What on earth have I done to my leg?

[goodsapphic]

Sorry for the long post.
Back in December, I was waiting for the bus to go somewhere but it was running late so I ended up running so I wouldn't be late. Anyway, the bus eventually turned up at another bus stop so I got onto it. I heard a popping noise in my hips but my joints pop and click a lot anyway due to my hypermobility and I thought nothing of it. That was until I got off the bus and on the side that had popped I couldn't walk properly and limped with my foot turned out. When I went home I ended up having to essentially drag that leg home whilst using my other foot to kick on from the ground. My knee would not stop clicking as I went up the stairs and when I had a bath I could feel a bubbling sensation as it went into the water. I went to the GP and they referred me to an orthopedic. The limp went but I ended up walking with my foot turned out, my ankles also collapse inwards.

A few weeks later I was sat down and noticed a pain in my leg. I stood up and ended up limping that day. I noticed later that my knee was facing inwards when my foot was straight and to straighten my knee I had to turn my foot by quite a large angle. I saw my GP again and then prescribed co-codamol and a phone number for physio. I could not get hold of the physio so I haven't been able to do it. The GP told me it would be about a year until I see the orthopedic.

Anyway, it has been quite painful and I am wondering what on earth have I done. Obviously I will listen to the orthopedic before mumsnet but I'm just curious to wonder as to what it could possibly be. TIA.

See an osteopath

I think you need an xray

Sounds awful, op, are you able to see a physio or doctor privately? If parts of your leg are still facing the wrong way, tbh, id be tempted to head off to minor injuries or even a&e...

I think the response from you gp has been woeful!

can you see the orthopedic privately?

Disgraceful response from your GP. You're in pain and there's a visible issue yet you'll wait a year to see someone.

I'd also be turning up to A&E for an X-ray, if they ask why now and not at the time of the incident just explain you went to the gp at the time but now the pain has intensified and clearly things aren't right.

See a private physio, if you can afford it, even if just for a first session. My daughter had knocked her kneecap out of its groove, needed urgent physio to strengthen muscles to support it in the right place... she had 6 private physio sessions (£230) and a further 5 weeks after they had been completed her referral came through for NHS.

She would have still been limping now if we had waited!

If you're hypermobile is it a partial dislocation? I'd imagine you need an xray to find out.

@TaraR2020

I think you need an xray

Sounds awful, op, are you able to see a physio or doctor privately? If parts of your leg are still facing the wrong way, tbh, id be tempted to head off to minor injuries or even a&e...

I think the response from you gp has been woeful!

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately I can't afford to go privately. I am due for an x-ray in August for my scoliosis, which I think is under orthopedics so I could ask them there if they have an idea of what is causing it.

@MedusasBadHairDay

If you're hypermobile is it a partial dislocation? I'd imagine you need an xray to find out.

Wouldn't a partial dislocation be extremely painful all of the time? It's painful but the pain does come and go. Sorry but I don't think I've ever dislocated anything before so I'm not sure what it feels like.

@goodsapphic , I've had an issue with my knee dislocating for as long as I can remember- I had it operated on once I hit adulthood.

It used to be excruciating, but now if it pops it's not so painful? So any chance it could have dislocated back in Dec and now is just popping in and out occasionally?

I would see a different gp or go to minor injuries (who will probably send you to a&e). Visibile disfigurement shouldn’t be left for so long, it might be that something needs pushing back into place

From what I know it varies. When I get them they are usually more of a dull uncomfortable ache until they correct themselves, not had one last longer than half an hour or so though. I'd imagine full dislocations are more painful. I think you need to go back to the gp and ask for further investigation.

@goodsapphic that's a shame op. I still urge you to head to minor injuries or a&e - or at the very least, a different gp and push very hard for an xray

@TaraR2020 I have a hospital appointment in August so I will try and get an x-ray done then for my legs.

Thanks for the responses. I think I will just try to push for an x-ray and go from there. Hopefully will get answers faster than a year then.

I've eds and it sounds like your hip snapped out and back in in December and now it's doing the same thing. Probably causing all kinds of inflammation. You need to rest it to give it a chance to heal as the soft tissues will be all irritated. It could also be sliding in and out randomly as well. I get varying degrees of pain with my dislocations and only the big ones cause me serious pain.

Good luck,op 🤞

Isn't the foot facing the wrong way indicator of a hip issue, fracture or dislocation/

I am looking at "foot turned out" and "ankles collapsed inwards" - it is entirely within the realms of the possible that your tendons (quite possibly the tibial tendon) is damaged or even broken. It is not uncommon for this to present as "erratic pain", especially if it is damage. And worst, it may not even be spotted until something much worse happens unless someone goes specifically looking for this. The "duck walk" (foot turning out) is typical of damage to the tibial tendon. And and X-ray may not identify it. Push and insist on seeing a specialist.

The best way I can describe this to you is to imagine tendons as strong elastic bands. They are designed to stretch and then go back into place. But wear and tear and/or damage from a sprain or something can cause them to stretch and maybe not, or not always, shrink back. If it doesn't shrink back properly it may look ok on an Xray, but it isn't ok, because it is "too loose". The tendon has a function in containing the bones in the ankle in their proper places, and they can literally drift out of line without this support. There are very easy, but quite specific tests, that a specialist can do that will tell them whether this has happened, but they wouldn't be able to see anything on an Xray or other scan. The tests are about function of the ankle, not sight of the parts - if that makes sense?

Why don't you go to minor injuries, particularly as it happened as a result of an accident. August is a long time to wait.

@AutumnBrooke well I have been waiting since December, although the pain has begun to worsen since then although I have good days but I have managed for six months so I don't think waiting another two will do that much harm. Although I might be retracting that statement if the pain gets really bad between then and now.

[quote goodsapphic]@TaraR2020 I have a hospital appointment in August so I will try and get an x-ray done then for my legs.

Thanks for the responses. I think I will just try to push for an x-ray and go from there. Hopefully will get answers faster than a year then.[/quote]
If the appointment is not for your legs, they will not x-ray your legs.
Go back to the GP and ask for an x-ray for your hip and knee.

@steppemum I know but surely I could request another appointment whilst I'm there for an x-ray of my legs? Or would I have to go through my GP?

[quote goodsapphic]@AutumnBrooke well I have been waiting since December, although the pain has begun to worsen since then although I have good days but I have managed for six months so I don't think waiting another two will do that much harm. Although I might be retracting that statement if the pain gets really bad between then and now.[/quote]
If, and it's if, I am correct then you have already waited too long. And another two could be the difference between substantial surgery and major surgery which will never be able to reverse the damage anyway. I may not be correct. It's impossible to say without hands on checking, so to speak. But there is an evens chance that I am correct. What you have described are classic signs. And an xray won't tell you even if you get one. Please get proper specialist advice on tendonopathy from an orthopaedic consultant. Not an xray, not a physio, a consultant. If I'm wrong then you'll have a proper diagnosis anyway, but if I'm right it could save your ankle.

[quote goodsapphic]@steppemum I know but surely I could request another appointment whilst I'm there for an x-ray of my legs? Or would I have to go through my GP?[/quote]
pretty sure you need to go through GP.
Or at very least contact your consultant and ask if they can do both.

@steppemum ah okay. I think I may just go to minor injuries then instead, if I go through my GP I'll probably be waiting for ages just to get an appointment with them to refer me for an x-ray.

Quite right OP. It is absurd of your GP to prescribe some pills and send you away to wait for a year. Definitely head to minor injuries,