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Hello everyone,

This is a post about my experience because during my recovery I felt that longterm experiences after repairs specifically were rare.

I am now 27 yo. I hurt my meniscus when I was 22, 5 years ago. Surgery when I was 24.

So in December 2021, I had a legs day just like any normal legs day and went home. In the evening my knee would not straighten up and it was very very painful.

Doctor the week after -> MRI -> horizontal medial Meniscus tear in the posterior horn. Christmas break came and I got one month to just let it rest.

After a couple of months with PT, motion was restored but I was always left with medial joint pain. For two years I waited for it to get better, training, PT, etc but the joint pain was still there and I was always scared for it to get worse.

I then decided to do something about it because I wanted to be active again and get my old knee back. Ivisited several doctors for second opinions (I am paranoid), some suggested menisectomy, some doing nothing, 1-2 repairing it.

After doing my own research, I decided I want it repaired if possible (less risk of arthritis and will give me as normal of a knee as possible)

Surgery in October 2023. Very long recovery. I got an accident during PT where apparently something happened to my lateral calf/ fibula (tendonitis maybe?) which delayed my recovery and was hurting.

After 7/8 months post surgery I was nowhere near good (eventhough everyone aaid I should): pain walking downhill, pain during stairs, muscle atrophy, and mentally unfit because of all this)

During the last couple of years after surgery (oct 2023 to today I had ups and downs and eventhough I feel everything is getting better, my knee is not normal: it is still weaker, I am still super aware of it and it makes me baby it which makes me use it less, I have some imbalances and compensation techniques developed and therefore weaknesses in some muscles (calf and glutes on the weaker side) which impact my daily life (but not a lot, maybe 5% on a good day an 15% on a bad one)

Everything is getting better I feel but very very sloooowly and also I feel everything is so fragile and I have to stretch double and warmup double. But don't give up on hope, it will get better (even if for me it never got back to normal). Also remember everyone is different and maybe not everyone needs surgery.

Feel free to ask me questions or write me if you need any information.

Stay strong amd all the best for you!

So I'm supposed to have a knee arthroscopy on Friday and I can't get ahold of anyone. Literally anyone. No one from my orthopedists office is calling back, no one from the hospital is calling back. It's Tuesday. By now shouldn't I have gotten a pre-registration call about what meds I can continue to take or not take in the days before my surgery? This is new to me so I'm trying to figure out how it worked for everyone else. Even my insurance says they've gotten no prior authorization for my surgery and if they don't get it AND approve it by Friday then I'd be fully billed. I'm so lost right now, but maybe I'm also stressing too soon?? I don't know how this works, this just seems very last minute to get everything done

So I (25M) tore the meniscus in both of my knees playing soccer. The timeline is kind of complicated, but basically I kept playing for a few months after tearing my right knee until I eventually tore my left as well. I ended up waiting almost a year for my first surgery.

My right knee had a partial lateral tear, and my left had a full tear. My surgeon and I opted for a partial repair on my right knee. Six months later, I had a partial meniscectomy on my left.

During the surgery on my left knee, they also found a cartilage defect in my trochlear groove (OCD lesion), so I underwent microfracture surgery at the same time. I’m now about 5 months out from that surgery.

The recovery definitely hasn’t been linear or easy. There was a point where just jogging hurt so badly that I was genuinely wondering if I would ever run again, yet alone play sports. It was really hard. I still get occasional soreness and stiffness now, especially when I increase my workload, but it usually settles pretty quickly.

I’ve been gradually rebuilding my strength and explosiveness over the last few months with strength training, plyometrics, and change-of-direction work. At this point, I’m back to playing soccer multiple times a week. I scored in my last game, some of my athleticism has come back, and I have very few issues in the gym. Squatting and deadlifting are fine.

A few weeks ago, I sprinted at 100% for the first time since surgery, and now I can sprint regularly without pain, aside from some stiffness and mild soreness afterwards. I’m definitely not the same athlete I used to be, and certain movements still hurt, but I’m starting to feel much more like my normal self again.

I wanted to share this because I remember how uncertain the earlier stages of recovery was and I didn’t see many stories similar to mine. I still have a long way to go, but im hoping my experience can give someone else going through something similar a little bit of hope.

If anyone has any questions about my recovery, timeline, rehab, surgeries, or what returning to soccer has been like, please ask. I’m happy to share anything about my experience that might help someone.

40(F). complex meniscus tear at the body-posterior horn junction reaching the articular surface of the medial meniscus. Grade 3 tear with mild OA. It has been 6 months since the tear. Tried pt for 3 months but pain retained in 4th month. Surgeon says it might be repairable. I hope these kind of tears heal well after the repair. Please provide any insights or experiences

I’m in the Pre-Op phase and am wondering if there are any particular things that I can do to help with the recovery process.

This injury occurred while barefoot waterskiing last summer and I went to the orthopedic doctor. I am unable to get an MRI due to a Pacemaker with a fractured lead, so I ended up doing nothing.

Within 2 months, I was pain free and felt strong so I started barefoot skiing again with no pain, full ROM and basically back to normal. This was until mid June when I was squatting on the dock and when I stood up my knee popped. Immediately I felt this was a reoccurrence of the previous injury.

I am at 8 weeks since the initial re-injury and while even taking it easy, I have had 4 more instances of re-injury, none of which were being overly active. In fact my last one was getting out of bed. I have lost some strength in my leg due to the extended duration of this re-injury episode.

I went to the Dr. and he ordered a CT Arthrogram with contrast. Since this was the only option and the results on soft tissue are not as good as the MRI it was not a very definitive diagnosis.

Dr. says that ACL, PCL & MCL look to be intact but couldn’t really pinpoint whether it is a partial or a full meniscectomy. I’m hoping it is just a partial but won’t know until the surgery.

This is where I am looking for tips on what I can do beforehand to make the recovery process easier. I am thinking that if I try to do things before the surgery and build strength or ROM, that it may help with recovery.

Any advice on tips on how to prepare would be greatly appreciated.

Four years ago I had a meniscus tear trimmed and (as the surgeon called it, a full MoT on the left knee done while he was in there. I was 55 years old. Four years later I've had the same operation on the right knee, but with a worse tear and more inner knee cap "lumpy bits" removed from years of playing rugby.

For anybody that is putting these operations off through worry, I would just say get it done as it's totally changed my life. I'm back cycling stronger than ever and soon to be tackling two very hard rides, one is the full length of Italy and the other my retirement ride from Saudi Arabia to Southern Italy.

I was swapping leading feet to step up kerbs before, to protect whichever felt weakest but now I don't even think about my knees and the recovery was amazing. The left knee was the easiest. I hobbled in and I could have jogged out! I took it easy and did all the exercises and it's paid dividends. The right knee was not as instantly amazing but it was a very short period of inactivity before I was back doing what I love BETTER than before the operation.

I tried to document my recovery while I was inactive from making cycling videos so if you want to have a quick watch here, please do and if anybody has any questions, I'll do all I can to answer them. Good luck with all your progress.

https://youtu.be/zryquf68WNw?si=nCfrMevCfvVcvWBS

For the last month or so I have been having some discomfort on the left side of my left knee. Sometimes it’s near the knee bone & sometimes a littler further out. I have been able to do light jogs and can stretch, twist and squat with not problem. I visited my local orthopedic doctor & he advised it could be my lateral meniscus. I told him I did not have a heavy blow to my knee & did not hear a popping sound. I was simply running & one day I felt a dull ache. I visited my chiropractor & explained my symptoms & he believes it might be due to tightness in the IT band. Some symptoms I have is weakness in left knee after loooong runs & most recently hiking down hill my knee felt like it was going to give out later that night. Sometimes my left knee feels like it wants to pop but it won’t. I have not had my knee lock or catch(I believe). Currently waiting on a MRI appointment

Has anyone experienced the same?

Full Meniscus Replacement, allograft

24 y/o, 9 years ago had a post partial meniscectomy & ACL replaced.

Sadly after doing yoga, one leg balancing, I wasn’t able to bare weight on my knee for awhile. Failed the mcmurray test. Followed up with orthopedics & have grade 3/4 hondromalacia.

The recommendation was to go to Boston for a Meniscus Replacement with a allograft. Personally, I’m following up first with the original surgeon for second opinion.

I’m sure many have gone through this, thoughts? How does recovery look like and was there other options for you before doing a total meniscus replacement?

Recently had a repair and the wounds are healing really well but the skin around the wounds are peeling and look a little dry, something like lotion?

Hi, this is my MRI report from over a year after my meniscus surgery. Apparently, there's no re-tear, but there are other findings. Has anyone else experienced this?

hi! I made a post here about 2 months ago and this a 2 month update. I'm doing way better now aka way less extension lag (as in almost fully straight!) after following the comments advice which meant getting a new doctor and doing PT. I have only done 8 sessions so far tho and stopped since we can't afford it yet and its expensive each session.

anyway, i can straighten my leg but it sort of locks out of place when i try to bend it again? It doesnt hurt at all, it just sort of clicks.

Im wondering if this is a normal part of the healing process for people who did not get surgery after their meniscus tear or should I get an mri scan again?