitely interested Pax. Post back regularly an...Definitely interested Pax. Post back regularly and let us know how it is going.<br />I'm forming the opinion chronic synovial inflammation is massively under-diagnosed. I even asked one 'knee expert' if I had that, and after a quick prod he said no. I'm sure he was wrong.TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-82220951163718678542017-04-04T19:15:00.239-07:002017-04-04T19:15:00.239-07:00Hi Amy. I had this surgery one week ago (late Marc...Hi Amy. I had this surgery one week ago (late March, 2017). After two years of suffering from inability to sit with my knee bent or walk very far or very fast without anterio-medial knee pain, my orthopedist recommended an arthroscopy for what he thought was probably chondromalacia and possibly also a medial meniscus tear. After five months of physical therapy, relative rest, etc. without any change, I decided to do the arthroscopy. Turns out my articular cartilage and meniscus were in great shape. It was my synovium that was the problem. Surgeon said there was lots of scarring from chronic thickening and inflammation. I don't know how I got it. Could have been from all the running (hope it's not from rheumatoid arthritis, which runs in my family). Anyway, the surgery seems to have gone well. It's still too early to tell if it resolved my chronic pain problems. Still sore and stiff from the surgery, which is normal after one week. If anyone's interested, I can post back with my longer-term results. <br /><br />Pax, <br />S.A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-88862872000301663042017-04-03T10:48:16.052-07:002017-04-03T10:48:16.052-07:00Hi Amy,
There's a blog called 'One step ...Hi Amy, <br />There's a blog called 'One step at a time' by Ali Rae. She covers some of the details of her synovitis surgery by Dr. Dye. Maybe you could contact her. Hope things work out.<br />Ellie <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-15817551475919393042017-03-27T18:31:29.708-07:002017-03-27T18:31:29.708-07:00Hey Amy
By soreness I meant a combination of pain ...Hey Amy<br />By soreness I meant a combination of pain and stiffness. Depending on my level of activity my knees would feel restricted when I would bend then at night. If you are sitting with your legs straight and your knees feel uncomfortable then I think it qualifies as soreness. I should also mention that I have been using the pilates reformer all along and had it confused with the total trainer since they are so similar.Supermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07661477353348168296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-6846410166923843212017-03-25T18:20:33.580-07:002017-03-25T18:20:33.580-07:00Update on the Pilates reformer: I tried it today a...Update on the Pilates reformer: I tried it today and it seems very promising. It uses springs of various resistance and there are 17 potential settings. Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123413735523666081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-27337945424582493262017-03-25T14:19:16.026-07:002017-03-25T14:19:16.026-07:00Exactly Amy. You can place them at different posi...Exactly Amy. You can place them at different positions along your legs. I've seen people put them between their ankles, or knees, but I just have it right up the top between my thighs. Floats your butt, but also keeps your legs up. It can actually become a very relaxing way to swim if you also use a band at your ankles because you are not using the legs at all. Sometimes I dispense with the band, and that allows me to kick a little, but with less knee action. Of course you swim slower with a buoy than without one due to the extra drag, but it is not that noticeable and you get a decent workout.<br />If you are looking for a tougher workout, rather than the slow steady plodding up and down the pool most people seem to do (which is better than nothing, but is not much good for weight control or getting faster), do your entire swim as 50m and 100m intervals, with limited rest between intervals.<br /><br />I can get a really good 25min swim workout done in my lunch-hour, doing 100m slow easy warmup, 4x100m hard (aiming for 1:35 per 100m) leaving every 3mins, 100m slow easy, 400m solid trying to go under 7mins, 100m slow easy cooldown. On the hard 100s, you should be really puffing at the end.TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-88268015814870356342017-03-24T21:42:29.436-07:002017-03-24T21:42:29.436-07:00TriAgain, I took 400mg Advil (ibuprofen) twice dai...TriAgain, I took 400mg Advil (ibuprofen) twice daily for 5 weeks on Dr Dye's advice and my knees actually got worse during that time. I waited a while and then recommenced treatment with Advil and had to stop after only eight days. I am sensitive to some foods, products and medicines and when I eat, use or take any of them, they exacerbate my synovitis as well as making me quite ill otherwise. Aspirin, and now Advil, are among the things I cannot take, so I don't think NSAIDs are the answer for me. I am very, very happy for you that you had such a fantastic result with Celebrex. That's wonderful!<br /><br />Amy, I will eventually get around to checking the emails sent via my website - I'm a bit time poor at the moment. Thanks for writing! Amy Stevenshttp://www.myafricanadventures.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-16234228602806925982017-03-24T18:13:26.060-07:002017-03-24T18:13:26.060-07:00TriAgain,
I've heard about pull buoys, but no...TriAgain,<br /><br />I've heard about pull buoys, but not how to use them before. So does this let you "get decent a swim workout" by keeping your legs from sinking and dragging?<br /><br />-AAmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123413735523666081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-64906325879505602192017-03-24T13:38:14.467-07:002017-03-24T13:38:14.467-07:00For those who swim, I was the same, the kicking ac...For those who swim, I was the same, the kicking action of freestyle stirred my knees up. Luckily, one of the triathlon swim drills I used to do was freestyle with 'pull and band' which means your ankles are tied together with a rubber band (I made my own out of an old bike inner-tube) and you have a pull buoy (small, specially shaped piece of foam) between the thighs.<br />This means your butt will float, your legs sink less, and you can get a decent swim workout done not using the legs at all. I still swim like this a lot, as my knees are still a bit twitchy with too much kicking.TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-87716684404287856392017-03-24T08:37:32.581-07:002017-03-24T08:37:32.581-07:00Amy, sorry I missed you. I sent you an email via y...Amy, sorry I missed you. I sent you an email via your web contact form. Let's keep in touch!<br />-AAmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123413735523666081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-68890114139696973672017-03-24T08:29:42.175-07:002017-03-24T08:29:42.175-07:00Hi Ellie,
Yes, I've been on anti-inflamm sinc...Hi Ellie,<br /><br />Yes, I've been on anti-inflamm since September. Kicking while swimming is absolutely out of the question for me - I have to let them just trail behind.<br /><br />You are absolutely beyond right about staying hopeful, let's keep in touch. I don't want to publish my email, but there's a contact form on my website here: http://www.light-holder.com/contact/<br /><br />-AAmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123413735523666081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-17987292866095164892017-03-24T02:46:39.960-07:002017-03-24T02:46:39.960-07:00Hi Amy,
Thanks for your reply. I'm consideri...Hi Amy, <br /><br />Thanks for your reply. I'm considering a telephone consult with Dr.Dye but I'm guessing he will just diagnose synovitis for me too. Did he prescribe an anti inflamm for you too? Re:swimming my knees hurt when I kick my legs, I'll try using a float again. <br /><br />It's great to hear you are getting better even though v slow, you need that hope to keep going. I'd love to keep in contact if you'd like too, sounds like we're in a very similar boat. Its beyond hard staying hopeful. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-70025130628077130002017-03-23T16:50:35.671-07:002017-03-23T16:50:35.671-07:00Superman,
When you say "soreness", what ...Superman,<br />When you say "soreness", what kind of soreness are you referring to? I've been avoiding anything that caused pain inside the joint, but from your post it sounds like that might actually not be such a bad sign? Or were you referring to pain in the muscles around the joint?Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123413735523666081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-11667207673673698762017-03-23T13:36:44.298-07:002017-03-23T13:36:44.298-07:00Hi Ellie,
I have a similar problem in that my sca...Hi Ellie,<br /><br />I have a similar problem in that my scans don't show much of anything, my ROM is great, but I can't walk unassisted because my knees are in such terrible shape. Like you they get worse if I use them and recover with rest.<br /><br />I'm in the process of getting better, but the progress is terribly slow. I don't really have a diagnosis either - I'm seeing Dye, and he says that I have synovitis but I kind of think that diagnosis is kind of like PFPS in that it describes what's happening, but not why, and only what to do about it to a limited extent.<br /><br />I'm not sure what about swimming was hurting you, but arms-only swimming was a big help for me back in the fall when I desperately needed a "break from gravity". I have a problem with the water wanting to push my legs in directions that hurt them, but I've learned what to avoid and have been doing ok.<br /><br />Another option I'm exploring is the Pilates reformer. It's basically like a total trainer in that it enables you to do a squat exercise on a sliding track so you're using only a fraction of your body weight. <br /><br />I wasn't able to find a gym with a total trainer anywhere, but Pilates reformers are quite common and I've been able to negotiate access to one. I'm trying it out tomorrow.<br /><br />I have a correspondence with a couple of other knee sufferers and it's been a big help. The psych aspects of this malady is no joke and it really helps to be able to talk to someone.<br /><br />Take care,<br />A Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123413735523666081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-40730526361202238622017-03-22T06:47:27.946-07:002017-03-22T06:47:27.946-07:00For the record, because others may see this thread...For the record, because others may see this thread, I haven't taken any sort of any supplements at all. Through losing weight, increasing walking and taking the stairs, i begun to see improvement on my knees, without quitting my sports. I feel there is still way to go, but i also feel that my knee is now "safe" and "protected" from further damage.Zandroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16093840038897196946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-16844834032599837172017-03-21T02:58:10.633-07:002017-03-21T02:58:10.633-07:00Thank you TriAgain again for replying too. A lot o...Thank you TriAgain again for replying too. A lot of food for thought. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-5261205871903845742017-03-21T02:56:09.803-07:002017-03-21T02:56:09.803-07:00Thanks v much for your reply TriChat. Dr. Dye has ...Thanks v much for your reply TriChat. Dr. Dye has a totally different perspective alright. I'll have a think about anti inflammatories. Congrats on your return Triathlons! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-71488787970632586402017-03-21T02:50:38.043-07:002017-03-21T02:50:38.043-07:00Thanks Superman, I really appreciate your reply. G...Thanks Superman, I really appreciate your reply. Good to know some soreness is ok, I'm treating myself a little too fragily. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-73083739575287041232017-03-21T00:33:29.282-07:002017-03-21T00:33:29.282-07:00I would choose an even easier setting to start on ...I would choose an even easier setting to start on the total trainer. Some soreness is ok. If it starts hurting for a few days straight, definitely take a day off. Although surprisingly I noticed after a few months of Total trainer my knees would hurt on the days I didnt use the trainer (off days).Supermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07661477353348168296noreply@blogger.com