Topic: LCL sprain please help

[Chris [.5gibbon] Stevenson!]

last Saturday the 14 (4 days ago) i was hosting a jam and i wasn't really doing much other than helping new people with techniques, a few demonstrations, maybe a few more precisions than normal, but nothing big or unusual at all.  about an hour into the jam while walking to another location i noticed the outside of my left knee started to feel irritated.  since i was hosting the jam and was the person there with most experience i had to continue to walk on if for about another 2 hours and by then end of the jam my acl was hurting every time i took a step.  so to clear things up:

1. i was walking/ jogging/ light training when it occurred.
2. it is an acute injury. i have never had ligament pain in my knees before, however i have had minor tendonitis in unknown tendons in my knees a few times which have slightly flared up recently.
3. it feels absolutely normal when i am sitting or laying down, but if i walk or stand for extended periods of time, balance on rails or slackline, or run it starts to hurt.  i should note when walking, balancing, running, etc it only hurts when my hamstring is flexing to pull my leg forward again. i feel like squats do not bother it as much.
4. location is most likely my acl. the outer side of my knee almost to my hamstrings. btw i have not noticed any swelling at all.
5. im off it as much as possible and i have been icing it regularly and taking ibuprophin. (ice for 15 minutes on and hour off and have not applied any heat)

so i am relatively sure someone is going to say i somehow sprained my acl and i would agree, but the real point of this thread is i don't know what to do now. i want it to heal as quickly as possible so i have been researching about recovery and found the usual RICE stuff and blah blah, but im getting a lot of contradicting info.  People saying: ice only masks the pain and won’t actually do anything for the healing process, never use heat, always use heat, use heat after 48 hours, contrast baths, tape it up pussy, swelling is good, just stay off it, ice only if swollen, ect.  

It has been four days, no swelling, getting a little better kinda, and only hurts when I use it.  What should I do now?

[Steven Low]

How do you know it's an ACL sprain? Did you get it checked out by an orthopedic doc?

You didn't do anything that would've indicated you would've sprained anything. The ACL is located inside your knee.... not on the outside of the knee next to the hamstrings. That may be something like patellorfemoral syndrome, IT band syndrome, or LCL or whatever else.

You probably need to see a doc about that if you're that worried or to get a proper diagnosis.


Anything BUT muscles are always ice. Muscles may be heat if there is no swelling.

[Chris [.5gibbon] Stevenson!]

Anything BUT muscles are always ice. Muscles may be heat if there is no swelling.

thank you! thats the kind of clear cut info im looking for. and your right definitely not the acl i had it mixed with the lcl until you corrected me.  it feels like a sprain to me, but who knows. ill stretch my it band and see if that does anything just to see.  as far as doctors go there is no way i can afford an MRI, surgery, or physical therapy so there is no point.

edit: changed the title

[Steven Low]

Find a picture by googling anatomy and mark where it hurts.
Find out which movements hurt and at what angles.

I don't really trust your self diagnosis..  but you gotta know that any educated guess we make may also be waaaaaaaaay off as well.

[Chris [.5gibbon] Stevenson!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQGyUL1iEHg

http://www.eorthopod.com/images/ContentImages/knee/knee_collateral_ligaments/knee_collateral_cause03.jpg
it feels like the pain is coming from here except more twards the distal end of where the tear is in the picture.  and i don't think its torn like this thats just where it hurts.

[Ken PKChiro]

you realize that a sprain usually is caused by a traumatic incident?  There are plenty of other structures near that area--please don't self diagnose, chances are you're incorrect.  Even trained doctors struggle with a correct diagnosis a lot of times, and much of it is a "wait and see"--after the fact diagnosis.  Based on your description, i'd lean more towards a TFL issue, actually... I'd almost bet on it being tfl.

TFL's functions are lateral stabilization, extension AND flexion based on what degree of motion you are talking about, this mostly involved with walking motions.  The fascia can become irritated--rub up on something--the muscle strained, etc etc.  I'd consult a PT--possibly a chiro, but I'd start with a PT in this case.

[Chris [.5gibbon] Stevenson!]

i don't really care what the diagnosis is to be honest the point of the thread was should i ice an injury even after 4 days.  it dosen't matter to me if its my acl lcl or my ear because all i can afford to do is rest it ice it or apply heat.  doctors, PTs, and chiros all cost more money than i can spend.  but i will look into the TFL just for fun, but since it is possibly irritated i would just ice it and rest right?  also to stretch the itb and tfl should i wait until it stops hurting?

[Ken PKChiro]

I understand your frustration.  It's often hard without the income needed to see specialists.  However.  The reason they are specialists is because they have the background and education to give you the direction you need for recovery.  Anything we say here honestly is shooting into the wind, your guess is (almost) as good as our without a diagnosis.  Should you stretch the TFL?  Depends if it is hypercontracted or not.  If it is, yes, if not, no.  Should you wait till it stops hurting?  Sure, go for it--it may not fix your underlying problem though.  Should you ice it?  If steve is correct--again, sure.  In general chronic though acute conditions need ice and chronic heat--so maybe not.

See what I'm getting at?

[Chris [.5gibbon] Stevenson!]

i see. i wish i were invincible...  but last night and this morning i did three stretches i found on youtube for the IT band and TFL and my knee feels a TON better. im still going to give it a day or two and continue to ice and stretch before i continue training just to be safe.  thanks everyone who helped! and ill keep you updated.

[Chris [.5gibbon] Stevenson!]

still not better, but i have been looking into ITBS and i have found some really helpful info. thanks for all the help

[Justin "Rabbit" Oakes]

"tape it up pussy"

haha i agree with this one chris! .. lol na man.. i had the same problem you had in high school man.. it was an lcl sprain with me.. i was told to ice and not to heat.. but then again i was told the exact oppasite.. so idk really what to tell you but to do those stretches PKchiro was talking about with the TFL.. get better soon bro.. starting to get gay not training with you man!

[Chris [.5gibbon] Stevenson!]

started a new thread on the issue http://www.americanparkour.com/smf/index.php/topic,22381.0.html