I slightly hyperextended my knee at Christmas and haven't been able to run since although I can cycle and walk with no problems. I've had my specialist appointment today and he suggests keyhole surgery although on examination he could not say what I had done. I know that xrays show the knee to be in good condition. Anyone had this done and had a successful outcome?
Soooo... youve been recommended to go for keyhole surgery, but they don't know what they are actually going to do once they open you up.... (or go in... whatever the term is)...
really?
Yes. The Consultant seems a fine fellow. He said ' it will not get better'.Originally Posted by zephr
I would get a second opinion... from a doc as well as a good physio...
And the MRI scan shows ......
Presumably you've had x-rays and a MRI and these are unconclusive? I would definitely get a second opinion before you decide.....
I had some problems about 20 years ago and had arthroscopies on both knees 20 years ago, and although there was some initial discomfort they settled down and were OK very soon after. However, I had further problems about 5 years ago and the first consultant I spoke to then told me to stop running (!) whereas a second opinion from the ROH advised physio and definitely to keep active. You can probably guess which advice I went with!
I had non conclusive x-rays and MRI on my right knee, after tearing my medial meniscus... the consultant wanted to go in... as, his words, it is a minor routine operation and I think I will find something like this: queue photo's from arthroscopy from another patient with non conclusive imagery and a HUGE tear in the cartilige...
In the end, a physio friend of mine gave me exercises, and taught me how to tape it up. Another friend, also a doctor but no orthopaedic specialist said: at your age, you will wear the ragged edges in with a couple of seasons of bike racing...
So far so good. It niggles at me from time to time, I tape it up for races and hard efforts and all has been well. However, I don't run so not sure how that would work. Did a fair bit of running with the bike at Three Peaks Cyclocross though last year, without ill effects...
2nd opinion, from a physio! The body is a lovely sealed unit, don't open it up when you don't have to?
In my day job, I'm a GP.
I advocate a VERY conservative approach to orthopaedic surgery, because (1)most people fail to realise that a lot of orthopaedic surgery at this level involves taking stuff out you can never put back and (2) the natural history of these type of injuries is that they mostly do get better eventually.
Also, after an arthroscopy +/- trimming/ fiddling you may not be able to run etc(and certainly not for several weeks or months initially)
Another vote for physio, with exercise modification(not cessation!)
Anecdotally, a lot of cartilage injuries do 'wear smooth again'. Even complete tears of ACL etc are not incompatible with sport
I'm with Dr Morris on this. I had an ankle arthroscopy in 1995 to remove a bit of floating bone. The op was presented as a minor 'tidy up'. When I came to after anaesthetic and asked how soon I could start running again I was shocked to be told "Maybe never - we had to take a lot of stuff away."
It took two years before I could run at all and I never regained anything like the same standard of performance. The ankle still has restricted movement and hurts.
On the good side, at least I'm still able to run (after a fashion); I have no way of knowing if the arthroscopy made this possible or whether the problem it sorted out would have self rectified in any case over time.
Hear Hear Dr Morris!
I tore my ATF ligament (in the ankle) clean off during the OMM in 2008... was told I would never run again, but after a year of cycling and gentle rehab, I was able to run again... Other bits of the ankle and lower leg have taken over the function of that particular ligament and although slightly unstable, the ankle now works fine again
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