torn meniscus

ccorrea · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 12

Hey everyone, well it was the 4th day out this summer for me, I had just gotten a high pole and I landed my first tantrums and frontrolls, nothing could have been better when I go for a frontroll and land kinda weird. I twisted my knee (I guess) and didn't even notice. I wakeboarded for like 5 more minutes and then on the boat I noticed my knee was kinda hurting.. It tuns out that I managed to somehow tear up my meniscus and need to get surgery on my left knee. Anyway, the doctor said the operation was simple and that my knee would be back in full capacity, and that it wouldn't bother me in the future. Well I am obviously hoping the guy is right, but I just wanted to see if anybody else here has had the same injury and how was the recuperation. Does your knee ever bother you or is it back as good as new?

tc

I just had my surgery less than a month ago and I am doing Physical Therapy. My knee is still undergoing the recovery process. Here is what to expect.

1.) Surgery - about a half hour to and hour process. You will need someone to drive ya home. Walk around with Crutches first day or two.

2.) By day three you start to hobble around. Keep Icing the knee. Your knee will be swollen like a grapefruit.

3.) Day 4 go back to see your dock. Then See PT to do sonar and electrode stuff. This increases the blood flow. Knee feels really tight, because of all the swelling.

4.) week 2 you go back to see the Doc and get stitches removed. no biggie. Then you'll start working the knee with PT.

5.) Week 3 Is where you start working on muscles in the knee area. Need
Strech your leg throughout the day.

6.) Week 4 Right now I am able to walk pretty good but my knee still feels kinda tight. Keep working on the excercises your therapist recommends. Do them in the morning or evening. Strech your leg throughout the day.

The knee is slowly comming back. I feels pretty good but I definately don't want to over do it. I have pics of the torn meniscus and the ACL that the doc took. I'll try to scan em and post sometime.

RunningWithScissors · Posted: Feb 21, 2003 11:20 am Post subject:

my dad got knee surgery, not the same reason as you though, but he just put a ton of ice on it, well, it was sort of a cold water jug that brought the water up to a water "bandage" that was around his knee. Hope it helps a little

Krashr31 · Outlaw Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 238 City: Florida

seems like alot of people get injured on that trick. i just overotated one a few minutes ago and man did my face feel like it was on fire. Good luck!

tc · Posted: Feb 21, 2003 11:59 am Post subject: This is what to get to ice the knee

I used an icepack but then a friend turned me onto Cryo-cuff
This thing kicks but! It works great as it molds to your knee and ices the whole area. It doesn't get as cold as the ice pack, but it still helps. I think it is better in a way because it doesnt get so cold where its unbearable.

Check it out:
http://www.kneesupport.com/aircast/cyro-cuff.htm

Good luck...
You should be up and running in about 8 weeks

otiswunguy · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 871 City: Sammamish

how can you tell if you have a torn meniscus ? i jacked both my knees up at different times and now every time i land in the flats or case the wake it hurts like a mother on the back side of my knee. if i get it really good my knee gets so stiff i cant bend it for a couple of days. i don't want to hear go to the doctor cause i gots no insurance. anyone else have a similar experience?

ccorrea · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 12

Well how can you tell if you have a torn meniscus? You are just gonna have to get a magnetic resonance on your knee if you wanna know for sure. But if it hurts at the back of your knee it's probably somethin else. Mine hurt on the side, on the inside side of the knee. But then again, I am no doctor so I don't really have a clue...

ccorrea · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 12

tc: thanks for the long and detailed post, I apreciate it. But I have one question, you said you have a picture of your acl, did you also injure that? Cuz I just injured my meniscus, and I think the operation might be a little easier than an acl one.. I'm pretty sure the doc said it would be endoscopic, so they only cut a small hole, no need for stitches on that I think.

jim Bogden · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 178 City: Sandy, UT

from what i have heard, if its the back side that hurts its ACL . I am getting an MRI done in a week, hopefully nothing serious

Wakerideordie · Newbie Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Posts: 29 City: Northern CT

hey everyone, well heres a different side to this post. i tore my meniscus and strained my acl. and they didnt cut me open. the doctor left to decision up to me totally cuz i really didnt wanna be cut and it turns out i was on crutched for 6 months with 8 months of physical training. it killed mu indoor track season and most of outdoor but it was 2 years ago last month and it feels very strong. it all comes down to what ya wanna put up with. longer time and no surgery, or short recovery and the knife. but i chose not to.

VonZipper83 · Newbie Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 28 City: Kalamazoo, MI

i tore my meniscus snowboarding 2 years ago and i chose not to go under the knife and i havent really had any problems. i guess i got lucky. good luck healing.

Krashr31 · Outlaw Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 238 City: Florida

Otiswunguy, that seems like an aggrivated ACl. Anyone considering going for surgry should consider it thoroughly cuz alot of people i've talked to say they felt better before surgery. definately go to the best specialist you can find. Docs who are older got their education in the dark ages so do alot of research before making a decision ike that. Docs don't always know best. think about it once they have a liscence it 's just money, their not going to admit that they have an out-dated education and i'm sure some are lazy and don't follow up their education. good luck.

ccorrea · Newbie Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 12

hasn't anybody teared their meniscus without causing damage to their ACL? Cuz that's what happened to me, and I know that ACL injuries are a bitch to heal and that they take like a lot of therapy and your knee never goes back to what it was before the accident, but what about meniscus only injuries?
About not getting surgery, the doc said there was no way of me not gettting it done. The deal is that my meniscus has this little flap that right now is in place and it doesn't bother me, I can walk ok, have full range of motion and have no pain, but the thing is that this flap sometimes get's out of place and actually rubs against some cartilage, and that is very dangerous for my knee.. cuz the cartillage could rupture or something like that.. and well, if they don't fix that flap thingy it's just waiting for dissaster to accur.

slaydit · Posted: Feb 23, 2003 11:34 am Post subject:

you know what they say, once u bust ur knee, its never the same again.

-jey