Knee ligament - healing time?

[Broomsticklady]

In trying to get some strength into my legs - have cancer and in weak state - I thought I'd go on treadmill for 5 minutes, at 3.5kph so not too fast. Fine first day, so did 7 mins next day. Bit sore after that, too sore for more treadmill, and quite hobbling. This didn't get better and 10 days later I stepped off a kerb to be greeted by shooting pian and no weight possible on that leg - OH ended up getting my wheelchair to get me back to car.

Petrified of hospitals - don't want admission - but succumbed to A&E due to pain (despite morphine, lyrica, max ibuprofen and max paracetamol for cancer anyway)!. Xrayed and manipulated and diagnosis of damaged ligament on interior of knee from thigh down to shin. Splint applied, rest and ice prescribed. this was over a week ago and yes it's better than it was - I can hobble with stick but no distance at all - settee to loo and back again.

Any ball park figures on how long I'm going to be fit for knackers yard?

Nina

[The_Doc]

Ask to see an orthopaedic surgeon or sports physio, failing that your GP could manage you, but I would recommend NOT taking advice on specifics from A&E.

[Mojooo]

I agree see a specialist - physio in the first instance

Also thigh down to shin is a long way down - you sure it is not muscle. Knee joints are contained within the knee

If you have any swelling in your knee consider doing some basic exercises to stop muscle loss - you won't regret it. I am talking basic stuff like leg raises just to keep the muscles active

[_bryan_]

I tore a couple of ligaments and stretched all the others in my knee when I was about 14 in a skiing accident. Pretty sure it took about 9 weeks to be fully back to normal.

[ChasW]

If it is knee ligaments don't expect a speedy recovery. I did my ACL, not complete tear thankfully, 30 years ago in March and began jogging again in August.

Worth remebering that it may not be ligaments. As a previous poster explained the ligaments are within the joint and connect bone to bone. Tendons on the other hand connect bone to muscle which may explain why the discomfort spreads further down your leg.

[The_Doc]

I'm sorry, but you need an accurate diagnosis, because as usual the well-meaning advice being given in these fora is very inaccurate and varies wildly.

MCL grade 1 tear heals in 4-6 weeks

ACL tear doesn't heal and we offer surgery.

Get the diagnosis right and you can have an idea of recovery.

Nobody has posted an untruth, but it's shotgun diagnosis

[Broomsticklady]

Sorry - I'm totally thick in this area- I can recite chemos and side effects, but bits inside me - forget it!!

I'm having a CT scan to check my bone mets and liver and lungs for infestation on 25 March. Would there be any purpose in getting the knee CTed at the same time? Would that give an accurate diagnosis? It's been Xrayed but that presumably to check no fracture / bone deterioration.

[toon10]

Sorry to hear about your health issues. I've no idea how long you should expect but I had really bad ligament damage in my ankle and was told 6 to 8 weeks. It took 6 months. It got better after I put a dart board up in my kitchen. The constant standing on my bad foot with gentle balancing seemed to act as good physio. Not sure about the medical advice for a knee though.

[The_Doc]

The_Doc said:

Ask to see an orthopaedic surgeon or sports physio, failing that your GP could manage you, but I would recommend NOT taking advice on specifics from A&E.

and to your last question about CT knee for ligaments, it won't help with a ligament/soft tissue injury. They don't show up usefully on CT.