What happened to me?

[True blue (and gold)]

About 8 years ago I had ACL reconstruction surgery on my left knee. I have a fairly high pain tolerance and only took a total of 2 Percosets (sp?) after the surgery, mostly because people expected me to, but I didn't really notice much pain. The knee recovered slowly, as I did not rehab it as much as I should have, but I would say that it is now back to 95% pre-surgery condition.

 

Fast forward to this morning. I am standing in the shower and turn wrong on it and feel something in the knee...for lack of a better word...move. I felt absolutely NO pain, but I immediately got light headed. I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me...and promptly passed out on the floor. (DISCLAIMER - no alcohol involved!)

 

My knee shows absolutely NO signs of injury. No pain, no swelling, so loss of range of motion.

 

What in the world happened to me this morning? It is kind of freaking me out.

[UKMustangFan]

I would see a doctor immediately. Sounds like you may have torn something, even though the swelling isn't visable.

[Aiden Seamus]

I have experienced similar things. 6 years ago I tore my MCL completely off the bone and cracked my femur.

 

After my surgery they told me that in order to operate on my MCL they had to cut a nerve. I don't know if this is the same in your case, but they may have also cut a nerve during your operation which would cause you to not feel pain in that area anymore.

 

To this day, I cannot feel if something touches the left half of my knee.

 

So that might explain why you didn't feel pain.

 

Now, a few times I have twisted in a way I shouldn't have and have felt my knee pop. I never feel pain, but it sure does feel awkward and it usually scares me to the point that I go easy on my knee for a while. Occasionally it has given me a queazy feeling because I was unsure if I had re-injured it and just not felt it.

 

I'm hoping this is what has happened in your case. That you're fine, but got queazy out of worry, IDK.

 

I'm not sure if you've injured it, a doctor would have to tell you that, but if you didn't feel any pain, I can't see why you would have fainted? If the nerves in there aren't working then there wouldn't be any signals to the brain signaling pain would there? Then why pass out?

[True blue (and gold)]

I have experienced similar things. 6 years ago I tore my MCL completely off the bone and cracked my femur.

 

After my surgery they told me that in order to operate on my MCL they had to cut a nerve. I don't know if this is the same in your case, but they may have also cut a nerve during your operation which would cause you to not feel pain in that area anymore.

 

To this day, I cannot feel if something touches the left half of my knee.

 

So that might explain why you didn't feel pain.

 

Now, a few times I have twisted in a way I shouldn't have and have felt my knee pop. I never feel pain, but it sure does feel awkward and it usually scares me to the point that I go easy on my knee for a while. Occasionally it has given me a queazy feeling because I was unsure if I had re-injured it and just not felt it.

 

I'm hoping this is what has happened in your case. That you're fine, but got queazy out of worry, IDK.

 

I'm not sure if you've injured it, a doctor would have to tell you that, but if you didn't feel any pain, I can't see why you would have fainted? If the nerves in there aren't working then there wouldn't be any signals to the brain signaling pain would there? Then why pass out?

 

Now THAT sounds painful! My surgeon did use part of my patellar tendon to form my new ACL and in doing so did have to remove a small part of my kneecap.

 

I have never gotten lightheaded out of worry before, so I don't know about that.

[True blue (and gold)]

I would see a doctor immediately. Sounds like you may have torn something, even though the swelling isn't visable.

 

You have a point, but since I am showing NO symptoms, what will the doctor say? Probably send me for an expensive MRI...just to show that nothing is wrong (I hope).

 

I have never passed out from pain before, so why would I pass out from NO pain?

[SpeedDemon]

Is it possible the light-headedness began to come on first? The loss of tension in the muscles of the leg could have led to the "movement" in the knee. Maybe you only noticed the uneasy feeling after the fact. I don't mean to worry you, just asking.

[Guest Bluto]

I have never passed out from pain before, so why would I pass out from NO pain?

 

Possibly from the weirdness/shock of having something go out of place. Sometimes if you see an athlete get a serious injury, and bones move the wrong way (like Joe Theismann) it can make you queezy; the queeziness will increase if YOU are the one to experiencing the weird movement!!

 

 

P.S. do you still have any of the Percocets left...?!

[sportsfan41]

Now THAT sounds painful! My surgeon did use part of my patellar tendon to form my new ACL and in doing so did have to remove a small part of my kneecap.

 

I have never gotten lightheaded out of worry before, so I don't know about that.

 

This may not sound releveant but could be, you said 8 years ago, how old were you then???

[sportsfan41]

You have a point, but since I am showing NO symptoms, what will the doctor say? Probably send me for an expensive MRI...just to show that nothing is wrong (I hope).

 

I have never passed out from pain before, so why would I pass out from NO pain?

 

Because the scar tissue from your previous knee surgery could've cause nerve damage, it may not connect where it's supposed to. So the pain,.... well you don't feel it, but it doesn't mean you didn't screw something up. You feel no pain because of the nerve damage, which sound EXTREMELY likely if you didn't rehap right, means you probably have a TON OF NERVE AND SCAR TYPE TISSUE in there that isn't supposed to be there.

 

I'm no doctor, but before chainging my major, I was pre physical therapy, and if you seen my orthapedic chart......which kinda looked like a bible by 20, and I'm not even 25. Well needless to say I've learned ALOT...

[oldrambler]

TBG I hope that you do see a doctor about this.

I am not going to speculate as to what may have caused anything, I don't know enough about that type of injury to even try. I hope that everything is o.k. with you. Keep us posted.

[oldrambler]

Possibly from the weirdness/shock of having something go out of place. Sometimes if you see an athlete get a serious injury, and bones move the wrong way (like Joe Theismann) it can make you queezy; the queeziness will increase if YOU are the one to experiencing the weird movement!!

 

 

P.S. do you still have any of the Percocets left...?!

 

:lol: That was going to be my next question.

[RebelK]

Possibly from the weirdness/shock of having something go out of place. Sometimes if you see an athlete get a serious injury, and bones move the wrong way (like Joe Theismann) it can make you queezy; the queeziness will increase if YOU are the one to experiencing the weird movement!!

 

 

P.S. do you still have any of the Percocets left...?!

I do - how good of a friend are you:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

Seriously TB&G I do hope that you will see a doctor. Passing out is never a good sign. It may not be anything but please don't take a chance.

[Phoenix13]

I tore my ACL about five years ago and had something like this happen to me a couple of months after surgery. I was doing something as simple as drying my dog off and turned and felt something move/pop. I freaked out but my knee didn't swell and I didn't really experience much pain. I wouldn't think much of it unless it starts to swell or you are in pain. I know its been many years since your surgery but it could have been scar tissue breaking up. I thought I re-tore my ACL about a year ago because my knee swelled up to the size of a softball after a basketball game. I went to the doctor and they did an MRI and everything was perfectly fine. My surgeon told me that everything was fine and that scar tissue was possibly still breaking up. But if you are really worried about it, I would go see your doctor!!

[True blue (and gold)]

Is it possible the light-headedness began to come on first? The loss of tension in the muscles of the leg could have led to the "movement" in the knee. Maybe you only noticed the uneasy feeling after the fact. I don't mean to worry you, just asking.

 

No, the lightheadedness was definitely a result of the movement. I seldom put all of my weight on the "bad" knee and then move, but that is what I did this time.

[True blue (and gold)]

This may not sound releveant but could be, you said 8 years ago, how old were you then???

 

I was...26 then, I believe.