pattelar tendon injury

in 2009 i was kicked by a horse below the knee cap and it cut through my pattelar tendon. here we are 2 1/2 years later and i cant run, go up/down stairs, it hurts to walk. when i do walk my left leg has to be all the way staight when i put my weight on it. oh and get this my MRI's and Xrays came back normal. i need somebody's help because the military doctors are saying there is nothing i can do and they dont know why it is causing me pain still. i just need to know if i can expect this to be a problem for the rest of my life? is there something i can do? why would it still be hurting me? please help

[Michael L Gross, MD]

from the symptoms you describe, it certainly sounds like an inury to the extensor mechanism of the knee, either the patella tendon, or the articular cartilage of the knee. Sometimes, MRI is not sensitive enough to find the injury, and in these cases physical examination and history may have to suffice. perhaps it is time for a second opinion?

[kirkyboy]

i agree i need a second opinion lol, but being in the military you only have one set of doctors and it is pretty hard to get refered to a civilian doctor. are there any tricks ? or certain things that i could be doing to help with the pain ? i dont like pain killers so i dont take them at all . do you know of any natural ways( stretching, ice, etc...) to maybe reduce pain in an injury like that ?

[kirkyboy]

i agree i need a second opinion lol, but being in the military you only have one set of doctors and it is pretty hard to get refered to a civilian doctor. are there any tricks ? or certain things that i could be doing to help with the pain ? i dont like pain killers so i dont take them at all . do you know of any natural ways( stretching, ice, etc...) to maybe reduce pain in an injury like that ?

[Michael L Gross, MD]

Platelet Rich PLasma (PRP) injections have been very successful for patella tendon injuries