My doc's and PTist thought there was a tear, but there's nothing in my MRI...What's going on??!?!?! And when it snaps and catches it hurts horribley and gets unbearable at some points!
2006-12-08 03:37:40 · 5 answers · asked by Jade S 3 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Due to popular misconception MRI's cannot reveal everything. While they are a very useful tool things are often missed. Your symptoms sound like chondromalacia patellae which is degeneration of the surfaces underneath the patella and the groove that it slides in on front of the femur. Catching is often caused by a tear of the meniscus. Is your PT experienced in treatment of the knee. A physical examination is usually the most important diagnostic tool. Things such as where in the motion the catching and snapping occurs can help diagnose the problems. Other things need to be ruled out such as a cyst, hamstring dysfunction, abnormal joint mobility, etc.
2006-12-09 10:11:52 · answer #1 · answered by Dan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had pretty much the same problem and my MRI showed nothing either. My orthopedic surgeon did exploratory arthroscopic surgery on my knee and found that part of my tibia had broken off and was floating around underneath my knee cap (this was caused by arthritis). It had also torn my meniscus. My knee is much better now after the surgery. MRIs don't always show the problem. I suggest you talk to your doctor about getting arthroscopic surgery done to see if there is any actual damage to the knee.
2006-12-08 03:51:14 · answer #2 · answered by csstorie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've had something like that for 25 years. It was called "chondromalacia patella" or the "bucket-handle syndrome", and it was explained to me as being caused by my knee joint being slightly out of alignment. I was told to strengthen my leg muscles because they are what holds the knee joint in proper alignment. I was told to practice sticking the leg out straight when seated, bending the toes back towards myself, and then clenching the leg muscles. The most important muscle starts just next to the knee on the inside side of the leg and goes diagonally up and toward the outside side of the leg. You can feel it tighten up and get hard when you do these exercises. I was also told to take aspirin, and apply heat or cold to the knee.
2006-12-08 03:52:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a ligament...u need to build strong knees, get a set of weights and put on ankles and lift every other day.
Get a magnet off the refrigerator and put on your knee, hold it on with a sock, or wrap it on.
Elevate at night on edge of sofa
The weather may cause this, take a motin also.
2006-12-08 03:45:07 · answer #4 · answered by sunflare63 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Go to a doctor immeadiately!
2006-12-08 03:41:10 · answer #5 · answered by neninha66 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋