knees, sports docs

[ScratchTX 0]

I'm going to be getting a referral to a specialist for a minor but really nagging knee problem. To those of y'all well versed in the wonderful world of injuries and knees, what's the difference between a sports medicine specialist and a orthopedic specialist? Can one doc be both? My health insurance has the two categories listed separately so I am not sure how to approach my doctor for the referral.

My feeling is that a sports medicine specialist would have a better attitude ("okay, so here's the best things for you to do to minimize additional injury or re-injury when you continue the activities you want to do"), while orthopedic surgeons are all about abstinence ("This joint has been compromised and you must not ever stress it again!!")

Also, if anyone is familiar with patellar tendonitis (what my GP called "housemaid's knee," but I'm not sure that's right), any tips would be appreciated. It is an annoying, non-injury, stupid thing... can't squat or kneel or even gently bump the lump under my knee without seeing stars... but can walk around just fine.

-- Scratch

[AggieDave 6]

The guy I went to in College Station is very good. He's the same guy who does the work for the Texas A&M football team, people come from Houston to seem him (skipping all the other docs in Houston to see him).

Dr. Seabolt, look him up if you want.

Good luck, knee problems SUCK...

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[jceman 1]

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Also, if anyone is familiar with patellar tendonitis (what my GP called "housemaid's knee," but I'm not sure that's right), any tips would be appreciated. It is an annoying, non-injury, stupid thing... can't squat or kneel or even gently bump the lump under my knee without seeing stars... but can walk around just fine.

Either a Sports Med specialist or ortho should be able to refer you to the Physical Therapist for trating your problem. The treatment that is most effective (IMNSHYEO) is going to be strengthening your quadriceps muscle; this will cause the patella to glide over a slightly different path across your knee and keep it better lubricated. You may also want to look into a glucosamine/chondritin supplement to help repair and rebuild the damaged surfaces.

For Skylark and anyone else not comfortable with the acronym INMSHYEO, it stands for In My Not So Humble Yet Educated Opinion. I say educated because i have had three surgeries on my right knee, for various problems including chondromylasia/patellar tendinitis, the last being a rebuild of all three ligaments, and have been through rehab many times. Then I shattered my right femur and had to do it all over again.

Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money.

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[jerm 0]

an orthopedic surgeon will physically fix you and then send you for PT (maybe giving you some standard exercises in the meantime)

a sports med person will get you "back on the field" the quickest.

A physical therapist will know all sorts of stuff that the other two won't about how to really go about having the soft tissue heal properly so you can get the most (if no full) use out of your joint again.

if you need an orthopod, by all means go to one... they'll fix the accute problem, then get yourself a good PT.. they're the real heros of proper recovery.

Landing without injury is not necessarily evidence that you didn't fuck up... it just means you got away with it this time

[LouDiamond 1]

I gave myself a similar problem one summer of doing heavy leg curls to strenghten my hams. Dr. gave me a regime that consisted of a medium piece of surgical tubing taped together. I placed both feet in the tubing and did leg extensions with the knee in question. Basically leg extensions with a light load to strenghten the quads up enough to compensate for the imbalance I had created. Don't know if that will help you but it's worth a shot as it sounds awful similar to what I had.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
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[ScratchTX 0]

Hey, these are all helpful replies. I've seen PTs for neck problems and shoulder injuries and I agree, they rock. But the docs are good for diagnosis. And with knee stuff, I think a good diagnosis is important. Especially since I remembered that about two weeks before this started, I had a kind of ugly landing on an asphalt runway, where I fell on my knees. Thought I just bruised them and blew it off. 2-3 weeks later did days of home improvement work involving waaaay too much squatting and kneeling for my age, and I thought the problem was from that.... two months later, it all is coming back to me.... !!

Mostly all the tx is just ice, anti-inflammatories and strengthening, but I know the PTs were great about exactly WHAT to exercise and what NOT to exercise to get the best results. But, you can't get to a PT without a referral, and I don't really trust my GP's assessment so I guess I'll go with an orthopod first.

Thanks for the help and "I can relates." It's a freaking weird problem --no pain at all for long enough that I start thinking I am just a wimp and nothing is wrong... then I bump it or climb on something the wrong way, and OH YEAH...!

[jerm 0]

well... for me the orthopod fixed the bone.... and that got me the referral to the PT.. though i was fortunate enough to be dating a PT at the time, so i probably had an advantage in my recovery

Landing without injury is not necessarily evidence that you didn't fuck up... it just means you got away with it this time

[AggieDave 6]

Dude, that wasn't PT, that was "PT", normal PT you are actually clothed and in some sort of gym or clinic with gym type equipment.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[jerm 0]

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Dude, that wasn't PT, that was "PT", normal PT you are actually clothed and in some sort of gym or clinic with gym type equipment.

You do your type of therapy and i'll do mine... all i know is i've got full range of motion back, so something was working

Landing without injury is not necessarily evidence that you didn't fuck up... it just means you got away with it this time

[AggieDave 6]

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all i know is i've got full range of motion back, so something was working

In context of my joke and out of context of your post, that's pretty funny.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[jerm 0]

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all i know is i've got full range of motion back, so something was working

In context of my joke and out of context of your post, that's pretty funny.

oh it wasn't out of context of mine

Landing without injury is not necessarily evidence that you didn't fuck up... it just means you got away with it this time

[AggieDave 6]

So you're saying you had to have help b/c you didn't have a full range of motion? They make a pill for that now dude.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[jerm 0]

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So you're saying you had to have help b/c you didn't have a full range of motion? They make a pill for that now dude.

LOL... i'm saying that my Phydical therapist did a lot to me.... exactly what facet of the therapyit was that healed my ankle, i can't be sure... but i certainly recommend the course of treatment i received.

Landing without injury is not necessarily evidence that you didn't fuck up... it just means you got away with it this time