 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Really just looking for any info/recommendations/first hand experience/random knowledge
I had a skiing accident in March - my leg twisted and my knee took the impact
I managed to ski down, went to the pharmacy of the resort, got painkillers and a knee support (a glorified bandage really); anyway, did managed to ski the rest of the holiday (keeping on blues and easy reds) - between the knee support and the boot my leg felt ok, as soon as I took them off I was limping.
Back in the UK, after a painfull week I went to my GP who thought it was a stained ligament - I started physio (privately) shortly after, let's say April.
It's now better, I can walk long distances, cycle, but there's a constant sharp pain on the knee, consant physio and rehab at the gym seem to have got me as far as they can, so got refered to a knee surgeon - good credentials, works with several teams (rugby, football, tennis players) and he's a keen skiier
Got an MRI, and although the report came as all ok, he examined the images and could see a surface tear (bruising, he told me) on the meniscus 
He recommended an arthroscopy (sp?) and menisctomy
I've been reading online about the procedure and what happens after, but most information I can get is for people with arthritis
So really just looking for resurance, should I go for it? would I be able to ski after? should I just ler nature take it's time?
(I'm still doing rehab excercises 3-4 times a week and some cardio)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IMHO having a speculative arthroscopy is a bad idea. Having a clear target/reason for surgey on the MRI tends to improve the chance of a favourable outcome. Most meniscal injuries will repair themselves without surgical intervention. If it was my knee I would stick with rehab for at least another 6 months before going down the surgery route.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I had surgery to trim a tear and, frankly, I wouldn't bother. I did rehab before and since but the knee is really no better. Most people of any great-grandfather have ragged bits. I should have listened to my physio......
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@JBean,
There is a great deal of nonsense around about the meniscus.
It is a simple decision ie yes or no but it is only a "simple" if someone has simplified the vast number of bits of information by explaining them clearly.
The objectives, advantages and pitfalls of surgery need to be clearly explained.
The following info needs to be considered.
If you have a definite diagnosis of a meniscus tear then we need to know a few more facts.
Is the ACL intact?
Is it a medial or lateral tear?
If medial was there a medial collateral ligament strain?
How old are you?
What is the pattern of tear and is it a peripheral tear?
Is it posterior horn ( at the back), middle or the front?
Is the tear all the way through the meniscus or only on the tibial or femoral side?
Is there an unstable fragment?
Is there bone bruising and if so is the meniscus causing it or secondary to osteoarthritis?
What state are the joint surfaces in?
Have you had surgery or trouble with the knee before?
Are the symptoms tolerable? IF so are you having to compromise on activity or sport? What are your sports?
Does loss of sports and activity have any impact on you ( weight , general health and fitness, can't enjoy sports holidays with family, no longer able to use exercise as a stress buster etc etc)?
All those points should have been considered by your surgeon and then a rational for and against surgery should have been discussed.
If it is still bothering you at 5 months it probably isn't going to get much better by waiting.
For some situations the success rate of arthroscopy can be 90%
Jonathan Bell
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for your answer! ok, from the discussion with the surgeon and the subsequent letter that he sent to my GP:
Tear was confirmed by MRI
The ACL is intact, confirmed by MRI
The tear is a medial tear and there's indeed strain on the medial ligament
I'm 38
It's not a pheriperial tear, is: a superior surface tear at the synovial junction - it's only on the inside of the knee, the other side it's ok
Unstable fragment - not quite sure, but my knee does randomly gives up, especially if I have walked longer than usual
No bone bruising
Joint surfaces are fine
No previous surgery, although I did injured the same knee (also skiing) in 2010, I did had to use crutches for about a month and physio for several months, from memory it was a minor tear on the ligament
Sypmtoms are torelable, it's just a constant sharp pain, but I do have to compromise on sports, any running or jumping is very unconfortable, even core excercises that involve plank position can be hard on the knee - and yes it impacts on my general fitness, I used to do lots of high intensity excersises (general fitness / stress buster) which are now out of the equation, and kneeling on the floor can range from unconfrotable to unbearable, and having a young family is sometimes unavoidable or just gets in the way of family life/enjoyment
For exaple, I was playing tennis (socially and with family) that has now stopped, last year I was doing half marathons, half distance triathlons (as part of a team), kick boxing classes (stress buster/finess) - nothing professional, just for my own gain - all that has been put on hold
The view of the consulant at the appointment was I could leave the knee and keep with physio and reconsider in 6 more months, but seeing how the knee seems to plateau in terms of improvement and it's getting in the way of my normal activities I would benefit from the surgery
He didn't gave me any rationale against it, he did discussed the risks, but that was it
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sounds to me like you will need an arthroscopy or be prepared to compromise on the sports long term.
If joint surfaces are intact you have best chance of a good outcome, but, there is always a few who will have ongoing problems.
If the tear is at the synovial junction then it may well be repairable which can have an 80 to 90 % success rate.
Pm me if you want to discuss further.
Jonathan Bell
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Thanks Jonathan, do appreciate it, have made a second appointment with the consultant that will do the surgery to discuss things further, but I will take you on the offer of a PM after that
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