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Thread: Arthroscopy or not?

  1. #21
    Orange Pony Hanneke's Avatar
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    Incredible!

    I am also revisiting this thread, as my old meniscal tear that was left unoperated on has strated to trouble me again after years of laying low. It has been suggested to have the joint tidied up at last, however, my consultant has since retired...

    I am toying between getting myself on the NHS waiting list or roughing and toughing it out and keep using the knee through the pain and swelling... Swelling seems to go up and down like a yoyo and I haven't ridden my bike for a month now

    Quote Originally Posted by Tussockface View Post
    Having today been to see a consultant about my right knee, I find myself revisiting this thread.

    I've not been able to run since June. I've suspected the injury is a medial meniscus tear, and the consultant thought so too.
    He wants to do an MRI scan first, but if that confirms his diagnosis he is very upbeat about surgery being the best option, and one with a very high probability of success. He says it's rare for this type of injury to self-heal. I told him about my experience of ankle arthroscopy twenty years ago but he reassured me that the knee operation is usually more straightforward and the recovery time is much quicker. In fact, he told me that one of his patients was back running after just three days! I'd rather like to believe this, particularly as, like Henry Porter in days of yore, I've piled on the pounds to the extent that I've had to buy larger trousers....

    I know Dylan has had recent experience of similar knee surgery. Anyone else?
    BTW, my X-rays showed the joint itself to be in good condition, and I don't normally suffer from knee problems. This is a very specific pain at a precise point and I have full mobility with no swelling or ligament damage.
    “the cause of my pain, was the cause of my cure” Rumi

  2. #22
    Master Tussockface's Avatar
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    It probably is possible to keep things going for a while. I first had a problem with my knee last year and managed to get through without surgery. In your words I 'roughed and toughed' it out. This appeared to be successful in that it resulted in 6 months of decent running. However, it wasn't really 'sorted' and the problem has recurred.
    My MRI scan is in a week or so and I'll post updates!

    Anyhow, long-time-no-see, Hanneke. I don't think I've seen you about since a race in the Lakes many years ago. Hope you manage to sort out your injury and get back cycling soon.
    "Get yourself together, Jones" - Ray Davies

  3. #23
    Orange Pony Hanneke's Avatar
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    Yeah, it has been a very long time Tussockface... I can't remember when I last ran properly, but I converted to cycling in 2009...

    I have decided to try bedding the knee back in so went for an experimental half hour bike ride, spinning. I found I can't put any power down, can't ride out of the saddle and unclipping was 'intense'...

    I am also going to pay a visit to the doctor to get the ball rolling again for a possible op. The process will take at least a year but I can always not go ahead with it if I have sorted things in other ways again.

    I hope your MRI shows something useful!
    “the cause of my pain, was the cause of my cure” Rumi

  4. #24
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    Gents,

    I've had 3 arthroscopies
    Left Knee
    - 1. to remove a loose lump of surfave cartlidge/ bone which had disloged.
    - 2. to remove scar tissue that had grown up over a number of years fromt he original damage
    Right Knee.
    - 3 - tidy up of a meniscal tear (this was done early 2010)

    In my opinion each one of these has been worthwhile and successful. I would recommend you get things sorted out and surgery had definitely worked wel for me.
    I've also been lucky in getting my operations quickly which meant I was fitter going in and not so much ground to make up after wards. I played the "athlete lifestyle" card - i.e. If you can do it sooner it will make such adifference for me. Plus asked to go on the "replacement list" Whereby you say you are happy to get the op at short notice if someone cancels for some reason.
    Always had things done within 2 or 3 months this way.
    the more you can ham up the problem the better for prompt action

  5. #25
    Master Tussockface's Avatar
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    My MRI scan confirmed suspicions of a medial meniscal tear. The consultant was good in talking me through the images, and even I was able to see the small flap of cartilage that's causing the problem.
    He (Mr Thomas) reckoned the chance of complete success is about 90%, with only a 1% possibility that it would make matters worse.
    Seems a decent punt at those odds, so I've signed up for the operation. There's a 3 month waiting list though, unless I can try Andy's trick and nip in on a cancellation.
    "Get yourself together, Jones" - Ray Davies

  6. #26
    Senior Member Flopsy's Avatar
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    I had two knee arthriscopies quite a number of years ago. For me the surgeries meant I could get active again. The biggest problem for me had been the two years it took the NHS to agree that physio wasn't working and it wouldn't just sort itself out. In that time I lost fitness and muscle tone to the point that it was incredibly difficult to get it back. Sometimes it's best not to soldier on but to get it sorted. Was never offered an MRI by the way. Increasingly disillusioned with my local hospital.
    Good luck anyone needing the op but if it ain't fixing then get it fixed! 😉

  7. #27
    Master ydt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hanneke View Post
    Yeah, it has been a very long time Tussockface... I can't remember when I last ran properly, but I converted to cycling in 2009...

    I have decided to try bedding the knee back in so went for an experimental half hour bike ride, spinning. I found I can't put any power down, can't ride out of the saddle and unclipping was 'intense'...

    I am also going to pay a visit to the doctor to get the ball rolling again for a possible op. The process will take at least a year but I can always not go ahead with it if I have sorted things in other ways again.

    I hope your MRI shows something useful!
    Some years ago I had an NHS arthroscopy to remove some lose material in the knee joint and had no problems since. Even if it is not initially completely clear what the problem is, the fact that a camera goes in first helps a lot. Go ahead with it Hanneke!

  8. #28
    My left hand was fractured during my childhood. I went to doctor for the treatment . After proper medication, I became recover my weakness. Now I am ok.

  9. #29
    A few years ago I got a cartilage tear in my knee and had a date for the surgery .
    My consultant said to me ' you don't have to go through with this,change your lifestyle,stop running'.
    I cancelled the op and started cycling and it got better so I risked running again and kept sound I never got the knee pain again.I have other issues but the knee pain never returned so that proves things can settle down in some cases but certainly not all of them ,I would think some would never ever come right without surgery and if it did'nt you would have wished you're had it done and not wasted the time.Good luck.

  10. #30
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    Tore cartilage in knee last year and damaged medial ligament.


    Physio discussed surgery but got that whole "no one can promise you it'll work out fine" warning, so stuck with physio. The knee wasn't clicking or locking, which she said would really mean surgery as the tear had formed a flap. Didn't go near a consultant.

    Was doing 20km runs 2 months later, and after 3 or 4 months I didn't even notice it. I am more conscious when hurdling or jumping rocks, but that's just natural caution kicking in and saying I'm not infallible.

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