Meniscus

I first hurt my knee playing hockey, I went to move around a player, my foot planted but did not pivot so my knee twisted. There was a loud click and a lot of pain which was initially on the outside of my knee and then moved around the back of my knee and then the inside.  It was however weight bearing and not too swollen. The next day I got it checked out and they said no real damage just a strain, ‘you will be back to normal in 3-4 weeks’ the hospital said. They were largely correct, every day it felt better and better and I was back to running but not back to hockey.

Three weeks after the initial twist I slipped on a wood floor, I did not fall but I did have my weight on the weaker knee as I wobble to stay upright. This time the pain was everywhere, the noise was awful and I would not weight bear on it at all.  I was taken to A&E and see by a Physiotherapist who quite frankly fobbed me off. She said my knee was strained again, I have probably bruised my meniscus but I just need to rest up for 8 weeks. She did however refer me for further Physiotherapy but not for an MRI.

Four weeks later I’m still limping, I can’t straighten my leg and I have to take pain killers every day and night.  My physiotherapist then concedes I do need the MRI,  I go to my GP to join the MRI waiting list via the NHS. I said I would be happy to take a cancelation at the last minute day or night and amazingly I had my MRI within 4 days of the referral. I also then got  a appointment with a knee specialist for 2 weeks later so things were moving forward at last.

Two weeks later I have my MRI results sent to the specialist and I’m still in his appointment room. The news was not good, I had a bucket tear to my meniscus which is folded in my knee joint and damage to my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). I also have a baker’s cyst due to swelling and bad bruising to the bone.  I was shocked at the news, especially about the cruciate ligament. No one had mentioned the ACL, in all of the knee assessments I had there was suspected damage to the Medial Collateral ligament (MCL)  but not once was my ACL mentioned.  Furthermore the ACL does not have a blood supply so would not heel without surgery.

The knee consultant was great, he said i would need to do a meniscectomy (meniscus surgery to remove the torn part) and while he was in the knee he would look at my ACL to see how damaged it was and then decide if I needed a reconstruction of the ACL. If I did need the reconstruction, that would then be done at a later date to allow the leg to regain some strength before a 2nd operation.

I’m now 2 days post 1st operation which was the repair to the meniscus and my knee feels the best it’s felt for weeks. I’m also in less pain and discomfort and I’m walking better.  I’m actually feeling the most positive I’ve felt about my knee since I twisted it 12 weeks ago. I will find out next week if I need the second operation.

If you would like some help with your knee rehab after a Meniscus Surgery. Please contact http://www.arbrookpt.co.uk or email info@arbrookpt.co.uk