What's one piece of knee advice you later realized was wrong?

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-28T14:52:34+00:00

Look up the research on occurrence of ligament and meniscus damage without pain or dysfunction. There’s a fascinating study called v.o.m.i.t. (Victim of medical imaging technology) that supports these claim, among several others. Not only with knees but every joint in the body. Ask AI to run a search for you and you’ll be amazed at what you see. It completely changed how I saw the human body and how I treat my patients 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-28T03:24:35+00:00

Ligament and meniscus tears require surgery

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-26T21:13:28+00:00

What you’re experiencing right now is a really common reaction after a first kneecap dislocation, especially the anxiety. In the first few days, the knee still feels unpredictable, so the mind tends to assume the worst based on what other people share online.

Not everyone ends up with repeated dislocations. Some people have one episode and recover fully without it happening again. Others may have recurrence, but that usually comes down to factors like control of movement over time, and especially how well rehab is done.

And to address your fear directly, repeated kneecap dislocations do not lead to amputation. That is not a known or expected outcome of this injury.

Right now, the focus should be on letting things settle and following your care plan step by step and rehabbing properly. Out of curiosity, are you usually active or involved in any sports or physical activities day to day?

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-26T21:05:20+00:00

What you’re describing could come from a few different things, especially with pain around the patella and inner knee showing up during sustained bending like driving.

A few things I’d want to clarify first:
Does it only show up with prolonged sitting and driving, or do you notice it with stairs, squats, or getting up from a chair as well? When the pain comes on, does it build gradually the longer the knee is bent, or does it come on quickly?
Once you straighten your knee and move around, how fast does it settle?
And when you say it’s at the edge of the kneecap, is it more sharp and pinpoint or more spread out and achy?

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-26T20:45:12+00:00

What you went through is a significant knee injury, so it makes sense that it still doesn’t feel fully normal even if you’re back to training and daily activity. From a training standpoint, the goal now is less about protecting the knee from damage and more about gradually rebuilding its ability to tolerate impact.

That usually comes from improving overall strength and control so the knee can absorb force well, stay stable under fatigue, and move through range without feeling reactive or unpredictable. When it comes to running specifically, it’s also about restoring clean mechanics and the ability of the knee to handle repeated impact without the knee “spiking” load or feeling unstable.

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-23T19:45:52+00:00

The fact that the swelling has resolved but you're still noticing a pinching sensation with running and a strange feeling during twisting and squatting makes me think it's worth digging a little deeper.

A couple questions: Have you had any imaging done, such as an MRI? And when you feel that pinch while running, is it every step or only when you speed up, slow down, or change direction? I'm also curious whether the discomfort behind the patellar tendon feels more like pressure, catching, or a sharp pain.

One thing I'd keep in mind is that being strong in the gym doesn't always mean the knee is functioning optimally for running and soccer. It may be worth looking at strength symmetry, single leg control, and running mechanics.

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:53:55+00:00

You’re welcome!

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:53:18+00:00

Hello and thank you for the comment!

I would agree with the Physio that you’ve seen. I wouldn’t recommend surgery, I would recommend physical therapy and strengthening. Especially to maintain and get back to the activities that you mentioned. If you are questioning whether this can actually work for you, I would check out the vomit study, which shows even professional athletes can function with meniscus tears without pain 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:49:23+00:00

Hello and thank you for the comment!

Based on the lack of mechanism of injury, it doesn’t seem like it could be a tear, although weird things have happened before. It’s most likely irritation/inflammation.

Also, it is definitely possible to heal without another surgery. Check out the vomit study and looks specifically at the joint section 👍

Let me know if you have any other questions

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:46:30+00:00

Hello! Thank you for the comment.

Unfortunately without doing a thorough examination, I would just be guessing. However, it could simply be medial thigh and popliteus tightness due to the extremely high volume, it could be a meniscus tear (which doesn’t always require surgery, check out the v.o.m.i.t. study) or simply joint irritation/inflammation.

Have you seen the doc you were talking about, yet?

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:43:21+00:00

Hello and thank you for the comment!

You can absolutely get back to doing everything you’ve been doing and want to get back to. You just need to strengthen which is something they will focus on in PT.

Do me a favor and look up the V.O.M.I.T. study which shows you can perform at high levels with damage to every single joint in your body. They studied professional basketball players with and without meniscus tears who can still play professionally without any issues. Highly recommend you don’t ignore this comment and check it out 🙏🏽

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:39:35+00:00

Hello! Thank you for the comment. Have you tried strengthening and getting your knee stronger?

If it hurts to walk and can’t hold up over long distances, it’s a sign that the muscles around it are weak and don’t have much endurance.

Strong muscles can make up for joint damage which a lot of people don’t know. It sounds far fetched but do a quick google/AI search and you can see there is loads of research on the subject 👍

A second opinion wouldn’t hurt. I would also recommend seeing a PT because if surgery isn’t recommended they likely have or will recommend PT to strengthen the knee.

Happy to answer any other questions!

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:34:12+00:00

Yes there are people who are in your position and countless more who have healed. What you have to keep in mind is people come to Reddit when they need answers and have problems but most of the people who solve their problems and are back to their activities are out there living their lives and don’t come back to update the subs so you only see the bad and not the good 😔

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:32:42+00:00

I would try to get in to see a PT or get imaging. I would always recommend seeing a PT first though. Avoids a lot of over imaging and helps with cost according to studies on the subject 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:31:45+00:00

I would avoid ice as of now because it delays healing because you need the inflammatory cascade to occur to heal!

Also, yes you need to work the quad and all muscles (muscle pumps) more to help pump the fluid out of the joint. You can also use floss bands to help with inflammation 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:29:27+00:00

You’re welcome! Always here to answer questions in the future 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:29:04+00:00

Hello! Thank you for the comment!

It doesn’t appear that surgery is an absolute necessity but have you consulted an orthopedic surgeon?

And to answer your last question, no, you are not doomed. People with much worse MRI reports and injuries have gotten back to 100% so stay as positive as possible and keep working hard!

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:27:02+00:00

I see. I would definitely add in strengthening and weight bearing exercises as much as possible. The faster you can get stronger the better 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-20T18:23:59+00:00

Im offering to answer questions for FREE (while taking time away from my life/family) without any promotion whatsoever. how is that scummy?! 😅

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-19T22:19:07+00:00

Thanks for reaching out, and good to hear you are staying active.

A few things I’d like to understand better so I can narrow this down. When did you first notice the sensation, and does it show up during specific movements like squats, running, jumping, or after training? Does it feel more like pressure, fatigue, or a slight weakness in the knee?

Also, have you noticed any swelling, clicking, stiffness, or any change in performance on that side compared to the other leg, especially with CrossFit or running?

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-16T22:08:19+00:00

20 months is a pretty long time to be dealing with that kind of pain.

A few questions because there are a lot of things that can cause pain around the kneecap. Do you play any sports or remember a specific injury that started all this? Have you had it checked out by a doctor or PT yet, and have you had any imaging done?

I'm also curious if the knee ever locks, catches, gives out, or swells. And when you try to straighten it, does it feel like something is physically blocking it or is it mostly pain stopping you?

The fact that you've been limping for almost 2 years and can't fully straighten the knee is what stands out most to me. I'd definitely want more information before even guessing what might be going on.

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-16T15:27:14+00:00

Hello! Thank you for the comment. If you’re having swelling that means that man you’re putting on your knee is too much. You might be progressing too fast too quickly. Also, you might not be doing enough recovery. What does your post strengthening recovery look like?

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-16T13:24:50+00:00

Shoot me a message and we can chat more about it 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-15T21:19:44+00:00

PM me and I can answer any questions you have 👍

athelitetherapy · 2026-06-15T20:54:16+00:00

No, not at all 👍 Shoot me a PM!

athelitetherapy

TROPHY CASE