To have booked a GP appointment for this?

[LunarLights1]

I have had knee pain for four months now, following completing a 5k run. I heard a ‘pop’ as I was running and it’s been sore ever since. I stopped running and exercising for two months, beyond walking and upper body exercises. That did nothing, so I’ve slowly incorporated some lower leg exercises back into my routine.

A week ago, I took a tumble and since then the pain has been nearly unbearable. I’ve got pain at the bottom of my kneecap, it is worse when walking or after a long period of time sitting down. It’s sore in the morning, and gets worse after any exercise.

I’ve put in a form at my GP, but my partner is horrified and thinks that I should just suck it up, or if it’s really bad pay for private physio as he thinks I’m wasting the GP’s time and it’s not bad enough for that, is he right?

What a jerk he is!

A partner who refuses to drive you to hospital is not a partner.

It doesn't matter if he thinks you should go or not. He is not a doctor and it is your body.

If he doesn't respect or care for you enough to give you a lift, then really, why are you with him?

But in any case, if it is a meniscus (and it sounds like it likely is), you need an MRI and not an X Ray. Minor injuries are unlikely to have an MRI available on standby so go to your GP and ask for a referral to Ortho who will arrange one.

But also, LTB.

Also no need to be scared on a meniscus injury. They are common, surgeons will treat lots of them every week. It is a keyhole surgery and assuming you are healthy, you probably will be a day case and not even stay overnight. Recovery means following the advice of exercises to rebuild muscles but no reason you can't return to running and normal exercise in a few months.

Please get it checked, and don’t listen to your partner. Or perhaps explain to him that leaving it untreated could cause major problems in the future, like developing early arthritis or requiring a knee replacement at young age. This would be a lot more expensive.

First post nails it. It's none of his business. He sounds like a total twat. Good luck at the GP.

What an absolute wanker. Why do you put up with this?

GP won't help. You need an MRI of the knee. Don't know where you are, but where we are, it is either a very long wait or a private appointment. Don't know your age - but running for anyone after a certain age is running towards a knee replacement, sadly.

That’s not correct. GP will arrange x ray or scan or physio. DH just did this

There are so many things it could be

• meniscus tear
• patella tendon tear
• patella dislocation
• ACL tear or rupture
• tibia plateau fracture/crack
• possible injury to nerves/muscles that pass through knee

or several other things

You are likely going to need xrays and MRI for proper diagnosis

Your partner is being an inconsiderate, unsupportive sh*t - glad mine didn't when I slipped in the kitchen as the injury turned out to be life-altering.

Agreed. Sorry op 💐

GP here, OP - I think your course of action is correct, you likely need an MRI at this stage rather than an x-ray. Hope you can get it sorted.

I’m not sure why the alternative is private physio. At my GP you can self-refer for NHS physio. So long as it’s not a fracture, I would do that.

You do need to seek help. When i injured my knee the pain was far worse than anything i have experienced. I was screaming in pain when i stood up. Nothing showed on the xray and the hospital refused to do more scans. My gp referred me for physio. My nhs physio was useless. She just said that i had a confidence issue. She said that i was anxious because i was struggling to walk. I was struggling as i was in pain but it fell on deaf ears. I should have gone private but i was convinced that i would just get dismissed again.

The form you have completed will be triaged and if the GP is not the right person you will be signposted appropriately. You have done the right thing.

Agree with others that the GP will be useless but you do need to see a physio - our surgery lets you self refer so might be worth checking if yours does.

Also agree that your partner sounds like an unsympathetic twat

usual question really. What does he bring to the party?

You definitely need to get it looked at and your partner sounds ridiculous. It sounds similar to when I tore my meniscus and I needed surgery to repair it.

Why are you with him?

The GP has told me to book physio, so I will get this sorted.

Quite worried it’s serious now!

Don't worry. If it's serious they'll know what to do about it and you can get it fixed. Better than ignoring it and potentially making it worse, or at the very least living in pain.

I’d have gone to Minor Injuries tbh. Sounds like you need an Xray. Your partner is weird if he thinks you shouldn’t seek medical attention for unbearable pain.

So take a taxi..

Nope your partner is wrong. Its been far too long and if you "suck it up" you could lose your mobility.
Your GP can refer you for an x-ray and/or physio.
Personally I don't think minor injuries is the right place because it's continued for so long and you certainly shouldn't go and clog up A&E.
Your GP is the right person to make the appropriate referrals.

Sounds like a torn ligament of some kind. You’d need an MRI to diagnose. It’s really not the end of the world though. My mum had a partially torn meniscus for like 30 years (and we live abroad where they actually bother to treat things). If it’s ACL likewise you’d need surgery but recovery isn’t that bad. I play a couple sports where both those injuries are extremely common.

BTW your partner sounds like a twat.

DS had a minor fall off a treadmill and hurt his knee when he was about 18. He was always crying wolf so I didn't push him to see anyone. Months later it was still bothering him and he had an x-ray. Showed nothing. Physio and more months and I paid for an MRI and he saw an orthopaedic consultant. We suspected torn meniscus.
There was absolutely nothing abnormal on the scan.
Ten years later it still bothers him at times but he did finally find a physio who helped and he can maintain function as long as he keeps up the exercises.