Knee Problems Archives

swelling of patella

Dr. Stoll,
I am a 22 year old female college lacrosse player. Three years ago, after the onset of knee pain, I had a normal MRI and was diagnosed with patella-femaoral syndrome and IT-band syndrome with some tendenitis. I have struggled through lacrosse with the pain. However, about a month ago when I was on a week long lacrosse trip and there was no e. stim. treatment for me, it swelled up very very badly. After returning to my normal ice and stim. treatments it did not get much better. I have stopped playing lacrosse and have been getting acupuncture. An MRI showed a very large amount of swelling INSIDE of the bone. The doctors at my school have still not figured out what is wrong with my knee. They said that bone swelling was not a symptom of patella-femoral syndrome but I do not remember any isolated trauma incident. The doctor said that it looked as if someone took a baseball bat to my knee. I think that I would have remembered that.
Obviously you cannot see my MRI but I was wondering what would cause swelling of my knee cap. The only suggestions so far that the doctor said was either a bone tumor or a stress fracture (but he had never heard of that occurring in the knee cap.)
Thank you for your time!
-Emily

Follow Ups:

• Re: swelling of patella (Diagnostic dilemma.) Archive in knee. Walt Stoll 11:53:01 4/13/01 (0)
• Re: swelling of patella rpf 11:23:50 4/12/01 (1)
  • Re: swelling of patella - question about surgery for rfp Emily 16:30:45 4/15/01 (0)

In Reply to: swelling of patella posted by Emily on April 11, 2001 at 20:36:58:

You may have a cracked knee cap. My knee did the same thing. I had swelling and pain. Cartlidge had broken off and got caught in my knee joint. You may have some cartlidge that has gotten caught and is causing swelling. I had to have surgery to remove the cartlidge. MRI's can not see this condition because it is behind the bone. My Dr did not know until I under went surgery...

Good Luck..
rpf

Follow Ups:

• Re: swelling of patella - question about surgery for rfp Emily 16:30:45 4/15/01 (0)

In Reply to: swelling of patella posted by Emily on April 11, 2001 at 20:36:58:

Hi, Emily.

Listen to rpf (Thanks, rpf!)

You definitely need a perfect diagnosis, If I were you, I would get at least one more doc in consultation--starting with a sports medicine doc. The more minds on this the better for you!

Let us know what you learn.

Walt

In Reply to: Re: swelling of patella posted by rpf on April 12, 2001 at 11:23:50:

Rfp-
Was this just arthroscopic surgery or open knee surgery? Recovery time? Physical therapy?
-Emily