Advice on help for knee pain

[Moirae]

My husband hurt his knee at least a couple of weeks ago. He's been using icy hot and raising it up but the pain has barely subsided and he won't go to the doctor. I think he just wrenched it really bad, but he's a heavy man and it's not healing well.

He needs a brace of some sort and I've finally convinced him to try wearing one. The problem is that the one we bought from the store is a "one size fits all" thing and it definitely isn't big enough for his leg.

When I was a kid, I used to figure skate so this kind of stuff is not new to me (not to mention my car accident in 2004 means I have to wear a brace sometimes, though less often than it used to).

My mum used to have me wear something she called a tinser tape. It's an elastic tape that you used little metal clips to attach it to itself, and you could wind it around the injured area because it was really long. It's not really a tape because it's not sticky. But apparently this is the wrong word because whenever I try to do a search for it, the engine doesn't know what I'm talking about, and I haven't been able to find any at the two stores I've gone to, just the regular braces that are too small for him. But its more comfortable and less likely to slide down than a regular knee brace too.

Do you know what it's actually called?

[CoffeeMonkey]

Ace wraps are stretchy fabric wraps that have little metal teeth, but I might suggest this type stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/WRAP-FLEX-BAND...words=vet+wrap

It's stretchy, sticks to itself but not skin, and can be reused as long as you roll it up as you take it off.

[Moirae]

That's not exactly it, but I did finally find what I was looking for because I followed the breadcrumbs from it. A compression bandage.

Thank you for the help.

[AccountingDrone]

the kind that does not stick to itself, and has little metal clips is an ace bandage. there is a stick to itself kind, but you do not want that.

[KuariKaydrith]

Tensor is one of the brand names for that sort of wrap, and it usually comes in different widths. Make sure you get the right width to properly stabilize the knee.

As somebody who has chronic knee problems trust me when I say he should get it checked out by a doctor because there may be more damage than meets the eye. Also, a doctor can recommend the type of brace he should use - I use one with hole for the knee cap to rest in, and it's one of the one size fits all. I have very little slippage with it although I do need to replace it when the velcro on it wears down - it's got three straps that help to adjust it to fit my leg, hence why it doesn't slip much. It's identical to this one: http://www.tensproducts.com/Knee-Brace_p_257.html

[Moirae]

Accounting Drone, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I don't think the sticky stuff will stay properly on him given the way he moves around. I think the hooks will work better.

Kuari, I know but he's being stubborn.

I personally have a knee brace that I have to use sometimes since my car accident. I've generally found that if I put the brace on overnight, along with some icy hot, and sleep with a pillow under it, the pain is gone in the morning. It WILL come back eventually but I can sometimes go months without pain in my leg.

Since he's being stubborn, I'd like to try the tape first along with icy hot and keeping it up. If it still doesn't help, maybe he'll finally agree to go to the doctor and have it looked at. I really think it's just a sprain though. It's just not healing because of his weight and the insane amount of stairs at work. Plus he's not used to dealing with knee injuries, though he's finding his mobility is limited (he's having to take stairs one at a time. Boy do I know how that feels).

Thanks guys.

[Barracuda]

Epsom salts. They help with this type of injury and pain and swelling. Get some at any pharmacy or grocery store, and dump into a steaming hot bath, then soak. Should help it heal.

[BlaqueKatt]

Kuari, I know but he's being stubborn.

ask me how well "being stubborn" turned my mildly torn PCL into NO PCL.

Yup small tear, didn't go in until the pain was unbearable, now I have a permanently unstable knee(it hyperextends when I'm walking), or I can get surgery that will run over $50k and cost six weeks off work.
Had I gone in and gotten a proper brace to support it while it was healing, it would've been $100 dr visit and $70 brace with having to wear the brace for 6 weeks.

I know all about the cost of "being stubborn"

Ask him if he'd let his "check engine" light go without seeing a mechanic when it's also making a grinding noise, and then ask if the car is worth more than his health.

[Moirae]

He says he's feeling better today. He's been sitting and laying down since we got home yesterday, resting with it up.

I know how you feel though, I tore the tendon in my knee falling on some ice (the same one I damaged years ago in that car accident). I literally felt it tearing further and further. I ended up that I had to take 3 weeks off so it could heal. I'm actually quite worried about it in that it might tear all the way one day if I'm not very very careful. Happily, he says he's not feeling THAT particular pain. Thank goodness.

[Seshat]

Ideally, get him to see a doctor.

Failing that, get him a knee brace with hinged metal supports on either side, as well as the hole for the patella. A pharmacy tech should be able to order one in for you.


If that is not the correct type of brace for his particular injury, it won't provide a perfect fix. But it'll prevent (or reduce the risk of) lateral movement, as well as keeping the patella in place.