NOTES - Your success stories :

LR, ITBS, Meniscus, ETC!! - - Posted by snowcat (snowcat), 23 June 2004

Hello everyone,

It's been a long time since I've posted here, and I've been gradually getting better the whole time; I've learned that there's hope for improvement, even years after surgery.

It's been close to three years (!) since my Lateral Release & 2nd lateral menisectomy.  I don't remember all the details of my recovery (I think I've finally blocked it out!)--but the big problems were adhesions & illiotibial band syndrome (ITBS) that kept me in PT for over a year after the surgery.  (Feel free to search my old posts for all the details).  After I quit PT and ASTM treatments--around 10/02, I think--I was still far from recovered.  My knee hurt 50% of the time just while walking.  At that point, I think the break from PT was extremely important; I kept doing most of the exercises but stopped doing anything that hurt my knee at all (except walking!).  I think that getting off the bike was essential to my recovery.

For the last year & a half+, I have been very gradually returning to various activities--i.e., adding one lap of kickboarding a month, increasing weights extremely gradually, etc., only as tolerated with no pain.  And my knee has, in turn, been improving very gradually.  I never thought that it would keep getting better for so long--figured that after maybe 2 years, it would be as good as it would get.  I remember someone (I think Heather M?) mentioning a PTist who told her that she didn't really start feeling better until three years after her LR...and now I can say that I fall into that category too.

Swimming has been great for my recovery.  I haven't returned to biking, and, given the way it irritates my IT Band, might not.  By summer '03 I was doing some very short hikes, which honestly did not always feel great...but it was a start.  

Now, I can walk without lateral pain about 95% of the time!  I'm still sticking to short hikes, but I'm amazed at how much better my knee feels.  (If it weren't for a new foot problem, I'd be tackling longer hikes this summer).  My ultimate goal is to get back to lots of hiking and backpacking.  My knee's not a complete success yet, and I've modified my activities, switched sports, etc--but it sure feels like a success compared to where I was for so long!

So, don't give up hope, LR & ITBS patients!!  I hope that everyone out there who gave me such great advice is improving too.

Now, if anyone has advice about bunion surgery...I may be headed there next, unfortunately.

best,
snowcat

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