Torn Meniscus post op problems
Posted , 4 users are following.
I had an arthoscopy for a torn meniscus in February this year. The procedure went well and I was back in work after 2 days, given I have a desk job. I have athrritis also in this knee. For the past few months my knee has been giving me a lot of pain. My GP referred me for physio, which although very painful did help with the movement. My Knee is getting stiffer and stiffer, aches constantly. I love to walk and although I can walk I find after my knee seizes up and pulls from the back. I returned to my GP on Wednesday and had a cortisone injection. My knee bled quite a bit after but I think its helped a bit. Will my knee improve with the cortisone or do you think I may end up having further surgery? Thanks for reading.
1 like, 4 replies
larry43899 freestork
Posted
Sorry to hear about your unsuccessful meniscus op.
Mine went the same way ie it felt great immediately after but because I work on my feet, I left it a month before returning.
Since then (op was Oct 14) it's been gradually getting worse.
About 2 or 3 months ago I bought another mountain bike to refresh my interest in cycling.
Since then, gradually, there's less pain at work, no bother sleeping and I can walk further and more often.
Obviously my fitness has improved and maybe there's more strength in the quad area.another thing I've noticed is there's less clicking in the knee.
Have you got access to a bike??
renee38282 freestork
Posted
2 days! How could you possibly move without pain or walk into work for that matter? Desk job or not. I was floored with pain after the surgery injections wore off. 7 weeks later and I'm still in pain and just starting to walk without crutches. Weren't you on any pain medication? How did you drive? Just curious as I've been going through hell since I tore the meniscus in June and now summers over.
renee38282 freestork
Posted
I had a cortisone injection and it made it worse! 7 weeks post op and I'm still in pain and having to use crutches from time to time. Barely able to walk. So no the cortisone doesn't help. I guess inflammation isn't the source of the pain? Cause that's what it's used for. Good luck to you for a speedy recovery.
pookin freestork
Posted
Hi freestork, I had the injection beforehand "trying to avoid the op" - not me, my doctor more so.
It worked for about 10 days and after a month there was no benefit left, so had the op two months ago. Walked for 45 minutes the same day, then the knee went so stiff that I could not get in or out of the car. But that only lasted for 24 hrs and then on the 7th day I had aches not just in the knee but in all the connecting muscles; again that cleared fairly quickly.
Afer two weeks the restrictions on movements were all gone, the last was resistance when going down the stairs.
A bit long winded, but now coming to my points:
- my consultant repeated many times that the op was not treatment for arthritis
- and that I should keep moving, but take it easy for 2-3 mnths (no twisting or hard impact movements)
- the quad is still looking miserable, but just like what larry said (1st comment) my physio (before the op) said that [swimming - not my favourite! -] and cycling would be the best . As the movement is not restricted and two months are up I will go back to him for more specifics (including if gym or even better, static exercises should be added) to bring the leg back on par with the other one.
Nothing is perfect, but infammations gone 100%, pain 75% and the banging of the knee transformed to sounding like a door turning on its hinges I guess is about as good as one could hope for.
- this is not over yet, though
-the other foot has severe arthritis in the big toe
- the X-ray taken at the time of the cortisone injection made the clinician to state that the benefits of a repeat would soon be diminishing, and that I should grin and bear it until I can make it through the queus for the op (another one, oh no!)