Does my knee sound injured or just tendonitis from overuse?

[Doug Briggs]

...

Also, what kind of crappy insurance do you have that you are afraid to take an injury that restricts your activities to a doctor?

dm

Speaking for myself, the 'typical' insurance that those of us that don't get insurance through work have has about $6K - $7K out of pocket; most of that deductible then co-pay. That is truly burdensome to me. It probably is to others. I nearly died 6 - 7 years ago from acute appendicitis because I had a) an unusually high pain threshold and b) no dough to pay for an MRI for a conclusive diagnosis. I was willing to risk that I would get better (maybe it was just an acid stomach) than to incur unmanageable debt. I learned the hard way that is is better to go to the doctor and suffer the financial consequences than to die when I finally succumbed to the advice of a friend and went to the doctor's office where they immediately sent me to the ED, a CT scan and immediate surgery followed by a 7 day stay in the hospital. Since then I've been less reluctant to get a doctor's opinion but I am also fortunate that I had supplemental accident insurance that more than covered out of pocket expenses and my subsequent needs for a doctor were accidents. Some kind of fortune, right?

Let's just say it is hard to balance your health and your finances with the current state of insurance and health care costs. The health care and insurance markets are way beyond broken. One often has to put oneself in huge financial debt to secure proper medical treatment, even with insurance.

 

[Magi]

...I don't want anyone to think I'm dismissing the advice to see a PT or doctor. I'm aware that I don't know a lot of things about PT but wanted to cautiously test it out and see how it went. Over the past 3.5 years since shattering my ankle (and 13 other bones thru the years) I've been to a number of them and occasionally found someone good at sports therapy but so many of them were probably great at helping a lethargic person get off the couch, but found most of them used such basic exercises that I was doing far beyond that in my own rehab at home. My ankle surgeon who did the fusion and I discussed PT and he said that my lifestyle was 10x the PT I'd get seeing one so I haven't since the surgery and my gate is finally back to where no one can tell I had a fusion until I mention it. I'm back to being able to do long hikes in and out with 60lbs of kayak gear on my shoulder and my ankle and knee are feeling good. ...

I would counter that your ankle surgeon doesn't know a good Physio, or what you actually need is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach with a Functional Movement Specialty.

In my experience, talking to a sports medicine specialist, telling them "I'm an athlete" and "I want to be treated and rehabbed like an athlete" gets you an *entirely* different outcome than going to "a doctor".

@Brian Finch may have greater expertise to share on this matter.

 

[Lake n Ski]

Please be careful following what you read on internet or what people tell you on Internet forums regarding health issues. I see people all the time who feel they’ve “read studies” or they’re a strength and conditioning coach, have a kinesiology degree or have been a CrossFit participant for 10 years who often very wrongly misdiagnose and mistreat themselves or follow truly dangerous advice. Often times by the time I see them they’ve markedly worsened their own condition.

If you have insurance, get a proper evaluation. Maybe two.

No physician or other type of medical professional is perfect. Neither is every lawyer, waiter, banker, ski instructor, teacher, physical therapist, counselor, landscaper, salesman, etc. we’re all human.

The amount of completely wrong and potentially dangerous misinformation out there is depressing. The amount of people who feel they’re qualified to dispense it even more so.