Question: I fell on my knee about 3 weeks ago. I went to the doctor and told him how it felt. It feels like it is going to give out, my knee pops around the knee cap. I have sharp pain when walking up or down the stairs. Also, it hurts when I stand for a while and when I pivot. He sent me for a x-ray and said come back in 2 weeks.

I called back for the results and the nurse said everything was fine. I asked what was wrong with it, she said I sprained it. She said to stay off it and use crutches till it didn’t hurt to walk on it.

I used them for a week and then starting walking on it again. The first couple of days I wasn’t on the crutches was fine and it didn’t even hurt. Then after a couple days later when I walked on it, it began to hurt again like it didn’t heal all the way.

I went back to the doctor and told him how the crutches helped so much and I didn’t have pain till a couple days after not using them. He said maybe I should get a MRI. I said do I have to I thought it was just sprained. He said you can wait a couple weeks. I said ok. I said should I just rest it and he said yes and maybe take ibuprofen and the whole thing might go away. I told him I walk all the time. I asked him should I use the crutches again for a little because they helped and when I stopped using them my knee felt almost healed, like I didn’t use them long enough before, otherwise it would be healed by now. He said if you can walk on it walk on it.

I don’t understand why he said just walk on it when it still hurts and the crutches almost healed my knee. And since it didn’t heal all the way why should I keep walking on it and make it worse. It just doesn’t make sense and he is only in the room for 5 minutes and leaves. He didn’t even look at it. Being on the crutches makes sense. I also have read normally with a knee sprain you are on the crutches for about 2 weeks.

My question is should I use the crutches again and if so for how long?

Thank you for your advice.

In the last email I said that I went off the crutches after one week and started walking on it again and it started to get worse after 3 days of being off them.

I have now been using crutches for a little less than a week now. I do still walk on it a little so it doesn’t get stiff. I was thinking about using the crutches for about 2 or 3 weeks longer. They are really helping and I think using them for that much longer will help and heal it. Or at least give it time so I can walk on it and not have it get worse. The popping that I was feeling is not happening as much as before and the pain has got a little better. I feel like it is healing but not all the way yet. I am almost positive that I didn’t tear anything. I don’t want to injure it more by walking on it if there is still some pain. I also have been told to follow what your body tells you.

I know you said it can take a while to heal also. I don’t think it helped that I waited to go to the doctor the first time because I was walking on it for about a week and a half. I think it slowed the healing process.

I just wanted to know if it is ok to use the crutches for that time or should I use them longer than that? I will still walk on it a little to make sure it doesn’t get stiff or to weak.