Meniscus

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Jgrden

Jgrden

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
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Location
hOUSTON, Texas
Ever have a meniscus issue with your knees???? :question:I have been chasing pain around with cortisone shots and have it finally cornered on the left side of the knee. One more shot and I think the pain will surrender. I think it all started when we bought new boots (Wolverines) and the knees, sensitive in the first place, need to adjust to the new foot wear. The boots are great, just need to adjust, I think. My age?, 65. A younger person should not have these issues. :confused:

What do you think? Any similar experience??
 
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Yeah, I've had issues, then I shattered both legs so both were operated on.

In most folks it usually causes pain because it is torn. The shots will help for a while, but sometimes the only true relief will come with arthroscopic surgery.
 
OUCH !!!!:eek::eek:
Padre said:
Yeah, I've had issues, then I shattered both legs so both were operated on.

In most folks it usually causes pain because it is torn. The shots will help for a while, but sometimes the only true relief will come with arthroscopic surgery.
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In younger folks it is often caused by a muscular inbalance in the leg. My doctor had me do leg extensions with no weight then gradually work up to about 10 lbs over a month or so. It made a big difference. I think it was three sets of 10 three times a day. Once the excercises did the trick the knee cap traveled smoothly and no more pain.
 
LEAP said:
In younger folks it is often caused by a muscular inbalance in the leg. My doctor had me do leg extensions with no weight then gradually work up to about 10 lbs over a month or so. It made a big difference. I think it was three sets of 10 three times a day. Once the excercises did the trick the knee cap traveled smoothly and no more pain.
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I like your input but have to wonder, is it a little cold where you are??
 
I have been exercising on a rocker board for about a year, after 6 months of once a week pt. Knees have been getting better due to strengthing the muscles around the knee. I now have a pair of the new Sketcher sneakers I wear a few hours a day with the built in rocker and I am almost pain free. Only 1 shot of cortizone a year ago and the threat of double orthoscopic surgery on both knees. I'm 67 and getting older every day. Wish you the best.
 
Andrew:
I think you and I are the only two to get your joke. Does that say something about OUR sense of humor or everyone else's?

Oh well, Potato....Patoto:)
 
John, I am 53 and just had orthoscopic to repair my miniscus. Had it a couple of Thursdays ago and I was back at work that following Monday. I think I could have gone back the following day, but I took advantage of the day off. It was achy a little and I had to ice my knee for about a week after work, but I could have done the Irish jig by the next Friday.
THEN I WENT TO PHYSICAL THERAPY. Holy ^%#@. After a visit to the docs, and telling him about P.T., he gave me some excersises to do. Everything is fine.
BTW, he also scraped out some other junk telling me that it could have led to some athritic issues. Did a craft show the following week.
 
Heh, I only have about 1/2 of mine left in my right knee.

In 95 when I blew out my ACL, I also tore the meniscus. When they fixed my ACL, they also attempted to sew the meniscus back together as well. 6 months of recovery time later and it still wasn't completely right, and it tore again. They went back in and took out the bad parts and later that same day I walked out of the hospital to my car (your results may vary).
 
You guys make my knees hurt reading about all the surgeries and such... Knock on green wood (two sharp raps to the head) at 69 my knees are still in great shape... a little boney maybe, and when I drop down in a cowboy squat, I need something to pull back up with, but the knees are pain free and I can stand for hours with no problems... matter of fact, when I do shows, I stand all day because I don't like to sit and talk up to my customers.
 
Jgrden said:
LEAP said:
In younger folks it is often caused by a muscular inbalance in the leg. My doctor had me do leg extensions with no weight then gradually work up to about 10 lbs over a month or so. It made a big difference. I think it was three sets of 10 three times a day. Once the excercises did the trick the knee cap traveled smoothly and no more pain.
Click to expand...
I like your input but have to wonder, is it a little cold where you are??
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Depends on the time of year, Damn cold in January and Feburary, Rest of the year depends on the day. I was in my early thirties when I had the problems. So thats 15 some odd years ago. I don't think the cold had much to do with it. More likely it was caused by working on the steel decks of ships and climbing stairs all day long. The doc said the muscles on the outside of my legs and knees were stronger those on the inside and were causing the knee cap to move unevenly causing the miniscus to become irritated. He had been a team physician for a pro football team before retiring to small private practice and was quite familiar with joint problems. He thought of surgery and meds as a last resort and usually prescribed some sort of exercise or stretching for any muscle or skeletal problems. I wish he was still in practice he was twice the physician then either of the two docs I have been too since.
 
The meniscus is a c-shaped pad located between the femur and tibia. There are two in each knee(medial and lateral). They are very important shock absorbers in the knee. The majority of the meniscus is avascular(no blood supply), so most tears will not heal. Arthroscopic surgery can be done to repair or more commonly remove torn meniscal tissue. As we get older and arthritis gets worse, scope surgeries become somewhat less reliable for pain relief because arthritis cannot be fixed through the scope. Often, a torn meniscus is the tipping point for people between asymptomatic and symptomatic arthritis because the torn cartilage no longer functions as a shock absorber in the knee. This leads to more stress on the arthritic joint surface and worsening pain. That's my two cents...
 
I had a few scope surgeries (exactly 4 of them) to repair meniscus tears, put in a new ACL, etc. But bits of miniscus tissue kept tearing off and getting wedged in the most pailful spots. Finally I had it all removed (real surgery for the first time in my life, not scope) and replaced with some nice titanium parts I don't have amy more problems. My recommendation is to wait as long as possible before having it replaced.
 
Yep had both mine repaired several times and ACL repaired many years ago. Had my right knee replaced two & a half years ago and getting my left replaced on Dec 1. ACL repair made the meniscus repair seem like a walk in the park. Knee replacement made the ACL repair seem like child's play. Really not looking forward to another replacement but once it's done it's done and I'll be racing around once again. The first two weeks are pure he'll.
 
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I just had half of mine taken out on the 4th!I have been of work since and the doc says it may be a couple more weeks,they also told me my knee was shot and that the pain wouldn't be any better and needs to be replaced,and I'm only 43!!It's not the years,so it must be the miles!!And years of abuse!!I hate for anyone to have to go through any kind of knee pain,or feet for that matter!!Hope it gets better.
 
Yes I have had a problem. At randow time it would feel like I was getting a shot in the back of my leg and I would grab it to stop it. It turned out to be fluid squirting between the muscle tissue and making it part. The doctor finally went in after pt did nothing. He found it was torn. It was a quick recovery.

Dave
 
After two scopes and physical therapy here's my two cents. In general, hold off on any knee surgery until you feel it's needed and strengthen the joint in question. About 3 years ago I took up cycling and this has strengthened the knee enough for me to even play basketball every now and then. My knee problem is missing cartilage and my age is 46. Cycling would seem to make knees worse..... this is not the case if you maintain a quick cadence. Make sure you peddle at least 85 rpm. The combination of the weight coming off and your knee getting stronger makes all the difference in the world. Here's a link to Dr. Gabe. He has several articles on knees.
http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/knee_cartilage.html
 
David Keller said:
The meniscus is a c-shaped pad located between the femur and tibia. There are two in each knee(medial and lateral). They are very important shock absorbers in the knee. The majority of the meniscus is avascular(no blood supply), so most tears will not heal. Arthroscopic surgery can be done to repair or more commonly remove torn meniscal tissue. As we get older and arthritis gets worse, scope surgeries become somewhat less reliable for pain relief because arthritis cannot be fixed through the scope. Often, a torn meniscus is the tipping point for people between asymptomatic and symptomatic arthritis because the torn cartilage no longer functions as a shock absorber in the knee. This leads to more stress on the arthritic joint surface and worsening pain. That's my two cents...
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Well your two cents is worth allot because that, at age 65, is the description of what is happening. I played allot of sports, racquetball for 23 years, and I am sure have taken its toll. Now I just need to get by and hopefully it will cure itself. I understand that it will not heal, but maybe the muscle build up around the sore area will take the pressure. Man does it HURT. I need to attend a grand son and daughter school function tomorrow. I'd hate to show up in a wheel chair. How about a cane??? Never thought of that.
 
Jgrden said:
Ever have a meniscus issue with your knees???? :question:I have been chasing pain around with cortisone shots and have it finally cornered on the left side of the knee. One more shot and I think the pain will surrender. I think it all started when we bought new boots (Wolverines) and the knees, sensitive in the first place, need to adjust to the new foot wear. The boots are great, just need to adjust, I think. My age?, 65. A younger person should not have these issues. :confused:

What do you think? Any similar experience??
Click to expand...

I had an operation on my left knee last year and never had any problems after that. At least not with that knee.:smile:
 
We received another cortisone shot. There are now three options if this does not work. First option is to let it be. Second option is to give it Rooster Injections that are supposed to build up the cartilage (did not work before and it won't work now) and the third is to place a scope into my knee and fix the repair to the torn meniscus. As I write this, the pain is unbearable. I need a shot of Jack Daniels. I have tried every thing else.
 
Jgrden said:
We received another cortisone shot. There are now three options if this does not work. First option is to let it be. Second option is to give it Rooster Injections that are supposed to build up the cartilage (did not work before and it won't work now) and the third is to place a scope into my knee and fix the repair to the torn meniscus. As I write this, the pain is unbearable. I need a shot of Jack Daniels. I have tried every thing else.
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John, I'll just say it even tho "I aint no doctor".

You really only have one option given the pain you are in. Letting it be, won't help. "Rooster Injections" don't help. You are in a great deal of pain and you've just had a shot that is suppose to relieve it... Do you see where I am going with this? It's time to throw in the towel and get that knee 'scoped. Like I said before, I have had mine done. What I neglected to tell you is that my knee is less problematic - less painful than the "good one". Yes, surgeries are costly, have risks, and are generally a miserable experience. But you seem like your knee is making you pretty miserable now. Well, if you have the surgery at least you know the pain is suppose to subside sooner or later. Leaving it the way it is now, the pain will probably never subside completely or for very long.

I am not really trying to tell you what to do, but if I were in your shoes, I'd get'r done... Cuz there is no reason to live with pain if you have a choice.
 
Billman said:
Jgrden said:
We received another cortisone shot. There are now three options if this does not work. First option is to let it be. Second option is to give it Rooster Injections that are supposed to build up the cartilage (did not work before and it won't work now) and the third is to place a scope into my knee and fix the repair to the torn meniscus. As I write this, the pain is unbearable. I need a shot of Jack Daniels. I have tried every thing else.
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John, I'll just say it even tho "I aint no doctor".

You really only have one option given the pain you are in. Letting it be, won't help. "Rooster Injections" don't help. You are in a great deal of pain and you've just had a shot that is suppose to relieve it... Do you see where I am going with this? It's time to throw in the towel and get that knee 'scoped. Like I said before, I have had mine done. What I neglected to tell you is that my knee is less problematic - less painful than the "good one". Yes, surgeries are costly, have risks, and are generally a miserable experience. But you seem like your knee is making you pretty miserable now. Well, if you have the surgery at least you know the pain is suppose to subside sooner or later. Leaving it the way it is now, the pain will probably never subside completely or for very long.

I am not really trying to tell you what to do, but if I were in your shoes, I'd get'r done... Cuz there is no reason to live with pain if you have a choice.
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I AM GOING TO GET IT DONE. THE HECK WITH THIS CRAP. I hate it when my wife waits on me. I feel like a real flop, failure, fixture and just terrible, crappy. She is more than happy to do it, I just don't like being in that powerless position. :mad:
 
Sounds like the scope is your best option at the moment. The 'rooster comb' is likely 'pissin' in the wind' as we would say around here... It doesn't make cartilage grow back. If the scope doesn't work, you're probably looking at a new knee. There are worse things than a new knee... Things like having to keep the old knee.
 
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