Meniscus :

Torn medial Miniscus - - Posted by c0rowe (c0rowe), 9 October 2003

Hi, newbie here!

Bit of advice (and encouragement!!) needed.

Last week, I hurt my knee playing football, after a number of appointments it has been decided that I have torn my medial Miniscus.  I am booked in for an operation tomorrow morning.

This morning I had an MRI scan to see the extent of the damage, this will of course have a bearing on what is done in the operation - either a partial miniscectomy (sp?) or a repair.  I won't get the results till tomorrow morning when I get to discuss it with the surgeon before the op.

I was wondering if anyone could maybe give me an insight into how much damage I could have done, I injured the knee 11 days ago and am still non-weight bearing, and am unable to straighten my knee fully.  

Any advice, opinions and experiences would be appreciated please.

Personally I am swaying towards having the tear taken out, unless it is a large tear which the surgeon is confident he can repair.

Thanks

Chris
UK
Posted by ozzybug (ozzybug), 9 October 2003

Chris-

First off- welcome to the boards.  There are a lot of very knid people here with great advice, inspiration & encoragement to offer.

I had arthroscopy in Aug. on my rt. knee.  I had meniscal repair/anchoring & a plica removed.  The things I know about meniscal injuries are that if the tear is in a "red" zone (good blood supply) they can repair/anchor it, and if it is a large tear, and not in a good area, they will remove part or even all of it.  It depends on the extent of the injury and some other things.

The recovery time for a repaired meniscus is longer as they want to insure that the repair is holding and will not re-tear.  However, from the stories I've heard with removal of part of the meniscus, the recovery is faster.  Please do not quote me on this as any surgical recovery depends on many factors.

Be sure to ask your OS what to expect as far as recovery.  I'm sure he/she can give you some really goo insight.  Very good luck with your surgery.  Keep us posted!!

Lezlee
Posted by c0rowe (c0rowe), 14 October 2003

*UPDATE*

Had the operation on Friday.  MRI showed a fairly large bucket handle (?) tear on the medial meniscus, plus a badly sprained collateral ligament and microfractures to the top of my shin bone, and bottom of my thigh bone.  

The tear was described to me as "white on white" so had to be removed.

I have been quite impressed thus far, surgery was fairly quick, painful afterwards but I was able to walk out of the hospital within an hour of coming round.  

I'm now 4 days post-op and although there is still a lot of swelling, and pain if I move too quickly, I am positive that with PT it shouldn't take too long to get back to fitness.  

I'd be interested to know how quickly others have returned to sport, and whether the knee has been at full strength.

Chris
Posted by ozzybug (ozzybug), 14 October 2003

Chris-

I'm glad to hear that you are doing so well.  Again, from what I have heard- recovery time is shorter when partial removal of the meniscus is performed.

Bucket handle tear is a very familiar term to me- you can get some great pictures on some of the orthopedic sights on-line so that you will get a beter idea of what was going on in that knee.  I know what the type of tear is, and how it looks, but can't really describe it so that you can get a good picture in your mind.  The meniscus is kind of "C" shaped and is thicker at the posterior horn and then becomes thinner towards the inner knee joint.  A bucket handle tear runs horizontally, kind of in the "middle" of the meniscus.  If I could only draw it for you here, but I can't, so I hope I haven't totally confused you.

I hope everything continues to progress nicely for you!

Lezlee
Posted by khaoskat (khaoskat), 16 October 2003

Chris, I had part of both my medial and lateral removed a little over a year ago.  It took me a bit of time to recover, due to the fact that surgery occured almost  3 1/2 months after the injury and I had been non participatory in any activities.  It was painful to even walk at times.

I ice skate.  Within about four months I think I was back to full, cannot be 100% sure, since I became pregnant within a few weeks of surgery, so some of the pain I had was due to the hormones loosening up the muscles and joints in the body.  I just start precision practices back up this month, and seem to be doing fine, although I think I am starting to develope knee problems again, but again, since I am nursing that could be due to the hormones being produced by my body.

You will probalby be able to return to football, lightly at first, within about 4-6 weeks.

Khaoskat
Posted by ozzybug (ozzybug), 19 October 2003

Chris-
Just wondering how things are coming along with your recovery.  Haven't seen any new posts from you and I hope that this means you're just doing so well that you are too busy to get to the computer.

Let us know how things are going!!

Lezlee
Posted by c0rowe (c0rowe), 20 October 2003

Things are coming along well thanks.

I was a little down towards the end of last week as I had my first Physio session, and I couldn't straighten my leg.  The pain was so intense when I tried, and it felt like the pain was coming from directly inside my knee.  The physio seemed concerned as well, which didn't really help my confidence!!!

But, I've been doing the exercises this week and it has improved a lot, almost got full movement back with minimal pain.  

I think I've just got to remind myself that I only had the operation 10 days ago, and its going to take a good while to get it back to how it was before.   I've got to stop being so impatient!!!!

Chris
Posted by Helena (Helena KTF), 20 October 2003

Can i ask a question please (if not don't read any further )

I landed on my L knee after a jump playing badminton and since then I have pain when I extend my leg, both passive and actively. My OS said it has probably nothing to do with my tracking issues (and being a tracking problem person since 1991) I know this pain is totally different from tracking pain. I can play sports and be active, I just have pain when I fully extend my leg, and it's situated on the medial side. From time to time (well, say a few times a day) something "jumps" over there, and after a few minutes its gone (always on extended leg). Could this be meniscal damage? Anyone with medial meniscus damage can tell? Or other thoughts maybe? My OS wanted to send me for a scan which I refused but I can always book me in @ any time, I'd rather wait and see.

~Helena
Posted by c0rowe (c0rowe), 20 October 2003

I'm not sure how much help I can be here as I tore my medial meniscus in one heavy tackle, so it was immediate and from that second my leg wouldn't straighten.  But I'll give it a shot!


The pain I felt after the damage had been done (but before the op) was the strangest pain i'd ever felt, it was a real piercing sensation in my knee.  It was on the medial side and it felt like I knew exactly where it was coming from, I could almost put my finger on the pain.  Obviously your pain won't be as bad as this as you say you can still play sports, but does this ring any bells, on a smaller scale maybe?

With my (very) limited knowledge I would say a scan is the only way to tell definitely, but maybe try some knee exercises over the course of a week and see if it improves?  If not get the scan booked!!!  

Posted by ozzybug (ozzybug), 20 October 2003

Helena-

When I felt something in my knee that was causing almost the same sensation that you are experiencing- it turned out to be a plica.  My first (former) OS found it while performing and arthroscopy to repair the lateral meniscus.

What I had been feeling after an injury during softball was somthing inside my knee.  It felt almost like a wedge of potato in there and occasionally I could feel it kind of "slide" over, and then my knee would be ok.  But, my torn meniscus was also causing this very same feeling, just in a different area.  (Laterally, rt knee)  I'm not saying that's what is going on with your knee, but I just wanted to let you know that I had a similar feeling.

It deffinately warrants a look see.  But please remember that MRI's are not 100%.  My MRI showed nothing at all.  It looked totally normal, but because of the mechanical problems I was having, my OS did the arthroscopy and found the problems I mentioned above.

Best of luck to you and please keep us posted.
Posted by Helena (Helena KTF), 21 October 2003

Hey thanks guys!

This pain is nothing compared to the tracking pain I once had, still it is uncomfortable. I can show with my finger where the pain is but apart from the pain and popping I don't have any problems and it doesn't keep me from playing sports or anything. I was just curious (sp?).
I will mention this to my OS if it doens't dissapear, but right now my back is by far the worst. Can't do anything without pain and still I try to stay on my feet, have to 'cause my OS wants me @ work. How about that? Either way I can't lift anything, can't bent over or even sit down without pain. I am "working" though, luckily my collegues are very understandable!

Thanks and I'll let you know how the knee-thing turns out...

~Helena
Posted by ozzybug (ozzybug), 21 October 2003

Wow Helena-

The two most important wieght bearing & mobility aspects of your body are giving you problems.  I agree that your back is very important right now.  But- don't ignore that knee either.  Popping isn't good either if it is due to any kind of torn meniscuc or articular cartilage.

I hope things will get better for you really soon.  It does help to work with people who are understanding.  Working with "ogres" tends to make you feel guilty for being hurt- and that does nothing to help you get better!

I will be sending wishes for good knee & good back days your way!

Lezlee
Posted by c0rowe (c0rowe), 7 November 2003

Mornin'!!

Just thought I'd post an update, I noticed there don't seem to be an awful lot of "good news" posts.  I guess this is because you come to these boards if you have a problem with your knee(s), and when you havent you don't!

Well I thought I'd come back and make a positive post.
Played my first half of football last night!!!!  Almost 4 weeks to the day of being operated on, didn't push it too hard.  i.e no real twisting and turning but had no twinges or pains and had to hold myself back from tackling a few times.  

A few more sessions of physio and I should be right as rain.  So just to let you know its not all doom and gloom out there, there is hope!!!

Thanks for listening (reading?!) to my worries and whining pre and post op.

Chris

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