Meniscus Tear (Read 1270 times)

Any of you ever had sharp knee pain in the front lower part of the knee under the kneecap?  I have an appt. with an ortho on Jan 19 for another issue, but if the knee pain is still hanging around, I'll be talking to him about that instead.

It doesn't hurt all the time, but when it first flared, it felt like someone stuck something sharp in the spot.  I was running and it stopped me dead in my tracks.  Hurt to walk on the first few steps after sitting for an extended period.  I rested, iced, and took prescription strength anti-inflammatories for a few days and it felt much better.  Went out for 5 today, and the pain is back.  Also felt the sharp pain when I cleaning and twisted without moving my foot.

I am coming back from 6+ months of no running (3 of those months on crutches) due to a ligament tear in the top of my left foot, so this really stinks.

I have had sharp pains around my knee cap area for most of this year.  Doesn't hurt when I run, but right after?  Especially when I go up stairs....it's like the knee cannot handle the weight while bent like that.  Doesn't bother while walking normally though.  I had fallen (repeatedly) on ice back in Feb. '11 and the doc said my the cartiledges surface was roughed up and that is what is causing my pain (maybe some musucle imbalance too).  He gave me some excercises, but I have just lived with it. 

It may be patello-femoral syndrome, the knee cap not tracking right over the joint.    Sometimes those short comprssion sleeves for the knee hold it in place and can stop the pain.

That sounds exactly what I have been dealing with for the past 3 months.  I have been to 2 orthos and 2 PT's and I think I am finally starting to feel better, after not running at all for 3 whole months.   They have all said it is PFPS, which is where your knee cap doesn't stay on track.  Mine is due to weak hip muscles and inner quads so I have been doing exercises to strengthen them.  It was VERY painful at times, and I was worried that it was something else, like a meniscus tear.  The pain kind of traveled around - sometimes it was under my knee cap, and sometimes it was on the side.  It was a sharp stabbing pain at times, but sometimes it was kind of a dull achy feeling.  It is definitely worse after i have been sitting down.   The exercises do seem to be helping though!

WH - What you're describing seems to be closest, especially the moving around part.  The reason I zeroed in on the lower part under the knee cap is because that's where the most significant pain happened both times; however, it has seemed to travel and I wondered if I was losing my mind.

I've worn a knee strap for the last 3 runs and have had no pain, including an 11-mile trail run with a lot of downhill.  I'm scared to try and run without it because the previous incident hurt so frigging bad.  Will see what my ortho has to say.

Thanks, folks ~

Feel better. I've been going through something similar. Like others have said it sounds to me like tendonitis. Though in my case its more clearly my knee's tracking. I have had the sharp pain under the knee cap that you've described. But only when I hit certain thresholds like 5 miles. Or I break 8 minute mile pace on a run. For me the issue is more the feeling that my knee is off track or clicking when I straighten it.  I have been going to the PT and they've she's been doing a lot to strengthen the muscles around the knee. Also my hips and glutes were very weak. So doing exercises to strengthen them as well as stretch my tight IT band (which is also pretty tight). I feel like I'm making progress. A week ago I was considering taking an extended rest. But I feel like I'm starting to make progress. Thus far I'm getting by on reduced miles and cutting out speed work.  Its been about two weeks. My knee isn't better, but it's improved.