I was at our ring craft match tonight and was doing very well...(beat a friend and came in the final three ) When running the dog on a practice round I did something to my knee. I felt really loose and I felt it crunching a bit....wasn't too sore but by the time I got home it was really sore to walk on.  I had an injury similar when slipping on ice...and this time it is not as sore (at the moment)....Apart from Ibuprofen..can anyone suggest what sort of knee support I can use to stabilise the knee while it heals. I have to walk for my work and I also want to show my dog.

Once it is better I think I should wear a support as a matter of habit to be protective....and I would like a good one that fits well and lasts.

I will see the doc if I need to but at the moment I can manage...and in the mean time my son has agreed to help me show my dog..."cuz he's a COOL dog and I Look good!"....no big head there...:-)

Cheers
And thanks...

Got reserve green star in the show in Belfast yesterday...so WHoo Hooo.

Firstly, congrats on your reserve gren star :-)

I had  knee problem earlier this year. In fact I'm still having problems :-( One of my dogs ran into me at speed and I went flying. My foot stayed where it was and I wrenched my knee. (OW!!!!) When I saw my doctor she said that I have torn my ligaments and that it could take 6-8 weeks to heal properly. Oh, and they don't strap this type of injury any more. You really need to see your doctor to find out exactly what you have done. If it is just torn ligaments like me then there is not much you can do, but if it is more seriously injured you may need help.

Im pretty sure I got my neoprene knee support from Boots the Chemist I popped a cartlidge a few years ago. Used it for about a year and it healed ok. Also Sainsburys do a tubigrip type support but it rolls down a bit unless your slim and its fine.

i had knee problem over the last 5 years untill july 2009 total knee replacement.
it affect my dog while i was runnning in the ring even pagan would go down on her front right leg.
so from april 2009 to crufts this didnt do much in showing and my aim to run around at cruft 6 months after knee op.
while at crufts we did it got two 1st
then 1st BOB AND GROUP 3 AT WINDSOR GUNDOG.
and a total of 5 1st over the last foue week with pagan,beacuse i can run better now she not copying me in my action.
plus the puppie spainsh water dog have done while to
joint partnership dog/owner going together

good luck go to the dr and be referred knee are a funny joint.

My knee is always a bit wonky and I suppose I always favored it....and I guess this is why I hadn't been gaiting Rush properly. When I did it right last night he did well but I didn't...:-)

I had a girl in ring craft explained what I had been doing wrong at the show on Sunday...and now I know....I can't.

Convinced my son dog handling is sorta cool so he is going to help me. I will try to see the doc although it hurts it isn't too bad.
It hurts worse after I've sat a bit.
How do people who have wonky bits manage?

I am a big girl and that doesn't help matters....but I have noticed there are a lot of large (and over large) folks who show dogs and not always wee ones....how do they manage to gait the dogs when the must go a slower pace?
Will a judge take this into account?  (not only large folks but ones with limps or slow pace as well?)

Thanks for the replies so far.
I'm in bed with it propped up and the Ibuprofen is wearing off and I haven't got any more....just co-codamol and that didn't help much last night..:-(

Cheers

Poundland usually have a stock of neoprene supports. 

You have my sympathy, I damaged my knee a few years ago - well my dog did :(  she lunged across me (very fast!) and spun me around, leaving my foot behind while I was walking her.  Result, a five minute walk back home took an hour and a half the pain was excruciating!   After an x-ray I was told it was "just a soft tissue injury"  ???  I could have told them that.  It took six months to sort of heal, but was ok after a year. 

Last week I felt it go as I came downstairs half-asleep to the bathroom.  Went back to sleep as it was 'only a twinge'  and have been paying for it ever since :(   It feels unstable at times and can be really painful, but mostly uncomfortable and it won't bend/straighten properly yet. 

Apart from painkillers, have you tried a hot water bottle (furry cover) ?   I find that helps a lot and I can get a good night's sleep.  If you have Paracetamol and Ibuprofen then that works a treat :-D  but if you haven't got any that's no help :(

Big Hugs and a nice mug of hot Cocoa 
X

Yes its just like you say....after the first injury it was always that wee bit unstable feeling and I always walked in a way to compensate. After a while I got in the habit of doing that and sort of forgot. Not till Mondays match and I was doing it normally did it give me any bother apart from aching every now and again.
Monday I felt it slip and crunch a bit but it wasn't sore....just felt like the above and below the knee could easily go different directions.
Not till the morning was it actually hurting. It hurts at the moment but not so bad I can't use it.  Jut want to get something to keep the two ends together...:-)  If I place my steps carefully it doesn't hurt as much.

I can't even blame the dog....:-)   Was all my own doing...:-)

Was looking online for something suitable for runners as I think I will always have bother with that knee.

Thanks for the sympathies and support....

Just waiting for hubby to come home soz he can bring me tea and breakfast in bed....:-)

Cheers

Now some advice ladies its a cold pack to reduce inflamation or a pkt of peas on the knee, not hot that makes it worse.

Take clucosomine & chrontium, I was recommended that by my specialist and I continued taking the stuff. Last holiday we were away Im trotting around and realsied that my knee does not hurt anymore. He cost the company £125 an hour so he obviously knew something, it hasnt been a problem since, it seems you can managed with a cartlidge gone.

I waited for the inflammation to go down before using warmth ;)  Physio told me to use warmth at night (not hot!) as it really eases the pain and relaxes the muscle so I can sleep.   It's working, I can bend it more today than yesterday.  Can walk better today too :-D 

Was wondering about glucosamine and chondroitin, so that info is welcome :-D 

Talked to the doc today and he said it sounds like the ligaments are stretched. So it is regular Ibuprofen cold packs and rest. If no better in 10 days I'm to go in for a further look. Says I am not to use supports and I can go to work so long as I don't run and take frequent breaks to rest the knee.

Have to say walking actually makes it feel better. If I sit for even a few minutes....getting up and walking is agony. Had to wait last night till the last minute for a wee cuz I didn't want to waste a trip...:-)

When the knee is better I will use the support for times I'm likely to move at speed....:-)

He did say losing about 2 stone will also help...So time to up my will power and lose a wee bit.
(Went off caffeine so I reckon I can go off junk food too....) I'll have to get a new tag line afterward though lol.

Cheers

If you ice it make sure you wrap the ice/frozen peas in a damp towel to reduce the chance of ice burns and apply the ice for 15 mins every 2 hours. 

It may feel worse when you sit if your feet aren't supported as this will stretch the ligaments further so make sure your feet aren't dangling in mid air when sitting :)

Keep the knee moving in a range where it's pain free whilst it's still hot and inflamed but after that period you may need some exercises to build the strength around your knee to take some of the strain off your ligaments. 

Forgot to add, did he say it was the ligaments at the side of the knee or one of the ones inside that are damaged?

Claire

> did he say it was the ligaments at the side of the knee or one of the ones inside that are damaged?

He didn't say....just that it was probably a ligament injury.....but where I feel the pain most is a side one on the inner aspect if you get me.

Cheers

Knee problems, the joy of life (not).  Currently I have a messed up right knee from an accident at work.  I am in a full leg splint, and on crutches.  The knee I hurt is my "good" knee, have had several operations on the other one. 

You had asked how people with wonky parts manage, well for me, it has taken a long time to get up to be able to run with a dog.  Thats one of the reasons I am in Min Pins, because with them you just walk.  But I have shown bigger dogs, but it took a lot of work training my muscles in my legs.

This weekend I have Reba entered in a show, and with my leg messed up, I had to hire a handler. 

When I am not on crutches, I use a hinged knee brace.  Its a brace with patella support, and has two hinges beside the knee.  Works ok for what i want it to do I guess. 

If I sit for even a few minutes....getting up and walking is agony.

Same here!
I fell in the snow before Xmas and sprained my knee, Doc said aleast a couple of months for ligament damage to heal, mostly better now but still have twinges and leg 'collapses' now and again, he said physio would help but never mentioned knee support.