Arthroscopy on NHS

If you had not had physio before your arthroscopy, your quads would have wasted to some degree.  Although they are major muscles, they are the first to atrophy after any type of surgery. Before they do replacements they need to be sure about what is going on in your knee area.  Arthroscopic surgery is the quickest, least invasive way of finding out! My personal advice to you is start working on building up muscle strength now as, when you do have the replacement procedure, they are going to waste away.  Whilst they were looking in your knee they would have cleaned up any debris that would have been floating about, hence your lack of pain right now. Try to veer away from impact exercise, which includes lunges etc as that will increase pain and make you less inclined to exercise.

Try to stay positive about everything that happens to you, that way you won't get so frustrated at what seems to be idiotic procedures.  When/if they are going to do a replacement, they will call you in for an assessment, be prepared to lose half a morning\afternoon (normally takes about 4 hours, private or NHS) as they will take blood, weigh you and ask all sorts of questions, make sure you ask lots of questions yourself, no matter how stupid, idiot or banal you may think.  They will also go through epidurals or general anaesthetic.  They will tell you the benefits of either.

In the meantime; no running. But do not rest!!!!

I feel for you. Same words were said to me I was only 48!

The reason they keep bringing up the age thing is because there is a limited life on the joint.  The more active you are the more the life of the joint decreases.  The replacement procedure (partial or total) is not a walk in the park.  The sentiment is that the older you are the less you are going to be as active as a young person.  Yes that way of thinking is hogwash, but is has not changed.  It is not a medical thing, it is the manufacturers.  They have yet to come up with a joint with a lifelong warranty.  The thing is you have to push for this. You also have to mentally strong and prepared, that if you have the operation now, you may need to have another replacement later on in life! If you go down this route, think about how the joint is "cemented" to your bones and think about how they would then have to removed he old joint.  When you are young, you do have to "think" On the other hand you cannot afford to let your consultant know you have misgivings as they will think you are not ready for the procedure to take place. If you are sure that all other avenues have been covered (you really do need to speak with your consultant / surgeon /doctor (not forums)). Then you are in a position of strength to ask for the replacement. Don't let them use the age excuse, but realise their resistance is for your own benefit, they don't want to do this, for you then to run countless marathons, climb Mount Everest and run to John O Groats and back, then wonder why you have a  that replacement needs replacing.  I know it is frustrating, but keep at it, build up your muscles as you will have to well and truly work on them after the operation. There are still extreme sports that are not too high impact and you can still be an adrenaline junky.  Just one other thing, the surgeon is in a position of making the joint to either give you more flexibility or less (I guess like a tensioning thing), but that is their call not yours. Hope that helps

I was 51 when I had my PKR last year.  Weighed up all the risks especially that I may wear the replacement out but I need my mobilty now. Love walking and cycling but don't do any impact sports.

Way to go! xx

Should have said the surgeons don't elaborate. Spell check does marvelous things to an idea.

hi there

hope you dont mind me butting in on the conversation but you seem so knowledgable "oldfatguy1" that i just wondered if you had any advice...i had an arthroscopy 3 years ago and my quads have never gained use...i cannot do a straight leg raise , and my knee gives way without a brace. none of the specialists seem to know what to do as there is no flicker of activity in the right quad muscle even though all the recent emg/nerve studies show that the nerve is in tact but the muscle is not responding.....any advice? thankyou, helen xx

What surgery have you had

hi there

just a simple arthroscopy...thats it !!!! for a meniscal tear!!!

and 3 years later, still suffering and in full leg brace !!

xx

Ouch. I was off crutches in 3 days post arthroscopy. Running around in a matter of weeks. All for Mesicus tear. Wish I could offer some advice. A friend had same op at the same age (49), 3 months on her knee is still very swollen and painful. Before very fit ran marathons, swimming instructor. I'm the complete opposite. So definitely nothing consistent regarding post op pain/recovery.

Have you gone back to surgeon.  Why full leg brace. What physio have you done. What does your doc say

hiya

been back and forth to surgeon/specialists etc etc..they all just seem to think my quad has forgot how to work and has atrophied...the brace is to stop the knee constantly giving way as it did twice and i broke my kneecap as a result...but we just cant wake up my quads or get them to respond...was even given a electromuscular stimulator but even that wont make the muscle twitch. no one can give me any answers/solutions. even my physio doesnt know what to do as the exercises you do to strengthen your quad, i cant do, and as she said, we cant work with something that isnt there....apparently im a medical mystery!!!! great !!

xx

Welcome to the club.  You are still not alone.  You still need to exercise and the other muscles will compensate.  You will get the use of your leg back, it will just take a little longer. Get a pair of crutches so that you can use your leg and muscles the way they should work, but have the comfort of the crutches. do not give up, so what if you have one leg thinner than the other.  Wearing the brace all the time will stop your muscles from working, and that will leave you with a weak leg that gives way all the time.

You will be able to do most every thing you want.  You have children to raise and you want to be able to enjoy their growing up and go out and about with them.  Everything is do-able. You have to be bloody minded with yourself.  Of course there will be times when you are down, but don't wallow. Get a bike, or one of those little cycle whatits that you can sit in a chair and still go through the motions.  There is so much you can do.

That is one strange defect and I'm sure Dr's are completely mystified. Just checking, was the scope on the knee and why was it done....repair of damage or just looking for damage. A classmate had something similar several years back when she went around without getting either a hi or knee done and the muscle split wide open and never healed. She has no use of the leg as one would know it and there is nothing that can be done to repair it. I certainly hope this isn't the case for you. Are you in the UK or US. Maybe someone on here has seen or heard of this problem and can better answer than me

hi there "oldfatguy1"...thanks for your reply...im in north wales, uk. was very fit before op, keen runner and squash player but had a suspected meniscal tear so ...a right knee arthroscopy. as i say, the op was 3 years ago, and the first thing they noticed on taking the stitches out was no quad control....and nothing ever since....just cannot do a straight leg raise at all...the leg will not lift...cant put any weight on that leg when its bent only when its rigid straight....so frustrating .xx

I have no quads on my left leg. Had every test done under the sun, both in the UK and Singapore where I lived for a while. This was all before my TKR. My leg is strong, specially as the replacement hasn't gone to plan. The other muscles have compensated

.....of course, I suppose the did studies on blood flow to make sure there isn't a blockage of any sort. I think the emg, if memory serves me correctly, is the study of nerves that show where nerves were 6 weeks prior to test. Sure hope others will jump in here with suggestions

If you do the same exercises as you would for quads, the other muscles will kick in and compensate. Walk around (indoors) with little weights round your ankles. Work out on a rowing machine, let your strong leg do most of the work, but you'll find that your bad leg will work and slowly you will be able to take the strain. It will take time and patience, but you will be able to get a strong leg that wil not give way, it will look a little weird, but hey weird is good!

Over the years, whenever I had to see someone regarding my knee they all had ideas on how to "rebuild" quads, you go through the motions and in the end, prove to them you have been there and done that.  Why it happens, who knows.  Life is too short to keep wondering.