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Hey, Carla, you don't already creak and pop every time you get up??? :)  
Been doing that since I was young! I've got 4 knee arthroplasties under my 
belt now - the most recent was this past summer. The MRI, yep, expensive 
toy, the best diagnostic tool they have is arthroscopy, showed a torn 
meniscus on the medial (inside) of the right knee but my pain was on the 
outside.  Once they got in there, I had a 1/2 dollar size chunk of cartilage 
half floating/half attached on the weight bearing surface of the lateral 
side of my knee.  Now that it's gone, poof, I'm GREAT as in better than way 
before surgery and like Angie, my left knee (2 surgeries on that one, too 
for various reasons, but nothing like this) will blow up before the right 
one does.  I was back riding fairly soon after surgery - NO, not on dr. 
orders, but his wife is a horse person too, so he knew that was coming!

Take it easy for a while and see if you can get past it on your own - I 
don't rush out to see my orthopod every time my knees hurt, just when it 
goes on and on and won't let up for over a month or more depending on how 
bad it is no matter what I do.  If they swell, I wrap them in 6" Ace wraps, 
ice and elevate.  If not swelling but hurting, take Aleve/Tylenol, etc to 
your hearts delight to get them to calm down and go easy for a while and 
yes, that includes not riding as much.  As for no insurance, I'm now in the 
same boat and it's a concern....if you get it diagnosed and then try to get 
insurance it'll become a pre-existing condition and possibly won't be 
covered, so if you're considering getting insurance any time soon, I'd hold 
out til the insurance kicks in before seeing any doctors.  I had to do this 
before my first surgery at 27, by the time my insurance was there (3 months 
after starting a new job) my right knee was swollen to twice its normal size 
and I called it 'jello knee' because it jiggled like jello when I walked it 
was so huge, but I was NOT gonna have a pre-existing, LOL...I wasn't riding 
at the time, so that wasn't an issue, but I sure was miserable.
Good luck....
Suzi and Holly whowisheshermomwouldquitworkingonthenewhouseandGORIDE!



"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in 
a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, 
thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming 'WOW! What a 
Ride'"





> From: "Sky Ranch" <skyranch@xxxxxxxx>
> To: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [RC]   Hurt my knee - advice?
> Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2006 13:06:29 -0700
>
> A week ago today I fell (in the dark) when I stepped in a hidden hole (snow 
> covered), my knee twisted and I fell awkwardly.  It was very painful, and I 
> writhed around on the ground for a minute or so before I could get brave 
> enough to try to stand up.  Luckily, I could walk but my knee was feeling 
> very odd.  Left leg, by the way.  I've been very, very careful with it this 
> past week, and it definitely is better.  However, it's still a l-o-n-g way 
> from 100%, especially with sideways motion.  It's sore to the touch on the 
> inside next to the kneecap, it's not swollen (it never did swell), but it 
> still hurts to move in certain ways - to the side or turning.  And, my 
> kneecap occasionally makes slight popping sounds, not painful when it pops, 
> from time to time when I walk on it.  Obviously, I'm walking very 
> carefully, and staying off it as much as possible.  But I'm not sure if 
> that's the best thing to do!
>
> My question is -- should I stay off of it, or is it better to walk 
> carefully and gradually keep working my knee slowly, in the movements that 
> "hurt" -- even though it hurts?  Will that help it or hurt it?   (and yes, 
> this is definitely horse/riding/ etc. related because I obviously can't 
> ride or condition with my knee hurt!!)
>
> Guess I may have to actually break down and go to the doctor (!) if this 
> doesn't start improving, faster, soon.  I don't have health insurance so 
> I'm avoiding that as long as I can.  (probably not the smart thing to do, I 
> know)
>
> Thank you for any helpful advice -
> Carla Richardson
> Colorado



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