Patellar tendon not healing/ cortisone shot option

richard200593 · 12-19-2014, 04:50 PM

About 8 months ago I had a work related injury. I work for a moving company and missed a step going down some stairs and hyper extended my knee. Had an Mri and X-rays done and diagnosis was a strained patellar tendon. Did 4 months of pt and 6 months of light duty (which consists of doing pretty much nothing). It healed pretty well and during normal activity it feels great but with my work I have to run stairs, walk backwards with heavy items, and bend in weird places and I have been on full duty for two months now because the doctor and I agreed that it should heal the rest of the way in time but it hasn't seemed to get any better at all in the last three to 4 months. I'm being told that because it's a workers comp case I cannot get a second opinion from my own doctor and the workers comp doctor says the only other option is cortisone shots... Something I've been told by many people is a bad idea due to causing worse problems later in life. Any suggestions on what to do or anyone have experience with the shots?

cornerspeed92 · 12-19-2014, 05:35 PM

I just had a shot in my shoulder last week, i have a torn rotator cuff and the shot is already wearing off. I know that you cant just keep getting them. I've had 3 knee surgery and still have a torn ACL, thankfully im not having issues with the knee.Good luck

ckaram · 12-19-2014, 05:40 PM

I had one below the knee a couple years ago for some funky kind of bursitis that was pretty painful.

Few years before that had one in an elbow near a tendon that never responded to therapy and a lot of exercises. Neither pain has come back years later. Also, I exercise 3-4 days/week with running and full body resistance workouts.

Might be worth a gamble on a strained tendon. Just be aware of masking what's really going on beneath the skin.

redhotcandy · 12-19-2014, 05:48 PM

I had a cortisone shot under my kneecap in July for early osteo-arthritis due to past injuries. It is just now starting to wear off. I may wait until Feb or March to go in again, it is aching with an occasional sharp pain.

CFD · 12-19-2014, 05:53 PM

4 months ago I had a shot for a damaged bicept tendon, worked but not completely, two weeks later got a 2nd shot and all has been good since, the doctor said they were a steroid shot, not sure if cortisone is a steroid but what ever they gave me worked.

Just checked, cortisone is a steroid, there are other shots that are the same but with different names so what I got most likely was cortisone or the same thing with a different name(I'm assuming it's a different brand of the same thing)

heymatt · 12-19-2014, 08:35 PM

I've probably had a dozen cortisone shots for various tendonitis/ bursitous problems over the years, knee, both elbows and hands. Knee and hand issues cleared up, elbows are a mess, not bad enough for surgery, but good enough to work.
I'd ask for a second MRI to compare to the original injury and see if it is healing or getting worse. In my experience, cortisone is more often than not a temporary solution. Works for me about 12-18 months and then the pain from tendonitis in my elbows is back.

kevint · 12-21-2014, 12:39 PM

The shitty thing about tendons, ligaments and cartilage is that they receive very little blood flow, so the lack of healing drainage and healing factors in the area causes them to take VERY long to heal. Thankfully, there is a lot of research being done in this area.

Good luck.

Dznts · 12-21-2014, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard200593

About 8 months ago I had a work related injury. I work for a moving company and missed a step going down some stairs and hyper extended my knee. Had an Mri and X-rays done and diagnosis was a strained patellar tendon. Did 4 months of pt and 6 months of light duty (which consists of doing pretty much nothing). It healed pretty well and during normal activity it feels great but with my work I have to run stairs, walk backwards with heavy items, and bend in weird places and I have been on full duty for two months now because the doctor and I agreed that it should heal the rest of the way in time but it hasn't seemed to get any better at all in the last three to 4 months. I'm being told that because it's a workers comp case I cannot get a second opinion from my own doctor and the workers comp doctor says the only other option is cortisone shots... Something I've been told by many people is a bad idea due to causing worse problems later in life. Any suggestions on what to do or anyone have experience with the shots?

I had a radial head replacement due to elbow injury, I have had one cortisone shot and it really helped me out. As far as workers comp, it varies from state to state, but I see no reason you shouldnt be able to get a second opinion. I was injured on the job, and received a second opinion.

12-19-2014, 04:50 PM	#1
richard200593 Drives: 2012 45th Anniversary RS Join Date: May 2012 Location: California Posts: 887 View My Garage	Patellar tendon not healing/ cortisone shot option About 8 months ago I had a work related injury. I work for a moving company and missed a step going down some stairs and hyper extended my knee. Had an Mri and X-rays done and diagnosis was a strained patellar tendon. Did 4 months of pt and 6 months of light duty (which consists of doing pretty much nothing). It healed pretty well and during normal activity it feels great but with my work I have to run stairs, walk backwards with heavy items, and bend in weird places and I have been on full duty for two months now because the doctor and I agreed that it should heal the rest of the way in time but it hasn't seemed to get any better at all in the last three to 4 months. I'm being told that because it's a workers comp case I cannot get a second opinion from my own doctor and the workers comp doctor says the only other option is cortisone shots... Something I've been told by many people is a bad idea due to causing worse problems later in life. Any suggestions on what to do or anyone have experience with the shots? __________________ Performance: mrt v2.0 exhaust/CAI Intake Cosmetic: Zl1 factory Reproduction wheels Bmr 1.2/1.4 springs/Oracle plasma drl lights, footwell ambient lighting, 45th Gobo lights Audio: Memphis pr600 amp/Fosgate 12" t0 sub/******* stealth box

12-19-2014, 05:35 PM	#2
cornerspeed92 Drives: 2013 1SS 1LE Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,188 View My Garage	I just had a shot in my shoulder last week, i have a torn rotator cuff and the shot is already wearing off. I know that you cant just keep getting them. I've had 3 knee surgery and still have a torn ACL, thankfully im not having issues with the knee.Good luck __________________

12-19-2014, 05:40 PM	#3
ckaram Drives: 2011 2SS RS, 1968 ragtop Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,850	I had one below the knee a couple years ago for some funky kind of bursitis that was pretty painful. Few years before that had one in an elbow near a tendon that never responded to therapy and a lot of exercises. Neither pain has come back years later. Also, I exercise 3-4 days/week with running and full body resistance workouts. Might be worth a gamble on a strained tendon. Just be aware of masking what's really going on beneath the skin. __________________ 1968 Camaro Convertible LS1, T56

12-19-2014, 05:53 PM	#5
CFD Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Franklin , MA Posts: 6,696	4 months ago I had a shot for a damaged bicept tendon, worked but not completely, two weeks later got a 2nd shot and all has been good since, the doctor said they were a steroid shot, not sure if cortisone is a steroid but what ever they gave me worked. Just checked, cortisone is a steroid, there are other shots that are the same but with different names so what I got most likely was cortisone or the same thing with a different name(I'm assuming it's a different brand of the same thing) Last edited by CFD; 12-19-2014 at 06:19 PM.

12-19-2014, 08:35 PM	#6
heymatt Drives: 2012 IBM 2SS Vert. Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tequesta, Fl. Posts: 784	I've probably had a dozen cortisone shots for various tendonitis/ bursitous problems over the years, knee, both elbows and hands. Knee and hand issues cleared up, elbows are a mess, not bad enough for surgery, but good enough to work. I'd ask for a second MRI to compare to the original injury and see if it is healing or getting worse. In my experience, cortisone is more often than not a temporary solution. Works for me about 12-18 months and then the pain from tendonitis in my elbows is back. __________________ LS3/M6 K&N, VMAX throttle body, RX Catch Can, skip shift eliminator, DT shorties and Solo HFC, DRL harness and 5K LED DRL, ZL1 rear sway, 1LE front sway

12-19-2014, 05:48 PM	#4
redhotcandy Drives: 2012 2SS/RS Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: The Great Plains Posts: 568 View My Garage	I had a cortisone shot under my kneecap in July for early osteo-arthritis due to past injuries. It is just now starting to wear off. I may wait until Feb or March to go in again, it is aching with an occasional sharp pain.

12-21-2014, 12:39 PM	#7
kevint Drives: 2013 1SS Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 716	The shitty thing about tendons, ligaments and cartilage is that they receive very little blood flow, so the lack of healing drainage and healing factors in the area causes them to take VERY long to heal. Thankfully, there is a lot of research being done in this area. Good luck.