Just had confirmation of a tear to the medial meniscus in my knee and been told that solution is arthroscopy.
However a friend if mine is under the knife as I type having his 3rd knee op as the first 2 failed and hasn't run for nigh on 2 years which is making me rather wary of undergoing it myself
Also it is not so bad that I can't manage it within my training most of the time and in fact managed to complete a marathon on it a couple of weeks ago
What is anybody's feelings on this?
Should I have the op or continue as I am as it isn't affecting me badly at the moment?
Thanks
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Comments
- you can cope right now
- you have the same surgeon as the guy with 2 failed ops (depending on reason for failure!)
Reasons to have the surgery:
- you could make the meniscus worse and end up with more extensive surgery
- your knee is probably 'giving way' right now from time to time....if you fall as a result you run a high risk of twisting the ligaments....ACL/MCL are not areas of fun!
- it's is not always as bad as your friend's experience (I have had 2 surgeries...right knee 14 years ago, left knee 1 year ago)
I didn't run at the time of surgery 1...but was back cycling after 3 weeks.
After surgery 2, was back running after 8 weeks...return was delayed while we sorted out the ITB problem that was hiding behind the knee pain. But I'm a plodder, not a marathoner
In both cases, was walking after 3 days.
Good physio afterwards is really important...as is finding out *why* the meniscus tore to try and prevent further problems (unless it's a case of weird knees....in which case bah humbug and do what you like!)
Let me know if you have more questions that you think I may have answers to....but I won't be around till Thursday now
At the moment it comes and goes, clicks and clunks most of the time sometimes with an excrutiating stabbing pain but often with nothing at all. I think it hurts when a lose bit gets caught in the joint.
I must admit I'm tempted to leave it for a while, especially as I'm not planning another marathon this year (well apart from Beachy Head but we do that as run / walk day out with loads of food at the checkpoints so it's not too stressful). I don't intend to do more than half marathons maximum otherwise and I don't race very often at all..
I have a crisis when choosing white wine or red!
Should see my doc next week so will discuss it with him in detail and also a couple of physio contacts and then try to make a decision based on all the info weighted up carefully...