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Torn meniscus


ChrisF

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Any hubbers gone through the healing of a torn meniscus ?

 

MRI confirmed the meniscus in my right knee is torn.  Dr is not recommending the "wait and heal" approach, referred me to a specialist ...

 

 

Would appreciate your input/experience on :

 

- recovery times

 

- when can I ride again ... on the road .... on the MTB ?

 

 

- how do you stay fit while you are supposed to do almost nothing .... 

 

 

 

 

jip, internet and medical "advise" is a very slippery slope ..... which is why I am rather asking for the experiences of those that have gone through this (either directly or with a close friend or family member)

 

 

Thank you

 

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Any hubbers gone through the healing of a torn meniscus ?

 

MRI confirmed the meniscus in my right knee is torn. Dr is not recommending the "wait and heal" approach, referred me to a specialist ...

 

 

Would appreciate your input/experience on :

 

- recovery times

 

- when can I ride again ... on the road .... on the MTB ?

 

 

- how do you stay fit while you are supposed to do almost nothing ....

 

 

 

 

jip, internet and medical "advise" is a very slippery slope ..... which is why I am rather asking for the experiences of those that have gone through this (either directly or with a close friend or family member)

 

 

Thank you

Yes both knees at separate occasions

 

The first knee recovery was quick and easy simple miniscus nick cleaned up.

Maybe a week or two recovery (sorry it was a long time ago about mid 90’s)

 

Second knee was a mission as the meniscus was not only cleaned up but also stitched up....a few months on crutches with no or little weight bearing on that leg.

 

You need to ask the Dr what his prognosis is, he should be able to tell you from the scans and his experience.

 

Don’t mess around, if they say 3 months light duty.... do it... doing track stands on crutches is about all the exercise you can do, then when the physio starts you will be sweating like never before.

 

Good luck

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Yes, both knees. Varying degrees.

 

The first happened many years ago and I did not do anything about it. Trusted the Dr’s opinion that it was only a muscle issue that will heal. Knee kept on locking up over a period of about 8 years. Effected my quality of life, could not squat on my haunches. Eventually got to a excellent knee surgeon who performed a partial post medial meniscectomy. Walked out the day of the op and started exercising about a month later. No issues from that knee today. I don’t run by choice to protect the knee.

 

The second happened about 4 months ago. I woke up one morning with a locked knee. I knew exactly what it was from my previous experience. When to a trusted physio to confirm my diagnosis. The recommendation was to wait and see it it improves. Started doing foam rolling to help the healing process along. Had lots of knots close to my knee - might have been the cause. After the first week I could squat deep without the knee locking up - still had some noise. I took a week off cycling and thereafter started increasing load again. Improved almost daily. No issues now, but still favour the knee at the back of my head when jumping, etc. Cycling is a very “safe” movement for a meniscus injury. On a trainer is even better with predicable movements.

 

I did a lot of research after the second injury and contemplated getting a MRI/scope ASAP to start the healing process. What I found is that small outside tears in the red zone tend to heal themselves due to good blood flow. Tears on the inside (white zone) or bucket handle tears cannot heal due to lack of circulation. This will need an intervention.

 

My opinion would be to wait it out for about 2 weeks. Two weeks is nothing in the greater scheme of things. Try to avoid an invasive procedure if you can.

 

Where is your tear?

Edited by FDP
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I tore a hook into mine, but ripped the ACL as well.

Fixed both in the same op (Scope.)

Started physio shortly after the injury, and bio after three weeks IIRC.

My advice, follow the Dr's rehab instructions to the tee. The success of the op hinges on your discipline during rehab.

In the Bio's house of horrors I was on a stationary bike immediately, and allowed to go riding before he was done with me. Op was in July (2013,) I did the Origin of Trails that November.

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Not sure when the tear occurred.  First pain in the knee was 5 weeks ago, while swimming in a river.  Did  a 20km bike ride the next day, with absolutely no issues.  Two weeks later my knee hurt badly while doing the Hermanus trails ....

 

Went to a physio.  Initially it was about me not stretching, and resultant muscle issues .... as we worked on this, the one muscle would get better as the next started unwinding .... interesting two weeks.  Then all of a sudden I had some serious pain when walking down stairs.  By now I had already stopped cycling, just to check I did a 3km ride on Saturday.  Actually went better than expected, just could not put power down on the slightest uphill.

 

Went back to the physio, who confirmed this was now more than a muscle issue .....

 

 

I have had bad arthritus for the last 21 years, so I sent my Dr an email.  I got a call to go for an X-ray and an MRI.  Radiologist confirmed the tear in the meniscus - but I dont know if it is in the outer red part or the inside ....  Probably on the inside as my Dr immediately referred  me to an orthopedic specialist.  After 21 years I know she would have gone a different route if at all possible.  We do suspect some calcification as well ... already have calcification issues with some other joints ...  (will ask the doc if he can do my shoulder during the same opp)

 

Seeing the specialist on the 17th.

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Both my knees. Had surgery (scope) on both a different times - left knee at age 17, right at age 20, and then left again at 21. Varying recovery times, the longest being the first time becauase the doc shaved off alot - that was 12 weeks. The other times it was 6 weeks.

 

Just follow rehab advice. Luckily cycling is pretty safe and actually formed part of my rehab program - you'll probably be on the road bike again at 3 weeks and be able to slow pedal, mtb at 6 weeks. But I'm no dr, that was just my experience.

 

Get a good physio and listen to them. As surgery and recovery goes, this is a pretty mild one.

Edited by Grease_Monkey
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Torn my left knee anteria miniscus right off, have it stapled back. 6 weeks on crutches and 6 weeks pysio, 3 times a week. Specialist said I would be able to cycle but never run again. This happened about 15 years ago. Ran my first half marathon 3 years ago and was 100%. I put it all down to following the correct rehab. So as said above, get a good physio and follow what they say 100%.

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My right knee the second op with the long rehab, was a very old injury which I don’t know when it happened. I started getting a lot of ITB like pain on the outside of the knee and developed a noticeable hard lump there. I mistakenly self diagnosed it as a result of an old ITB injury on the same knee. It only worried me while walking not when running or cycling....when I started playing golf I struggled to walk 18 holes the pain was so bad so eventually went to a Dr who diagnosed the tears and a cyst (the lump). The cyst was a result of fluid leaking out of the knee through the tears.

 

Moral of the story is two fold:

1. Don’t self diagnose.

2. Don’t procrastinate, prolonged pain means something is not right and needs attention.

 

Now my knee is good no pain....sometimes I feel a dull ache if I suddenly increase running distances to much.

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My right knee the second op with the long rehab, was a very old injury which I don’t know when it happened. I started getting a lot of ITB like pain on the outside of the knee and developed a noticeable hard lump there. I mistakenly self diagnosed it as a result of an old ITB injury on the same knee. It only worried me while walking not when running or cycling....when I started playing golf I struggled to walk 18 holes the pain was so bad so eventually went to a Dr who diagnosed the tears and a cyst (the lump). The cyst was a result of fluid leaking out of the knee through the tears.

 

Moral of the story is two fold:

1. Don’t self diagnose.

2. Don’t procrastinate, prolonged pain means something is not right and needs attention.

 

Now my knee is good no pain....sometimes I feel a dull ache if I suddenly increase running distances to much.

 

Interesting.

 

Initially the physio thought I had an ITB issue .... and make no mistake, my ITB did hurt.  But as the physio sessions unfolded various muscles "un-wound", until we got to the root of the issue.  

 

Also have no idea when the damage occurred.  Worst part being that I dont know what caused it, so dont know what to avoid in future ....

 

 

 

At least I have a physio that has a couple of tri-athletes.  Knows her stuff !  Will be looking for a good bio at a later stage though ....

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  • 2 weeks later...

update -

 

Yes, physical damage to the "white meniscus" (the part without blood flow, thus the part that wont heal)

 

The damage is such that it does not warrant an operation "at this time" ....

 

I have to continue with moderate exercise, but avoid impacts as much as possible.

 

 

should the meniscus continue to deteriorate, to the point where the knee starts locking up, then they will operate.

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At least you are doing the right sport for knee injury. After my operation, I discovered cycling as one of the few sports to offer less impact!

 

5yrs later still riding MTB. AND I don't miss running :)

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Both knees. 15 years ago ACL and miniscus. many months

 

a few years ago left knee.

 

Bucket handle tear

 

Couple of months.

 

Don't skimp on rehab!

Don't skimp on rehab!

 

Did I mention don't skimp on rehab?

 

Alos bike fit essential.

 

Good luck.

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.

My advice, follow the Dr's rehab instructions to the tee. The success of the op hinges on your discipline during rehab.

.

I had keyhole surgery done on my left knee after I tore a flap into my meniscus.

 

3 months later it was still sore and I went back to the surgeon who fiddled with it a bit, shot me a "you haven't been doing your rehab exercises, have you ?" statement and told me to F-off and not waste either his or my time further.

 

6 weeks of rehab later and it was better than ever before.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yet another update ...

Many of the posters talked about proper rehab.

So I thought it may good to see a biokineticist, even though I did not have the opperation.

BEST decision ever !!


Turns out a big part of my issues are rather obvious ...

21 years of severe arthritus, minimal to no exercise ... followed by three years of cycling...


Moderate cycling muscles . . With the other muscles being very weak ... and resultant issues.


Yes, the physical damage to the meniscus is there. But now all the referred issues starts to make sense.


Had my second training session with the bio this afternoon.

SCARY to see just how far some of the muscle groups have deteriorated...


The good news ... blood, sweat and tears will get me mobile and balanced.


Awesome to see a specialist adapting a standard routine around the limitations of arthritic shoulders.

So looking forward to my next outing on bike  :thumbup:   :clap:   :thumbup:

Edited by ChrisF
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