Medial meniscus

[Mad4Macs]

Hey! Has anyone here been through surgery to repair a torn meniscus? If so, how did it turn out?
Is 2005 over with yet? Needless to say (but saying it anyway), '05 has sucked Ball Park Franks.
:lol:

[Smokie]

Had a small tear in medial meniscus back in the 70's, no surgery, six weeks in a cast. Went on to play soccer and baseball into early 40's.

Wife tore both medial and lateral meniscus 2 years ago, both legs, no surgery, just rehab. No sports for her, out of the question, but when she is shopping she manages to walk just fine.:D

[shakes_26]

I've done both knees, although fortunately at different times. Both surgeries were arthroscopic, the second barely so, they were ready to fillet me after spending several hours fishing loose bits out of the joint.

First surgery recovery was complicated due to the Navy waiting 6 months to operate, therefore muscle strength was no longer there. Strong muscles = short recovery, weak muscles/atrophy = loooong recovery.

Second surgery, I was under the knife in less than three weeks, I was playing volleyball 6-8 weeks later (very gingerly), and skiing 4 months later (although part days only).

Several years later both knees still give me poblems, especially in cold or when heavy fronts move through they give me the business something fierce. But i am functional and can do many things, I just need to remember aspirin and ice, sometimes for a few days.

Good luck, bets recommendation is jsut that find a qualified doctor, thats done plenty of succesful surgeries. Talk to a few PT's (you'll get to know them soon enough...damn sadists) they might eb able to recommend a good Dr.

Also, the key as I emntioned is to get under the knife ASAP after the injury. and then actually do all the PT exercises, religously, even extra if you can.

[juno]

July 13th 1989, age 31. :)

Had one of the first public MRI's in the country using an FDA set up in a tractor trailer outside the hospital and signing a million waivers.

Arthroscopy, severe tear, was walking in three days, back to bike riding in 1 week (though very painfully), full bicycle training for racing in 6 weeks. Positively 100% in about 2 months. But I was in incredible conditon at that time. :D (my training rides averaged 200-300 miles a week depending on weather)
I can't tell if there is any lasting damage now or I am just getting old.:(

Find a good SPORTS MEDICINE doctor. If he has positively ID'ed your problem, you are on the right track. Good Luck.

[jim geary]

Juno is right on the money.Get a good sports medicine doctor. Football,soccor,tennis. Someone who sees these types of injuries day in and
day out.

[Mad4Macs]

Funny how the mention of Sports Medicine keeps coming up! Our offices in Michigan are on the 2nd floor of a small complex. Directly below us is the Michigan Knee and Shoulder Institute, specializing in Sports Medicine! Anyway, I've been walking (or limping, rather) past them several times a week for months now, so I kinda took it as a hint and went in for a consultation. They've got all kinds of shiny things to look at, so I'm sure they're qualified to do the job.
I like shiny things :D

[Mike Poore]

Hey! Has anyone here been through surgery to repair a torn meniscus? If so, how did it turn out?
Is 2005 over with yet? Needless to say (but saying it anyway), '05 has sucked Ball Park Franks.
:lol:

I guess I'm the latest guy to have knee surgery. If you can bend your knee, they'll advise starting PT, and using a brace to keep the leg straight, to keep from falling. If you can't bend it (junk between the bones) they'll wait until the swelling goes down, then go in and clean it up; but in any case keep up your PT, and use Ice, lots of Ice. The procedure is not much, really, and outcome depends upon the skill of the surgeon, but recant reports in the literature have shown that unless the knee is "locked up" there's little advantage to doing anything, surgicaly about it, and PT is just as effective as anything you can do. You just don't want to "go down" and tear the ACL or MCL, or worse, which turns it into a whole 'nother game.

In my case, there was a torn ACL and the meniscus repair was done to see if I was a good cantidate to have the ACL replaced five months later. (August 25th ....good as new, now)

You did have an MRI, right?

[Mad4Macs]

All this came down recently. The MRI is on the 21st, then the incision decision will be made (or not), depending on what's found then.
Lot's of good skinny here, and it's making me feel a little better about it.
I'm telling ya, there isn't anyone born who's more squeemish than me when it comes to getting cut :D

[Smokie]

All this came down recently. The MRI is on the 21st, then the incision decision will be made (or not), depending on what's found then.
Lot's of good skinny here, and it's making me feel a little better about it.
I'm telling ya, there isn't anyone born who's more squeemish than me when it comes to getting cut :D

I know that you need to do what is right for you....this is the result of my life experience....if you get your advise from a "surgeon" the advise will be to have surgery. I hope it all turns out well for you.

[CRUZTAKER]

Torn meniscus, right knee.
Ironically enough, this is my story to a tee as well...but only one knee:


.... surgeries were arthroscopic,....weak muscles/atrophy = loooong recovery,...Several years later both knees still give me poblems,

Had surgery in 2002. The knee continues to bother me. A lot. I do not believe the surgery was 100% on the money. I did however see a doctor that was a pioneer in arthroscopic procedures. He did similar scopes on both of my shoulders. I have some discomfort with one after 1.5 years, and NONE what so ever with the one done in 2000.

I think the knee needs opened up again. :dunno:


... there isn't anyone born who's more squeemish than me when it comes to getting cut :D

No need to squeem...they do not cut in this procedure. They LAZ you.;)

[Mike Poore]

I'm telling ya, there isn't anyone born who's more squeemish than me when it comes to getting cut :D

Not to worry then, 'cause there's no cuts, just three little holes, one for the camera, and two for the instruments. No pain at all.

However, do a lot af reading, and remember what I said about the reports about prognosis being about the same, with or without a procedure. The big thing is PT, and ....ice.

UNLESS....there's junk in between the two bones, in which case, they'll have to remove that stuff. No matter, though, it's the same procedure.

You can get ankle weights at WallMart they have 10 and 20lb sets, with removable pouches to go 1 or 2 lbs at a time. Do both legs, then ....ice, lots of ice.


UM, did I mention to ice the knee after PT? :D

[jerrym3]

I had the operation done at the ripe old age of 60. Walked out of the office without crutches. Like an idiot, I did yard work that afternoon.

The only hint I have of the operation is when I really turn the leg inward (ex: severely bending the knee when taking off socks or shoes).

Otherwise, everything is normal, I'm almost 63, and I ride a stationary bike 30 minutes a day, five times per week.

[texascorvette]

All this came down recently. The MRI is on the 21st, then the incision decision will be made (or not), depending on what's found then.
Lot's of good skinny here, and it's making me feel a little better about it.
I'm telling ya, there isn't anyone born who's more squeemish than me when it comes to getting cut :DHad my Arthroscopic done on a Friday. Carried my crutches into the doctor's office on following Monday. He about came unglued, but it wasn't hurting. The only scarey thing about it was for about a week my leg and ankle would swell up during the course of the day until my ankle was about double the normal size. I'd elevate the leg in bed at night and the swelling would go back down to normal size. Next day, same deal. All that slowly went away over a 7-10 day time span.

Torn meniscus is pretty minor. It's not like having them filet your leg like they used to do 30 years ago.

[Mad4Macs]

Done and done! 24 days "post surgery" and I've been walking more or less normally for a week now. Turns out that my kneecap was cracked, too, and cartilage had to be "smoothed out" on the backside. It's amazing to me, just how closely what you guys had written matched what I've been through ('cept for the "walking in 3 days" part. I waited too long to get treated and paid for it).
If anyone needs to have this done, find a surgeon specializing in sports medicine, and fer cryin' out loud, DO THE THERAPY. The therapy is worse than the surgery, but whether you think you need it or not, you do.
Heh, and if you're lucky as I was, the lady with the electrodes will be kinda cute ;)

[texascorvette]

congratulations and good luck!

[DL04]

Congrats-Tore my meniscus and had my acl removed back in '93 from what I remember the electrodes were the best part;)

[shakes_26]

Ah yes the electrodes, how could i forget the electro-shock treatments.

Hmm what did they say??? " This wont hurt a bit"...right just like a thousand angry hornets cross bred with electric eels wont hurt either...

Glad to hear your up and ambling about. Just take it easy for a few months..I repeat do not go skiing three months after surgery, I dont care HOW good you think you feel. You wont afterwards.:rolleyes:




Done and done! 24 days "post surgery" and I've been walking more or less normally for a week now. Turns out that my kneecap was cracked, too, and cartilage had to be "smoothed out" on the backside. It's amazing to me, just how closely what you guys had written matched what I've been through ('cept for the "walking in 3 days" part. I waited too long to get treated and paid for it).
If anyone needs to have this done, find a surgeon specializing in sports medicine, and fer cryin' out loud, DO THE THERAPY. The therapy is worse than the surgery, but whether you think you need it or not, you do.
Heh, and if you're lucky as I was, the lady with the electrodes will be kinda cute ;)