My knees going bad... more surgery soon?

[sahuaro]

So sorry to hear this, Mark. I've spent enough time in PT to watch the knee patients rehab--and it's not pleasant, especially the first few sessions--but I've also seen some remarkable recoveries. Sending you my best wishes for a successful surgery.

[mmglobal]

(resurrecting old post.)

OK, the jury is in. L knee MRI that showed meniscus tear was 2 years ago. It's held steady without causing much trouble unless I tried to move something heavy with my L foot, so I ignored it. A month ago, I decided that I'd like to be able to ski and be active again, so I'd better get it fixed. I went to the GP asking for a referral to a knee doc. The manipulations he did to confirm the diagnosis really flared things up and I've been quite bad ever since. I've gone from being able to avoid the painful movements, to having 5/10 pain probably 70% of the time with several bouts of 9/10 pain that last several minutes every day. I just returned from a 12 day trip for client surgeries and I was worried that the knee was going to abort the trip.

Luckily, I ran the gauntlet with the new, so called 'managed health care' and already had the surgery scheduled. TODAY, I'll have the arthroscopic cleanup.

I was surprised that the surgeon did not want an updated MRI as the last imaging was 2 years old. His reply indicated that MRI's are of limited value for knees and that the absolute best view is from inside during the surgery. My R knee (operated on in 2003) had significant problems with 'dead bone' on the end of my femur. There are some bone issues called out on the 2007 MRI, but nothing like we saw in the R knee. I'm uncomfortable moving forward without new imaging but cannot afford to get things done properly. I'm moving forward because cleaning up the tear is a simple surgery and if there are further problems later, repeat surgery will not be impaired by the prior surgery.

Wish me luck!

Mark

[dshobbies]

Ouch Mark,

Wonderful how modern medicine can fix us up but in the end, we'll all Humpty Dumptys. Our cracks will always show.

Julius had this surgery 3 years ago and was back on his feet very quickly. Good luck- Dale

[sahuaro]

Mark:
Wishing you all the best with the surgery and recovery.
The MRI of my right shoulder did not at all give an accurate picture of the extent of damage; my ortho was insistent that I did not need MRI of the left shoulder and that his clinical exam was enough--and he was correct.

Let us know how you are doing, please.

[Cindylou]

Mark, best of luck with this surgery of your knee. Getting old bites the big one. I have had total knee reconstruction and an arthroscopic repair ten years after that on same knee. I am hanging in there till the doomed total knee replacement cries out. I say, anyone who has had the cervical and lumbar surgeries like you have had, will find this knee surgery a walk in the park.

[Gil Denis]

Hi Mark

I tore my Meniscus ski racing 12 years ago and removed 20%. did very well until a couple of years ago and had a clean up
Still doing great on the knee
If you can get back to riding a bike ,It was the best thing for my knees.

I just started rideing my road bike and seems to help all my issues.

All The Best

Take Care man

Gil

[nomorepain]

Woiw, if i was you i'd go in and go for the total bionics job!
good luck as always!

[ans]

Good luck with the arthoscopy.

I'm seeing an ortho guy (not spine specialized) this Monday for hip/leg pain and w/mention my knees that both have had surgery. Want to make sure I don't need a knee replacement in a few years.

Can you swim Mark? Do the PT exercises they recommend, OK?

Best, Allan

[nomorepain]

sounds like you are going for total bionics........
Good Luck with whatever you decide on, once your back up to speed we must get together, it's been way too long since we chatted!
it's time to catch up

[mmglobal]

knee surgery was july 15th. It had been very slightly improved, but is back to where it was in some respects. The ache that I would get with walking is not nearly as bad as it was. The severe pain I would get when I load if with any sideways force is just as bad. I tried swimming, but any kicking generates the severe pain. When I get back to the pool for my t-spine next week... I'll swim, but with no kick.

Mark

[Maria]

My experience w/both rt. knee surgeries was that the first one which was a medial menicus tear/synovial tear, chondromalacia type clean up had a pretty speedy recovery but not for lateral movement (never really got that back w/o some repercussions) but could swim some months afterwards w/o probs~ 2nd surgery ~ patella tendon release done surgerically (not done surgically anymore) had a prolonged recovery and kicking with swimming was near impossible the first year.

I had to learn how to walk literally with the 2nd surgery as I guess I had a goofy sort of gait (congential feet probs, bilteral patella tracking probs, and the list is endless I'm sure for ortho deviations).

I hope the surgery you had addressed the problem you had. Knock on wood my rt. knee has been good since last surgery in '90 but there are flare ups and recovery did take time esp. the 2nd time 'round.

When I felt compromised for while here and there I'd wear a light knee brace for a few days to help out or limit mobility until the knee flare ups passed. You may still be in the recovery zone period and have to find your way around what will help you recover best re activity (Nsaids out for me due to GI probs).

[ans]

Not to intrude on Mark's knee problems, my right knee that's had chondromalacia since '78 (post cartilage repair, pre-arthroscopy days) is having intense pain. I will ask the orthopedic specialist tomorrow about this as I've read (many years ago), that shaving the cartilage underneath the kneecap doesn't help chondromalacia so well. But that was then..

Good luck Mark. Yeah, a lateral stabilization device like those who've had ACL repair might be helpful when you engage in more intense activities - maybe.

Best, ans