A friend of mine has a serious problem and will undergo scope surgery in about a week for a 'locked' knee.
I think he has a meniscal tear of some kind on the medial side, and while squatting his knee locked at 90 degrees bend.
Its swollen up and he can't straighten it out. The doctor gave him no advice at all ... has anyone heard of this happening (i.e. permanent lock?). I've heard of it before ... but usually the knee unlocks eventually.
He's able to get it to about 80 degrees now i think .. but thats not much improvment. who knows if he's just tearing it up and its moving more?
Any advice on what he should do until the surgery.. the orthopedic surgeons here aren't available to speak with ... there just to busy and he has to wait! 🙁
Been there. Done that. What has happened is the torn cartilage has gotten wedged between the femur and the tibia. I used to be able to "pop" mine out by sitting on the floor and pressing my knee flat and hard out into hyperextension, but the pain was...considerable. Finally, it just wouldn't pop out anymore - I guess the tear kept increasing so there was just too much cartilage stuck in there. I had to wait over a week to have mine done. Eventually I could even bear weight on it, but that can't have helped matters. I would just stay the hell off it until the surgery. Oh, and if it does "pop" out, get the surgery anyway. Trust me. It's a major pain in the ass to live with!
Any advice on what he should do until the surgery.. the orthopedic surgeons here aren't available to speak with ... there just to busy and he has to wait!
Pardon my french, but the doctor sure sounds like a schmuck. NO doctor is "too busy" to take a call or concern from a suffering patient. A knee locked in place is urgent and important enough to warrant reply. Either your friend isn't trying hard enough to get through to the doc, or else the doc is an ***hole, and your friend should look for another. -- Josh Steinberg MD, Syracuse
