I had my MRI that identified a torn meniscus last week, and now at last I have an appointment where, I presume, I’ll find out what can be done. I have low expectations. I am a little worried that my appointment is with an orthopedic surgeon — I’d rather do PT than get surgery. I’ll find out shortly.
Never mind, the appointment is tomorrow, and I’m a doddering old fool so anxious to end my misery that I put the wrong date in my calendar.
The PT is difficult at best. It’s even more difficult when “avoiding surgery” to correct actual structural defects.
(Speaking from experience, I’m afraid; remember that experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.)
The knee is structurally damaged, and that meniscus, like I said 3 weeks ago, has to be fixed. This is not talking about a knee replacement, just hoovering up some of the damage that occurred over time, with hopefully an improvement in function and movement.
Surgery first, then PT. Putting it off literally prolongs the agony. I know, that’s what I did.
As I’ve said before, I had a torn right meniscus in 2019. It was terribly painful, but didn’t require surgery. I found the PT to be a joke. They had me move my leg slowly up and down, back and forth, as much as I could tolerate. Then they started talking about “strengthening your core.” That irked me. I was there for a damaged knee, not my stomach muscles. After a week of their sessions, I said screw this, cancelled all future appointments, and did it on my own. When I was ready, I strapped on my knee brace and took many long, slooow walks around the neighborhood. Now, except for an occasional twinge if I move the wrong way, I’m pretty much back to where I was. No more slinging heavy bags of wet mulch for me.
All I know is that you should measure from the bottom of the meniscus. Good luck!
Wish you luck, PZ. I don’t know about a torn meniscus, but hopefully that’s all and less than a “complete knee replacement.” The later requires months of PT, although my wife’s pre-op PT almost convinced her to postpone her surgery. We’re now at 10 weeks and she’s doing PT right now with many more months of PT to come.
Be careful of the PT only approach. When I blew my knee out before entering the service I went in with at least one torn meniscus. The Air Force refused to perform surgery and kept putting me through PT. At the end of a given PT round they would tell me that everything was OK and I could do anything I wanted. Since, at that time, they were willing to starve a married enlisted guy I worked part-time in a gas station doing lots of walking, kneeling, stretching, etc. I blew it out several more times, had several more rounds of PT and it kept getting worse. It finally got to where I wore an Ace bandage full time and couldn’t bend my knee. We stopped at my parents house to spend some time before I got shipped to Greenland and my Dad called his congressman and explained what was going on and I finally got it repaired. So, surgery is not fun but it is a lot better now than it was 55 years ago and it is much better than being a full time Ace bandage/brace wearer.
Like others here, I’ve had a torn meniscus. Arthroscopic surgery was quick. Recovery/PT was relatively easy.
Your mileage may vary.
If surgery is the way to go, I just want to get it done already.
I once had a big piece of bone removed from my knee. I walked with a cane for a few days, but that was it. I hope it’s no worse for you.
(Ageing related)
We have lost Ozzy Osbourne.
He was 76 years old.
😭
Yeah, my daughter recently had surgery for a broken knee — she had two scary big screws removed that were holding it together, and a huge incision running the length of her shin — and she seems to have bounced back really well. She’s more mobile than I am, right now.