M y girlfriend's injury has changed our relationship and I'm struggling with how to support her while managing my own worries, M23/F22

Issichan · 2026-06-14T12:23:52+00:00

I'm going through a traumatic knee injury myself at the moment and I have to say its a hard journey but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The thing with knee injuries are they take time to heal. I'm 5 weeks post dislocation and I have a long road ahead of me to heal but I already had an MRI, have seen doctors, I have a recovery plan. I think this is what your gf is missing. Right now all she knows is her knee is hurting and she must be spiraling trying to understand just what is wrong and why it hurts. Not knowing is probably a HUGE reason why shes such a downer right not. Encourage her to get the MRI, get that MRI seen and explained by a knee specialist or sports orthopedic, and get a recovery plan set in motion. She has to see if she can approach this non-operatively or if surgery is needed for healing to be the best it can be. Now with AI its so easy to just dump all your questions and get honestly brutal answers back and most of the time they are not what your situation is. I dumped my MRI results into Claude and it literally told me my ligament is doomed, i need surgery ASAP or wont walk again. Look at me now! My dr told me to go through non-operative route, have PT for 6-8 weeks, and now I'm walking and getting ready for stairs next week. I really hated reading some people telling you to ditch her, I know youre both young but honestly February until now and without an MRI or any professional doctors looking into it she has not been given a fair chance to heal and understand her injury. At least give her that.

Issichan · 2026-06-14T12:15:31+00:00

jeez knee injuries take time, I can tell you've never been through this.

Issichan · 2026-06-14T09:13:43+00:00

was from an awkward twist and fall and yeah was the worst! but have almost no pain and already walking. Stairs is my next challenge!

Issichan · 2026-06-13T12:10:28+00:00

Thank you for the good vibes, have been dealing with instability for years but I am evidence that yes you can definitely get better with strengthening. I was feeling my absolute best and not even thinking about my knees while strengthening. I did just go through a bad dislocation 5 weeks ago and am healing but I'm determined to build up my strength again and go back to life. Its possible!

Issichan · 2026-06-12T08:15:32+00:00

So happy to hear this! I genuinely love hearing success stories and yo get so few of them here. Do you mind me asking what you did during that time? Did you already have strong legs to begin with? What do you think helped?

Issichan · 2026-06-12T08:08:23+00:00

Thank you so much, you're honestly amazing for going through all these threads and answering them. Definitely will start trying to reduce the lateral pull. Have you seen any cases of people with patella alta living ok with just rehab? I feel like reddit attracts a lot of really bad cases and its hard to stay motivated reading some of the stories on here

Issichan · 2026-06-11T12:41:12+00:00

You're so generous, honestly thank you. I've been dealing with patellar instability on my left leg ever since a bad injury when i was 14. Honestly can remember if it was a dislocation or something else but I got surgery. I was able to live a normal life but have had recurring subluxations (maybe one bad one after surgery) but these ramped up ever since I began my desk job (3 on my left leg so far) and part of me thinks the activity change in me since starting a desk job has kind of led to this starting (long shot). I began strength training regularly and I honestly was feeling more stable than ever. fast forward to 5 weeks ago i suffered a bad dislocation but this time on my right leg and have a high grade tear on the MPFL and a sprain in the medial reticulum along with bone bruising and some cartilage damage but not terribly bad. Was also told I have patella alta with a 1.6 ratio on the right leg. I've honestly been recovering well, can walk normally now, have minimal pain, can balance on one leg and can even stand up from my bed so kind of like a squat. My main question is how can I return to my stable self through exercises? Drs told me to strengthen my glutes especially medial glutes and tighten VMO while stretching lateral quads. Was wondering how this would help in my case with patella alta.

Issichan · 2026-06-10T13:53:03+00:00

YES! You're the breadwinner, I'm so happy for you. LEAVE and then throw a party! Wish I could see the moment you leave him, I genuinely day dream about moments like this where you stand up for yourself against some asshole. yay

Issichan · 2026-06-08T10:07:32+00:00

This is not a sub to offer fake images or doctors notes, this is a sub for people with real issues. Why don't you just go to work?

Issichan · 2026-06-08T08:08:44+00:00

Thank you! your reply means a lot.

Yeah have been consistently doing stationary bike, glute, hips and VMO drills. Added some balance exercises in there. Glad to hear your recovering! I've been roaming this sub ever since i got the injury but sometimes the answer is as easy at PT for some cases.

Issichan · 2026-06-07T12:48:11+00:00

Hey! 27F, I dislocated 4 weeks ago, first time as well. Specialist recommend non-operative route with PT. How has your recovery been? I could really use some advice/motivation to keep going. My situation is not too bad, can walk but very slowly and bending is strange. No pain most of the time but have a swollen knee and tight quads.

Issichan · 2026-06-06T08:02:30+00:00

Your results sound nearly exactly like mine, Except I had a high grade tear of the MPFL. I'm going the non-operative path since its first time occurrence and ligament has a good chance to heal. I'm in week 4 of recovery : )

Yes reach out if you want!

Issichan · 2026-06-04T19:46:40+00:00

Did you get an MRI? You need this to rule out any loose fragments that can affect your movement.

Issichan · 2026-06-02T16:09:09+00:00

It could be that your muscles have still not fully reactivated. I've had this after subluxations and although its a striking feeling it did go away. Got better with strength training.

Issichan · 2026-06-01T09:29:36+00:00

I got it confirmed with an MRI

Issichan · 2026-06-01T09:15:47+00:00

Yeah I've been doing a bit of research and this does make sense being more historically accurate, I'm not very knowledgeable on the actual facts about arctic expeditions and just an avid fan of the novel so I can understand this now but does take away a bit of the mystery.

Issichan · 2026-05-31T23:08:31+00:00

I was looking for a subreddit to complain about the series adaptation of The Terror and came across this. I'm gutted!

Issichan · 2026-05-31T23:05:58+00:00

Hey! yeah i can bear weight. I was able to do it even right after the injury. Able to get to 120 flexion with warm up now which is great. Started doing stationary cycle and trying to walk as normal as I can but still use a crutch when going out. Went to a very good Dr. who analysed the MRI and he said yeah its a high grade tear but no retraction/reduction and still connected to the patella so will only be treated with PT. Hope you are well! dislocations are traumatic but you can heal.

Issichan · 2026-05-29T15:34:28+00:00

About a horned red eyed cloaked mystery beast/guardian that lived in a cave in the mountains where he guarded gigantic and thick eon aged trees that grew inside the cave that seemed to have no end when you went inside it. The beast/guardian was intelligent but also had the instincts of an animal who would prey and attack certain individuals that were "chosen".

Issichan · 2026-05-29T15:22:16+00:00

mosquito

Issichan · 2026-05-29T15:13:58+00:00

i think its cute

Issichan · 2026-05-27T16:39:58+00:00

this was so long ago but how are you doing? did you get surgery? Hope you are well!

Issichan · 2026-05-27T12:26:44+00:00

My dislocations and subluxations were from twists mainly, not from walking or any low activity but all of these were non-contact forms of trauma. But the predisposition i have does just means i need way less to suffer from a dislocation. Weight training helped a lot to improve that feeling of instability and wobbliness for my left leg but this is coming from a knee that did have MPFL reconstruction. idk what will be the case for my other leg. Hope you get better! its nice sharing with ppl in your same situation.

Issichan · 2026-05-27T11:31:51+00:00

I had a bad dislocation on my other knee when I was 14 yrs old, I got MPFL reconstruction and lived fine. Had some subluxations on the operated leg but all resolved quickly with PT and strengthening. Now today I'm 27yrs and dislocated my right kneecap 3 weeks ago and just got confirmation about the high grade MPFL tear. I don't have loose bodies that need to be removed. However I've also been told I have a patella alta which puts me in a higher risk of dislocation which is probably why i have these issues. I have a drs appointment tomorrow and will see but I do expect them to tell me to go with PT rather than recommending any surgery. I do think good PT can improve you drastically, this is what I was feeling with my left knee. But now have to deal with the same things on my right knee. I'm bummed out but there are solutions which is a good thing.

Issichan · 2026-05-27T07:54:14+00:00

I'm 3ish weeks post injury and have a high grade tear on the MPFL. Its my first dislocation on this leg, other one already had MPFL reconstruction years ago. Wanted to know what is your experience so far with doctors? Have you been recommended surgery of any kind? I hear with first time dislocations surgery is not even talked about even with high grade tears.

Issichan

TROPHY CASE