Knee injuries? **update**

i dont have any experience with kneww injuries, but besides the location this sounds very much like when i twisted my ankle.

i twisted it, and even though it hurt i was still walking right after, until it started swelling etc. i saw a specialist (sports injury specialist, he was our embassy doc at the time) and he told me if i can still move it, nothing is torn. just overstretched. i also developed a severe swelling (think ankle of the size of a honey melon) and scary bruising. doc said that is both due to blood vessels that were ripped. what helped me a lot in that time was just bandaging it tightly, cause it gave lots of support, although i dunno how feasable that is for a knee issue. if he can still walk and move more or less normally (like you said, YOU are the one keeping him from excercising much) then i wouldnt worry too much about it!

I dont know about knees, but my mom had something like that on her elbow... several times had to have the bursa sack drained, over maybe a year, but now it is better.  I don't remember what she did to cause the injury, but it wasn't really painful, just not easy to use or bend.  It took a long time for it to heal perfectly.

Compared to the alternatives, it might be a better diagnosis!  Anyway, sending good vibes that it's nothing serious and easy to treat.

He needs to be putting HEAT on the knee, not ice.

Rule goes - ice for the first 24 hours, then HEAT. That will help reduce the swelling. Keep it elevated. Ibuprofen will help reduce some swelling too, as well as help with the pain. When bruises change colors like that it usually means they are healing (from purple to yellowish) so I wouldn't be too concerned about that.

I've had my share of knee problems, so I know it's no fun! Mine were so bad I needed to have shock therapy done twice a week for a very, very long time.

The bruising is heeling but the knee is still swollen as ever, if not more so.  The knee itself is not bruised and the swelling just looks like a big ball of fluid, like a water balloon.  Today DH said he wants to just pop it with a needle.  He also said he's been feeling very tired and shaky.  We're not sure if that has anything to do with the injury because he is also switching medications for his epilepsy right now so he's taking a full strength dose of BOTH medications and will be weaning off one this week.

To help the swelling use the heating pad. Ice, at this point, isn't going to do a thing (except make your leg really cold!)

It probably needs to be aspirated, if it's filled with fluid. I don't think a knee injury would make a person tired, but I'm not a doctor, that's JME. Pain can make you shaky, but - I would think that would be more the medication, not the swelling/injury.

Is he able to take ibuprofen? Not so much for the pain, but it also helps with inflamation.

Yeah he's been taking it for two weeks. 

Long story short, it's a good thing that he is seeing a Dr Monday. If this happened a couple of weeks ago, ice should help and Ibuprophen, which you said he is taking. There is a also a product called Bio Freeze which you can get at most Chiropractic offices, it's about $10 a tube and it is like a miracle! It's a gel that you rub on and it gets down in and helps to kill the pain, without the gross smell of Icy Hot and it actually works. I put it on, let it soak in and then use ice packs with my leg elevated. There is also a knock off called Ice that you can get at Walmart, I think you have Walmart in Michigan????? It's a little less $$ and works exactly the same. You can find it in the same aisle as Icy Hot. If you are into sports, it's probably something good to have on hand anyway for muscle pulls, etc.

Anyway, good luck, his leg looks like mine did, with blood settling in the foot and ankle area as well. Let us know how he's doing and what the diagnosis is.

oooh! I forgot about the biofreeze. I used to use it all the time for skating injuries - that stuff really is AMAZING. Epsom salts might help too - soaking in the bath.

 I injured my knee landing on it probably about 10 years ago, and it has never been completely right since. I have no clue what is really wrong with it, nor  has any doctor ever come up with much. It was suggested to do a scope, but they had no real purpose, so I never had that done. I can only say, it's a good thing he's going to see the doctor, and if they don't have an answer, don't just deal with it. My knee isn't really bad anymore, as I can put weight directly on it again, but for several years, if I had to get on my knees, I was on only one. There are still some spots now that if touched, I would be in pain, but it isn't bad anymore.

 I am no knee injury expert. Glad he is seeing a Dr. However I have experienced a knee injury two times. I did not tear my ACL but they think I dislocated my knee cap. It felt like my knee turned around 180 degrees. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCE PAIN LIKE I DID WITH MY KNEES!!! NEVER!!!! So I would think if he "tore" the ACL he would be in excruciating pain.

Let us know what the scoop is.
 

 Unfortunately I have had knee issues(and other sports injuries) most of my life (way too crazy) never tore any knee tendons/ligaments though

The bruising could indicate a tear of something (when you rupture a tendon or blow out a muscle you get significant bruising) or he could have bruised something inside the joint and the internal bleeding needs to dissipate to somewhere.  The swelling sounds like fluid so my leaning is towards a deep bruise/bone bruise.  They don't always drain them any more although if it hangs around long enough sometimes they will.

It 'could' be an ACL as Tiger Woods demonstrated that isn't always accompanied by an instant inability to walk or crazy pain.  But if he landed directly on the knee that wouldn't be my first guess.

Good luck and let us know what you find out

Well, so far he does not need surgery.  They removed over 150cc of fluid from the knee.  He has to keep icing and taking ibuprofen.  No sports, running, or walking the dogs for at least a week.  The knee still looks swollen so he might have to have the procedure done again. 

I wondered about "water" on the knee. My mother had that issue, but I don't remember hers ever bruising. Hope he gets better quickly.