Anyone experience a meniscus injury?

harriet · Since 10 Jun 2007 64 Posts

I was out kiting last monday, and while walking back to my truck I suddenly had severe knee pain. Several days later and it's barely getting better led me to go talk with my PT. Physical exam says I've damaged my miniscus, which is the shock absorbing cartilage in the knee. Not necessarily related to my session, more related to degradation and age. (41 yrs old,) No MRI as of yet, but if I don't feel better in about a month I'm probably looking at surgery.
Any experiences out there with knee injuries and specifically the miniscus?
I'm one year post spinal surgery from an accident that almost left me wheelchair bound, let alone ever able to kite again, so to say I'm frustrated would be an understatement. I just started riding strapless, (phase 5 wakesurf) but I find myself thinking maybe I shouldn't be riding at all... (sniff, sniff, waaa...)
Honestly, I do feel lucky to be among the walking, and if kiting is going to become a memory so be it. But some posotive feedback sure would be nice!
Scott

ronp · Since 05 Jul 2007 79 Posts west linn

Hi Scott,
I tore up both meniscus but both were due to events were my leg was twister pretty severe and not gradual wear. It was due to one foot being out of the board on raley launch and the board twisting from hitting the water first. MRI showed the meniscus was torn. I found older blogs about it and some web videos. However, I never got the surgery because the fix is basically to cut away the torn flaps and no real type of repair. The doc said it can't really heal on it's own because blood doesn't get very far in the meniscus.
I still kite but am very careful not to get caught with one foot. Basketball and tennis are out because they take too much twisting motions. It hurts a little but seems to be OK.

Good luck.

Pete · Since 29 Oct 2007 833 Posts Opinionated

I had surgery for a torn meniscus several years back from a snowboarding injury. I must say, my knee has never been the same, but at the same time, it has not stopped me from doing any of the sports I love (kiting, snowboarding, mountain biking, surfing, skimboarding, etc.)

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1523 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

I had mine tore from a work injury and opted for surgery because my surgeon said that 60% that are rehabbed end up coming back for surgery. I am a firefighter and have to be pretty active on the job so I did not want more time away from the job post rehab. I still snow ski, water ski, kitesurf etc and dont have problems. I will agree the knee will never feel that same but some ibuprofen do a nice job when I head to the mountain. I can tell when it is going to be stormy or the pressure is changing because I have a minor ache. Either way you will be fine but surgery equals about 3 months of rehab before you start getting your full range of motion back.

Diggy · Since 25 Nov 2006 342 Posts Gorge to Coast Obsessed

Scott,
A few years back I had a meniscus tears which would occasionally cause severe pain and my knee to collapse. This mostly happened during specific movements or when I stepped around something and wa not moving in a staight line. I opted out of the surgury to see if is would heal itself. Was very slow healing, 6 month plus I think before it completely stopped. Have not had a problem for years now.

I bought and kept new shoes with good insoles and walked deliberately for many months. A knee brace may help if you do continue to kite this season.

Heal quick man!

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

I tore both meniscus, medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments all in one nasty downhill skiing accident about 20 years ago.

I couldn't walk without crutches for 6 months after the surgery. Rehab to regain range of motion was extremely painful and was pure medieval in regards to process. They told me I'd be back for more surgeries within 1-2 years because of expectations of increasing pain.

I fooled them. My knee was fine for the last 20 years, a little wobbly when unweighted but no pain, I've played volleyball, run, kited, groundboarded, etc with no issues.

I tweaked it at Jones about a month ago when the foot on my good leg came out of its strap during a crash and the board tweaked my bad knee. I could barely walk the next day. Its been hurting since, but slowly getting better. I haven't stopped kiting, but I'm only skimming now. If it's not better by the end of the season, I figure I'll go for an MRI and do the surgery over the winter if needed.

pdxmonkeyboy · Sun Aug 16, 09 9:04 am

you will likely get a prescription for boots or at a minimum, heel straps

shred_da_gorge · Sun Aug 16, 09 9:19 am

I tore mine over a decade ago and was told (as someone mentioned) that surgery just scrapes away the scar tissue and doesn't help rebuild. I gave up running and volleyball and took a break but kept windsurfing and (believe it or not) playing racquetball. I found that spin class helped by building leg muscle, and the 3 I's when the pain visits (ice, ibuprofin, inclination), but overall stretching and building the muscles around it was key. The pain comes back from time to time (I'm 42 BTW), but managing it by being aware of when the pain says "take a break" lets me spend more time on the water than not. Also I've tried some of those "joint building" supplements but didn't notice any change in pain regularity. Good luck with your recovery Steve!

harriet · Since 10 Jun 2007 64 Posts

Thanks for the words boys, my headspace just took a drastic change for the better.
I'm now looking back at an injury 10 yrs back after a windsurfing session, and think I may have done a similar thing to my other knee. Never saw a doc for that one. Same outcome as others have described, months of slow healing, followed by slight changes in lifestyle. Not a serious issue in my life now.
Man, I hope that's the case. I'm tired of operations.
Fingers crossed
Scott

On a Rampage · Since 19 Dec 2007 17 Posts Florida Keys

cda,
I had meniscus surgery last tuesday and am starting rehab on wednesday. My doc is one of the top orthapedic surgeons in the NE and a kiter for 11 years speciallizing in sports injuries. I am told that I will be back on the water in 1 month.

Flydunes hurt alot more than just his meniscus which is why it took so long to heal.

Alot of the reason the knee may continue to hurt down the road may be caused by arthridic pain that may never go away. The doc said it was a clear cut of the meniscus and he didn't see any arthritus at all.

KidCorporate · Since 10 Jul 2007 563 Posts Addicted

Get that MRI, stat. I thought I had a tear in my knee this winter that kept me off the snow for 4 months, until I finally got it checked out and it was fine. I can only hope you're that lucky, but the sooner you get a clear view of what's going on the sooner you can take action.

glisse · Since 10 Aug 2009 3 Posts Kook

An MRI will tell you what injury you have. Last summer I had a kiting accident and injured my left knee. Both my doctor and the orthopedic surgeon concluded that I injured my meniscus and that I would need surgery... GFollowing their visit, I had an MRI. It revealed that the injury was a torn MCL and that my meniscus was fine. It healed in a month.

Ksurf69 · Since 17 Aug 2009 6 Posts Jericho, VT Kook

I tore my medial meniscus almost two years ago -- it was a typical mechanism: deep knee flexion followed by a twisting motion (happened in a slip on a small cliff face while scouting/buffing an off-piste Eastern ski trail). I also happen to be an anesthetist who has done countless general and spinal anesthetics for people having knee scopes for meniscectomy, among the many other indications. After about ten days of great difficulty just walking I saw an orthopod I work with frequently and he confirmed by clinical exam a torn meniscus. I was rather surprised when he didn't push for an MRI and/or consideration of an arthroscopy. Physical therapy wasn't an option since I was very fit to begin with and there would have been little to gain there. He went on to point to a Swedish study that followed similar patients, half of whom had surgery and half not. Their symptoms and function were no different five years later. With the snow season upon us, I decided to tough it out and forgo the surgical route (and therefore, an MRI, since there was little chance it would affect my decision). Long story short, the knee was about 85% of normal (based on discomfort, range of motion) some nine months later and I was slowed down a whole lot in the interim. Now 18 months later it's like 95% of normal (just a gross estimate) and I no doubt have benefit of some of the cartilage that might have been sacrificed in the course of a normal partial meniscectomy. It's quite a common surgery, to be sure, but not entirely benign. The most feared complication, albeit rare, is that of deep vein thrombosis, or worse, pulmonary embolism. Never mind the fact that for a few to several weeks immediately following meniscectomy the knee can be quite sore -- maybe moreso than with the original injury. Anyway, food for thought. Hope that helps some.

-Karl

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

rich · Since 30 Nov 2005 306 Posts portland Obsessed

i had some meniscus damage a couple of times, repaired a couple of times. The first was a really quick bounce back from the surgery, knee stayed sore for a while though. 2nd one was hard to tell because ACL got worked on. I can say that both knees are tip top these days, just a couple of scars. Docs are pretty good at repairing knees, my opinion is that the knees health and the way that it feels has more to do w/ how diligent you are in physical therapy thereafter and whether or not you add some plyometric work to your workout routine to keep it all tuned up. From the first surgery to the 2nd a lot changed from a technology standpoint. These days they don't have to cut on you as much as they used to, so the recovery time is probably going to be a lot faster.

you probably aren't hurting it, as in damaging it more, by kiting more this season. But if it hurts too much to ride, get it fixed sooner than later. That way you'll be ready for the winter kite trips and the snowboard season.

rich · Since 30 Nov 2005 306 Posts portland Obsessed

by the way, got my knees worked on by Oregon Sports Medicine in Tualatin. If your insurance will cover these guys, i think they do good work. Apparently they are part of the Blazers med staff too

gocoastal · Since 25 Jul 2009 23 Posts

As you can read in all the replies, there are many different experiences and results, specific to each person.

Definitely get an MRI and the opinion of a good physical rehabilitation person and a surgeon. Go with with very highly recommended people for both. Use those opinions to inform your decision. If you choose surgery, know that it can be successful or only moderately so, depending on the talent of the surgeon. Just ask the physical therapists that see the results, they'll tell you that some surgeons are artists with a scalpel and some are butchers.

I was 41 when I had partial meniscus surgery, removing about 30% of the meniscus due to a tear that was making any sports painful and sub par. I was kiting 5 weeks after with some soreness which gradually subsided. I'm a year+ on now and while kiting, my knee seems just as it was before I damaged my meniscus. Just giving you one example of a positive surgery result.

I used Michael Dillingham at SOAR in the San Fran Bay area. Talented surgeon. Best of luck.