torn medial meniscus anyone?

no enlightneing add ons. Just a get well soon wish. spring is coming and hopefully this doenst cramp your training.

hi bear,

I'm not sure I can pinpoint a specific injury to my knee. I recall just sitting down with knees up and twisting my leg and feeling a sort of snap sensation. For a couple of days after that, my knee was feeling odd, no pain, just a sort of "movement" sensation. About a week later after being in pool for about 2 hours while walking to car, knee felt very painful. After an hour in the car it was fine. Three days later I did a cycling clinic with standing drills, next day it was aching. I iced it and it seemed to help. Morning after that, I shovelled snow and the pain increased considerably. I went to dr, he said it was swollen with fluid, (i couldn't tell, but he showed me where he could press in and skin very slowly would return out). Dr. said running on it won't make it worse. Oddly, when I run, it feels better. NOTE: I make sure to "roll" my foot on the run..makes a big difference. I shovelled snow again this morning, and the pain is back, alittle worse. Keeping the knee bent while driving is making it ache more. Keeping it straight and/or elevated relieves the pain. The pain feels like it is under my knee cap. I wish I could take the knee cap off and massage underneath!!
Did that help at all?
I'd say...better safe then sorry, and mention it to your doc.

Yeah, I have a torn meniscus too. Since I have no pain, no swelling and my knee doesn't lock on me, the Dr. and I are holding out on surgery. My MRI was done on my stress fracture in my femur and just happened to show up. Its quite large. I would have never known I had a problem.

It had me worried about my athletic future, but if I can handle biking, swimming, and running the amount that I am doing and no problems, then I'm not going to get upset yet. If it starts bothering me I will go have the surgery.

Good Luck with your knee,

Randy

Nikki,

Two years ago I had surgery to repair my torn medial meniscus in my left knee. I live in Thailand (teacher at an international school) but I tore it playing basketball in North Carolina when I was home visiting family. I waited to see if the knee would get better on its own with me being easy on it. It did get a little better but nothing like I wanted. I live in Northern Thailand (the city of Chiang Mai) and there are some wonderful doc's here (trained in the states). I am happy to say that after a proper resting period and smart rehab (and a little weight loss to ease the load on the knee joint. I was 235 lbs am now 210) I am running as fast ( 19:20 5k 3 weeks ago) and biking as strong as when I was in college 15 years ago. You really should think about coming to Thailand to have the surgery done. It'll probably cost you less (including airfare and hospital stay) than what it would cost you in the states My total cost cash was only $1,200. That included a private room, 3 nights in the hospital, all of the operating costs plus a specialist flown in from Bangkok. I was able to watch the surgery too on two tv screens on the ceiling near my head. Neat thing orthroscopic surgery. I was given an epideral. Weird feeling seeing your legs lifted up into stirrups but not being able to feel them (I can now emphathize with a woman on that one).

With all that said, I wanted to be 100% so I opted for the surgery. I am glad I did. No regrets whatsoever and have no problems with my knee. It's the rest of me, at age 35, that feels it when I try to compete like I did when I was 21

By the way, the procedure only took 35 minutes.

Tri'ing in Thailand
Steve

i've never torn mine, but my roommate and a good friend both have torn theirs. my roommate had surgery within a month or so, and was told by doctors not to do sports for 6 months after the surgery. she still has some stiffness and such, but has done a lot of cross country skiing this winter and seems on the mend. she just has awful luck, in the same knee she's torn her ACL --> surgery, MCL, and meniscus --> surgery. my other friend tore it about a year ago, and just got the surgery now, and he is also out for 6 months. but they're both expected to make full recoveries.

from the sounds of it, surgery isn't necessary for everyone though - best of luck to you!

Ya, I have a torm posterior (inside part of the knee) medial meniscus in my left knee. It only really bothers me when I am on the floor wrestling with my 2.5 year old son. However, after longer runs (10+ mile) I am starting to feel an ache. My goal was to make it through my first race of the season that happened last week (Ralph's 1/2 Ironman). I made it and now I want to make it through the next race which is Wildflower Oly. My doctor is the Oakalnd A's team doctor and he basically said I can "go until it blows" if I want, but preventative surgery is a better answer. So, in short, after Wildflower in 4+ weeks I will go in and get it fixed.

I have heard most people say they come back just fine. I am assuming I will too.

Good luck with your injury.

John

hey Steve,
I was just chatting with someone the other day about going to India to get my dental work done. I have terrible dental insurance. Luckily though, I do have good health insurance, so the procedure is covered. (Notice how i'm calling it a procedure, now, lol).

Lisa, it sounds like your friends had a more severe injury. This tear requires a "simple" surgery where the doctor repairs the tear. He told me i'll be good as knew (maybe better) 10 minutes after it is done!

Blacktoe and Rio,
I've noticed that there is a big difference in philosophies between the east and west in the states. Particularly in the Northeast...the option is generally SURGERY. In the west, it is surgery as last resort. The Northeast has a huge concentration of hospitals and specialists, so perhaps this has something to do with it?

Webguy,
Yes, I know about the "aching" feeling. Sometimes it feels like...its okay..but I think its the twisting motions that due it in. Running and swimming are fine. Cycling can make it ache (afterwards).

Nikki,
I've had some experience in this field having 2 "procedures" on my left knee. First one to just "clean" it up as you'll have done. Second one was an ACL reconstruction, which took 6 months to get back to sports.
With a simple clean up, you'll be ready to go in about 6 weeks I believe.
If they actually do a repair to the meniscus, then it takes much longer to heal. Sounds like they're just going to trim it and that's a simple recovery. Probably have you walking on it in no time. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

hi Brenda, wait a minute!!!!! What do you mean "in no time". I am under the impression as stated by the orthaepedic doctor that i'll be walking out of there and ready to run RIGHT AWAY!! What was that 6 weeks????
Who's got 6 weeks? not me!!!

Tuesday is my appt to discuss...i'll find out whats what!!

The doctor knows much more about this than I do, but usually there is some time for recovery from any invasive procedure.
It'll be a little sore, and they'll probably tell you to take it easy for a few days, but you'll be back running as soon as it's comfortable for you. It took me a few weeks before I was back to sports. You have to remember that they're sticking these probes into your knee and moving them around so there will be some trauma to the area. I do remember them making me walk to the bathroom before they let me go home. Don't worry, you'll be fine!!

I heard the same thing. It takes weeks before real exercise can be done after surgery.

This is a very simple procedure. Rehab is relatively easy. Down time really depends on your body and how much of the meniscus they take out. Had a female basketball player who was ready to go back within a week. Usually is about 3-4wks before back to normal activity. Now if they repair the meniscus, which means they sitch or staple the meniscus together, that requires a longer recovery time because you have to be non-weight bearing for a couple weeks. If it is a menisconotomy, means they are removing, pretty simple. You won't be running out of the hospital. But you are looking at running with a 1 or 2 and full activity in about 3-4 is normal. Since you are probably in better shape then most, you may heal faster. Don't worry, everything will be fine, just get a good doctor.

Edited by parrj 2005-03-27 10:50 AM

Hi Nikki,

I had mine repaired last March after experiencing years worth of knee pain due to running and lifting (*&$# those full-squats). I finally got tired of trying to do workouts around the pain. After the surgery, the doctor told me they encountered bigger "chunks" than originally appeared on the MRI (he said the bigger pieces must have been in hiding behind the knee-cap) and so the operation and repair-work was a little more invasive and extensive than I thought when I agreed to the surgery. I also had heard about the short recovery times and was hoping and expecting that, but, what I got was a longer recovery time (months instead of weeks). On the positive side, there is no longer any pain in that knee and I am able to run and bike without problems (pretty much given up on the heavy full squats anymore though).
On the other hand, I have a co-worker who had a "minor" scope proceedure done and she told me that she was back running full workouts within two weeks.
Best of luck to you!

Thank you all...

I will let you know what doc says on tuesday!

Hey, i can use this as "come back faster and better", like in the movies!!

I had surgery on both knees (4 years apart) for torn lateral menisci-the first they just removed the torn part, but it was a big chunk so they had to use an incision rather than the arthroscope, so the recovery was a little longer, but I was still walking in a few days. The second they repaired the mensiscus (they often can't repair tears if they are too peripheral since there isn't good blood flow for recovery) and I was non weight bearing for 7 weeks (horrible, horrible, especially since I was a senior in college at the time, on a walking campus, with no real rehab or PT facilities-I still don't have full ROM in that knee!).

Make sure you get good PT after the surgery, even if you can run out the door (but realistically you'll want to take a few days off-just the instrumentation to the knee is traumatic). Better to take a week or two now than have worsening pain during the height of the racing season!

I wonder if the best PT are the leg curls quad building one? My other knee has been achy for years and I was prescribed PT. I guess I never did enough PT. It just aches after a period of time with it bent. I have to straighten it out and when I do...I feel immediate "release". My right knee is the one with the tear and the doctor said no PT necessary. All in all, I've got to build up my quad and other leg muscles. I'm such a whimp on the bike!!!

I still don't have a date on the surger. I am suppose to wait for the office to call with it!!

My MRI showed serious degenerated cartilaged (class III out of IV) and torned meniscus....
I have no pain, no issues with my knees whatsoever.... The doctor believes these are old injuries from whe I was a gymnast. He told me to keep doing what I am doing and monitor my knees very close. He said not to mess with them unless necessary.
I ice them after workouts, take glucosamine every day. I decreased my running training that is why I got into tri.
My uncle is a doctor. He said there are different points of view regarding this. They ca go in and scoop the meniscus. Short procedure, you'll be up and running fairly quickly but you will loose the cartilage. Or they can try to save the cartilage but the procedure is painful, recovery is long and results are no guaranteed...
I guess it depends how serious your injury is, how much pain do you have...
Me? I am not in pain, I decided not to mess with my knees (If ain't broken don't fix it kind of attitude).
Best of luck....

Yes...it's "fixable," as long as you don't jog/run/put too much pressure on your knee. I used ice every day for about 2 weeks, and then after about a month, the pain eased up. I didn't jog for a while though...and now, I jog only in 30-45 second spurts. I think having that happen to me a few months ago, helped me to get more into cycling. (because the doc ok-d that)

It's painful, but pretty easily remedied. Hope that helps.

sharon,

were you answering me about my left knee (the PT one), or the after surgery right knee (the torn meniscus one), or were you replying someone else above?

thanks!

oops....sorry--the "surgery" knee...the torn meniscus one, I was replying about.
Sounds worse than it is, no? haha

Nikki,

The quad exercise will help for both knees. It will make the surgery knee stronger and help with recovery from surgery. I would also concentrate on the last 15-20 degrees of the extension, called a short arc quad. It works the Vastus medials oblique. Big supporter of the knee.

I've had 2 scopes on both knees. On the first, I was on crutches for about 3 days and running in 3 weeks. On the second, I walked out of the hospital and was on the track in 2 weeks. In both cases I was able to swim immediately after surgery. My knee was a bit tight but swimming helped prevent scar tissue from forming as it healed.

Best of luck!