Another Worn Meniscus - Page 2 - Health + Injury

Paul Killner

18/01/2011 at 21:23

Good Evening Fellow Knee Sufferers,

As promised this is short update on my progress since having my knee operations in December.

It has now been 6 weeks since my arthroscopy operations and today I had my last progress review with my consultant, John Hardy. He was pleased with the speed of my recovery and the range of my knee motion considering the short period of time.

Of course there is still a bit of pain and general aching from around the surgery entry areas on both knees, but the biggest change I have noticed is the cessation of pain around the tops of my knees that I was continuously suffering; the pain that prompted me to have a groan on this forum in the first place! Good news!

Now I know you are all wondering whether I will be going out running again soon. Well, no, not in the short term. I can feel some weakness around the knees so I'm off to see the physio and I have renewed my gym membership; I need to work on my getting my core fitness back and strengthen my legs. All being well maybe early summer? Sounds good to me, I hate wet trainers!

Regards,

Cat2661

19/01/2011 at 14:25

Hello Paul

It's great to hear that you are making a great recovery. I really do feel for you. I know how frustrating it feels. But it really is best to take your time. Otherwise you can really set yourself back so much.

I was lucky as I only had my left knee repaired. I too, suffered at first with the lack of stability in my knee. I took running very, very slowly at first. In fact, I used my gym membership a lot. I found the using the stationary bike and the cross trainer really helped strengthen the knee. And my operation will be a year on the 6 April 2011. To be honest with you I would not know that I ever had it done. My knee feels great. And yours will too. Just give yourself time. It really will be worth the wait.

Take care and keep us informed of how you are getting on.

Lindie Loo pirate

pirate

19/01/2011 at 18:08

Great news Paul, thanks for the update.

I had my MRI scan a week ago Monday, now awaiting the results...!

LL

Saqib Khan

28/09/2011 at 06:24

How's the knee doing, Paul?

Just had medial meniscus repair on 14/9/11 and trying to get a feel for the road back, am thinking mid-Jan 12 at earliest but would rather know now if it's likely to be longer so I can mentally adjust my head to it.

All the best everyone else.
S.>

Paul Killner

04/10/2011 at 16:07

Hi Saqib and fellow knee suffers,

Thanks for getting in touch and enquiring about how I am doing.

As you probably read in the earlier posts, I had arthroscopy operations on both my knees in December 2010. The best advice I can give you from my experience on the recovery from this kind of work is not to over do it and rush back into running.

Today my knees are a lot better in respect to the continuous pain that I had been suffering especially after any kind of exercise. Am I ready to get back to any regular running? Not really. I have been attending a gym regularly for the past 10 months working on my core, weight training, and putting time on the static bike and cross trainer. It has only been recently that I have noticed the strength starting to return in my knees/legs. I plan to move onto the treadmill and slowly build up the distance in the next month or so. Have I been out for a little trot around town to gauge progress? Yes, and it confirms I need to take it easy. I am currently thinking Spring 2012 as a likely period when I may return to regular running.

These are of course my experiences and I am sure different people will heal at different rates etc. All the best on getting better, take it easy and I'm sure you will be back on the trail again soon.

Regards,

Saqib Khan

04/10/2011 at 16:38

Thank you for that Paul,

Hope you find your way back to running soon. For my part, after reading your experience, I think I'll revise my ambition of running by mid-Jan and work out something more realistic. Was hoping to start training for the Chicago Marathon in June 2012...

Thanks again for sharing, it gives me hope of light at the end of the tunnel!

Saqib Khan

27/10/2011 at 09:04

Bit of an update on me for those that come to this in subsequent years as I found Paul's updates very useful:

Had my op on 14/9/11 at The Whittington Hospital in London where Arsenal's surgeon Panos Thomas is based. Had 6 wk post op appointment this week and they were happy with range of motion and said I should spend next 6 wks in the gym building hamstrings and quadriceps back up before testing out running and to use my knee as a guide how much it can take building up incrementally.

I was on crutches for as long as I felt it was needed (32 days) and a knee brace that didn't let me extend beyond 30 degrees or flex more than 90 degrees for a further 4 days (36 days in total).

Have next appointment on 17/1/12 will update again either then or before if I'm pain free and able to test it out on a short trot/run before then.

SpeedyGonzales

27/10/2011 at 13:13

Hi All,

I've got nowhere with my knee problem. After about a year my GP put me through to a physio who couldn't work out what was wrong. I then finally got to have an MRI scan which came back clean. I then went to a specialist at the NHS who spent a minute looking at the knee, and saying it wasn't worth operating on. A physio which didn't improve things with strengthening exercises.

The only diagnosis I've had is from a 2nd GP (and ex-runner) who told me it was the meniscus and to take ibuprofen.

I think I might have torn the meniscus back in 1998(!) when I was out hill walking. That's the only specific sharp pain/incident I can remember occuring.

Since 2002 I've done no running, and I'm now tentatively going to the gym doing bike and cross-training machines, and have intermittent pain after these sessions. Not really sure where to go next - other than back to the GP.

Saqib Khan

27/10/2011 at 13:21

Hey Speedy,

Try asking for an 'Arthrogram & MRI', basically a dye is injected into the knee while you're lying on bed under an imaging machine and they can see it going in to any tear that might exist but not necessarily show up on a regular MRI.

When I was referred to The Whittington, they looked at my MRI and said they saw no reason to operate, after 3 years of unresponsive physio I wasn't going to take it lying down so I persisted and they agreed to do a high contrast MRI and one look at it made them say 'you need an op'.

Try that and see where it gets you.

Edited: 27/10/2011 at 13:23

SpeedyGonzales

28/10/2011 at 22:24

Cheers for that - funny - I was at the Whittington. I'll pursue that with my GP..failing that, I see you can also get an MRI done privately.

Saqib Khan

29/10/2011 at 11:52

Hey Speedy,

The Whittington is a good orthopaedic dept, Arsenal's surgeon Panos Thomas is based there and it might be worth asking to be referred to his clinic in particular as medial meniscus is a very common football injury too, indeed mine was a footy injury.

I think the trick is to ask your GP to refer you for an arthrogram & MRI at The Whttington if possible rather than a general referral. It may be however that that is a decision that needs to be made at The Whittington, in which case you should be quite persistent when they try and refer you for physiotherapy that you've tried it for long periods privately and recently, even if you haven't, so that they escalate the case without wasting another 6 months that you know won't work.

All the best.

Saqib Khan

18/12/2012 at 12:33

Just thought I'd update:

Had MRI in July 12 as knee was still unstable, turns out tear was still there, not sure if repair did not take or whether it was torn again but after MRI, I went to Matthew Barnett Consultant at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow who is also the knee specialist for the British Olympic Association whose medical unit is based at Northwick Park. Had another arthroscope surgery yesterday where he trimmed away about two-thirds of my medial meniscus.

I think my desire to preserve as much of my meniscus as I could was a bit futile because if it is not doing it's job and is just contributing to irritation and inflamation within the the knee without providing the support it is meant to then there is no point of it being there. If anything, the greater task is to develop quads (and to a slightly lesser extent hamstrings) of a champion so that the knees don't get such an unsupported pounding.

24 hours after surgery, I have no crutches and am full weight bearing on the knee, a lot further ahead than when I had meniscal repair last year. Am hoping to be back to full strength by March, will update here on how it goes.

Saqib

Xyloid

18/12/2012 at 13:03

Good luck Saqib, it sounds like you have been through the mill a bit! Hope it all works out for you this time!

Saqib Khan

18/12/2012 at 18:30

Cheers mate, appreciate it.

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