What is exactly wrong with my knee?

Question

I hurt my knee almost 2 years ago playing basketball. The injury happened when i tried to jump up towards the basket which was towards my left and when pushed off i heard a pop on out side portion of my knee. My knee had a weird weak sensation in my knee followed by dull pain and i couldn't stand on that knee. it felt like it would buckle. ever since then the knee feels weak and ive injured it a couple more times (kicking a soccer ball and after landing from a jump i landed on my toes but my knee made more popping noises). i dont have insurance and i dont have a lot of money to spend on medical fees. if anyone could help it would be much appreciated. thank you.

Answer 1

You probably tore your anterior cruciate ligament(ACL). I tore my ACL and some cartilage in the knee several years ago but my symptoms sound the same as yours. When you've injured your knee more recently, does it feel like it buckles on you, or that your leg tries to hyperextend? I went through a whole year from the time of my injury until my surgery. During that time I reinjured my knee several times and that is what happened. You can try to build up the muscles around your knee to help compensate for your weak knee but that is only short term. Ultimately you will need surgery (if that is indeed your problem) if you want to have any kind of active life. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Before reading your question I can already say that you can not and will not find out the exact problem with your knee from someone on the internet who is not there to examine it properly.

However, I have seen patterns like this before and even though I can't be sure, it sounds like you may have torn your ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and possibly damaged your MCL (medial collateral ligament). You may also have more damage, as this type of injury often happens in a triad (ACL, MCL, medial meniscus) and even if you don't have insurance you should talk to a physical therapist. Many PTs do pro bono (free) work (especially ones in the APTA), and if you don't do something your knee will get much worse and soon it will affect your posture and other more important body structures like your spine.

Answer 3

Until you can afford to seek medical attention, wear a cold compression knee wrap every time you feel pain or see swelling, and always right after any knee exercise. By controlling swelling (inflammation) your knee can start to heal itself.

If the muscles, tendons, ligaments heal, but are stretched, the knee will continue to be weak. Strengthening exercises will help compensate, but ultimately you may need knee surgery depending upon how useful the knee is long term.

Good Luck

Answer 4

It sounds like you tore your ACL. Here is some good info on it.

Definition:
An anterior cruciate ligament injury is extreme stretching or tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. A tear may be partial or complete.
Alternative Names:
Cruciate ligament injury - anterior; ACL injury; Knee injury - anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Considerations:
The knee is essentially a modified hinge joint located where the end of the femur (thigh bone) meets the top of the tibia (shin bone). There are four main ligaments connecting these two bones:

medial collateral ligament(MCL) -- runs along the inner part of the knee and prevents the knee from bending inward.
lateral collateral ligament (LCL) -- runs along the outer part of the knee and prevents the knee from bending outward.
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) -- lies in the middle of the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur, and provides rotational stability to the knee.
posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) -- works in concert with the ACL. It prevents the tibia from sliding backwards under the femur.
The ACL and PCL cross each other inside the knee forming an X. This is why they are called the cruciate (cross-like) ligaments.

ACL injuries are often associated with other injuries. The unhappy triad is a classic example, in which where the ACL is torn at the same time as the MCL and the medial meniscus (one of the shock-absorbing cartilages in the knee). This type of injury is most often seen in football players and skiers.

Women are more likely to suffer an ACL tear than men. The cause for this is not completely understood, but may have to do with differences in anatomy as well as muscular functioning.

Adults who tear their ACL usually do so in the middle of the ligament or pull the ligament off the femur bone. These injuries do not heal by themselves. Children are more likely to pull off their ACL with a piece of bone still attached -- these may heal on their own, or may require the bone to be fixed.

In cases of suspected ACL tear, an MRI may help to confirm the diagnosis, and to evaluate other injuries to the knee, such as to the other ligaments or cartilage.

Some people are able to live and function normally with a torn ACL. However, most people complain that their knee is unstable and may "give out" with attempted physical activity. Unrepaired ACL tears may also lead to early arthritis in the affected knee.

Causes:
ACL tears may be due to contact or non-contact injuries. A blow to the side of the knee, such as may occur during a football tackle, may result in an ACL tear.

Alternatively, coming to a quick stop, combined with a direction change while running, pivoting, landing from a jump, or overextending the knee joint, can cause injury to the ACL.

Basketball, football, soccer and skiing are common causes of ACL tears.

Answer 5

dude if u dont wanna end up in wheel chair stop hurting ur knee, like if u know it's injusred why would you do thing to worsen the injury , my advice is see a doctor, they can tell u the extent of the injury, u did not break a bone,other wise u would not be able to stand , u either tore mucsel of the bone, or pulled riped the rubbery things that attach the bone to ur muscel, those should heal by them selvs but if u leave it and not pay attention needed to them, u might want to go to a docotor, if i wann keep using ur knee man, nothing u can do at home or that i would recommand doing.

Answer 6

He's played too much basketball on it. The human body has stress dynamics. This kid has been playing ball nearly every day since ... ? These games do break the body down, especially if you play 100 per year. If I were him, I would have retired after the title win.

Answer 7

get an mri xray from a local knee, sports doctor and they let you know whats going on .