To ask for advice- not serious enough for a&e but no GP appointment

[Rhythmisadancer1]

has anyone ever sprained their knee before? What was it like and what was your treatment and how long did it take you to start feeling better?

im between 1-2 weeks after hurting my knee (presuming I’ve sprained it) and it’s still extremely tight and stiff to bend and move. When I bend it feels like it’s tight and clenched and like something needs to pop or like there’s a bubble in my knee. It’s weird. Weight bearing is fine and so is standing on it but when I bend and lift my knee to walk it feels extremely tight and very uncomfortable. Not pain as such more a lot of discomfort and tightness. It was quite swollen and not bruised until day 5 where it went completely yellow and green

im in the limbo where it’s not serious enough for a&e as it’s clearly not broken or dislocated, but i also can’t get to the gp to have it checked as there’s no appointments (I’ve been doing the 8.30am phone gauntlet everyday). Unfortunately there’s no minor injuries or urgent care or any other step down from a&e in the area. ive been to the pharmacy who said take painkillers but couldn’t offer any advice on the knee or injury itself. I’ve contacted private physios who can’t see me for 3-4 weeks either

I’ve been trying RICE and not letting it stiffen up but also not doing anything strenuous. It got slightly better but it’s still bad. Has anyone ever sprained or injured their knee before and remember what it was like or how they helped it?

I had that bubble in my knee feeling, told it was a bakers cyst due to a knee injury, took ages to go away, was over 10 years ago. A&E don’t X-ray knees apparently ( what they told me) so this was diagnosed by just looking at it, the knee has never been the same since. Your post just reminded me of this because I now have a DVT in the same leg, prob not related though.

Too many times...thanks skiing.

Soft tissue damage - ligaments - are really painful. You need to get it checked though if you've torn a CL surgery may be needed.

How did you you do it, was it a twist, did you hear a snap, does it lock out?

Physio would be ideal for you.

Not sprained a knee but used to be a frequent ankle sprainer. One session with physio sorted the ankle and the falls.

Does your gp use e consult? Usually phone appointments are only for on the day emergencies but the e consult is for other issues. A doctor will review the information within 48 hours and offer you the best course of action.

I’d just book a physio appointment and take anti-inflammatories in the meantime.

Neither GP nor A and E is likely to be much help. If it’s something more serious (unlikely) the physio will send you back to GP with info they can use to refer,

Self refer to physiotherapy. Or pay for private physio if you don't want to wait. GP would just give you analgesia.

Ofcourse they xray knees
@Throwncrumbs

Honestly, I would go to A&E. Knee sprains can take 6 weeks for a minor injury and months for something more serious. The problem is that you cannot tell whether it is more serious by looking at it or based on being able to walk or bend it! I sat this as the idiot who walked around for 5 weeks on a sprained ankle becuse if it was broken I wouldn't be able to walk on it would I? Hmm, one broken ankle and torn ligament, major surgery and a permanent restriction on movement due to the metal framework now in my ankle later...

To be fair, the damage didn't get any worse - it was serendipity and bad luck that what seemed like minor damage wasn't. Perversely whilst telling my physio about this tale in post-op recovery, she told me how she walked around on a broken leg for 3 weeks because the x-Ray got mixed up and they told her she didn't have a broken leg when she did, and it was one of her colleagues who told her to get her backside down to A&E because it was obviously broken!

I was told that in a&e…. I know it sounds stupid!

I hate when people trot this line out on GP type threads.
NOT ALL surgeries offer e consult , ours doesn’t. It’s the 830 call in queue situation for us too.
Do you honestly think someone would keep calling everyday if there was an online option 🤨

Physio - our surgery offers a direct-to-physio service but I appreciate yours may not. Splash the cash and see a physio privately?

Best option would be to see a physio which in some areas could be NHS if there is an acute service ( details from GP surgery) or private which you can arrange yourself and pay as a one off.
Second best solution is econsult.
Minor injuries is good if you have such a service locally.
Otherwise I'm afraid it is GP .

It was the fact I can still walk and weight bear which made me unsure about a&e etc- it’s only when bending and lifting it that it feels funny

unfortunately our gp doesn’t have econsult and you can only book an appointment for a gp on the day. It’s not just for emergencies it’s for all appointments. Very frustrating especially when I’ve already taken a week off and can’t afford to keep taking days off in the hope I’ll get an appointment!

I’ll see if I can find a physio that can take me sooner. Unfortunately we live rurally and the private physio had a waiting list of 4 weeks.

if my symptoms are normal for a sprain I’ll persevere and let it heal itself, I’ve just never had a knee injury before so wasn’t sure what to expect. I know if it’s a sprain hospital can’t treat it and sprains don’t need crutches as you’re supposed to keep walking on it, so don’t want to waste their time going to a&e for a simple sprain they can’t do anything for anyway

Should have said as well, this isn’t just random knee pain, it’s following a fall where my knee was twisted and stretched

If I had a soft tissue knee injury I’d see a physio over a GP ANY day of the week.

I say that as a GP. We have no quicker access and often slower access to secondary care, for those who need it, than many NHS physio services. Physio’s are generally better at injury assessment. It’s what they do, day in and day out. An X-ray is of zero use most of the time with this history. GPs are also (where I work) not a contracted (ie funded for) minor injury service (although do see a lot of minor injury anyway)…

Most fairly minor soft tissue injuries (and if weight bearing and walking fine this doesn’t sound like you have torn or ruptured anything) will settle with time (think circa 6+ weeks), painkillers and, if available to you, some physio. It’s boring and frustrating but true. Hang in there x

I wonder if you've damaged your acl. If so you'll need to see someone as there's no blood supply to this ligament and so it won't heal on its own.