OT: Sports Medicine Advice

[The_Glove_Man]

Went skiing today, took a little spill, landed weird with my right leg splayed out, felt a pop in my knee. After googling, I'm pretty sure I tore my MCL. I don't think it is bad -- I skied for 3 more hours on it -- but now that I'm home lying around it is feeling a little worse. Can't extend my leg fully without some pain, it's a little tender to the touch on the inside of the knee, and if I put any inward pressure on it, it feels like it is going to give out.

My question -- do I have to go to a doctor for this now, or can take some aleve, wait a few days, and see if it heals up on its own? MCLs apparently don't require surgery unless they are really bad, and I can't imagine this is a really bad one.

 

[dinglefritz]

Originally posted by The_Glove_Man:
Went skiing today, took a little spill, landed weird with my right leg splayed out, felt a pop in my knee. After googling, I'm pretty sure I tore my MCL. I don't think it is bad -- I skied for 3 more hours on it -- but now that I'm home lying around it is feeling a little worse. Can't extend my leg fully without some pain, it's a little tender to the touch on the inside of the knee, and if I put any inward pressure on it, it feels like it is going to give out.

My question -- do I have to go to a doctor for this now, or can take some aleve, wait a few days, and see if it heals up on its own? MCLs apparently don't require surgery unless they are really bad, and I can't imagine this is a really bad one.

Alleve could increase local bleeding. I wouldn't do that. Tylenol up and get thee to the doc as soon as you can. IF you could get in tomorrow, that would be good. Get on some crutches and ice ice ice.

 

[The_Glove_Man]

Dang it, Dingle, that is not what I wanted to hear. Crutches, really? I hate crutches.

What kind of a doc? Or should I just go to my primary care physician and let him refer?

How much is this going to hurt in the AM?

 

[dinglefritz]

Originally posted by The_Glove_Man:

Dang it, Dingle, that is not what I wanted to hear. Crutches, really? I hate crutches.

What kind of a doc? Or should I just go to my primary care physician and let him refer?

How much is this going to hurt in the AM?

Not an MD but I do sleep with one. From purely personal experience its gonna hurt worse in the morning. If it isn't swelling I might take 4 Alleve (and Zantac or Prilosec) along with 2 of the 8 hour Tylenol (no alcohol). Wrap it and ice. Personally I usually skip the primary care doc (I can pretty much see anybody I want when I want) when I do something like that but you might have to start there. If you could keep skiing on it, you might not have had a surgical tear. Just get it checked out. The longer you wait on meniscal damage the more damage that can be done if you have some of that. Medial collaterals can be days to months depending on the severity of the sprain/tear and your age.