Torn Medial Meniscus
General Topic
Has anyone had this surgery? My 16 year old son just had it performed yesterday as he tore it in wrestling practice earlier this year. The surgery went well but has to be on crutches for 6 weeks then another 4 months of rehab before he is cleared. Any tips out there that have had this done??
I've had it done twice and my rehab does NOT match your son. I was walking in 24 hours, though stiffly and with a big limp, and in PT quickly. There is no way I was 5+ months out before returning to "normal", but my "normal" wasn't that of a HS athlete, but I was walking and jogging on it.
Mine were both scopes, if that helps
How much meniscus did he have removed? Sounds more serious than mine. I had this injury twice. Different knees. First knee had 30% trimmed. 2nd surgery has ~ 10% trimmed. (2017) Keep ice on it and elevated for 1st day. Here is a summary after 2nd surgery.
The patient is reevaluated by me today. This is a 52-year-old male whose history is that of having had a partial medial meniscectomy performed on December 6, 2017. The patient is doing very well. He is not experiencing any aching, soreness, catching, or pain. He has good passive range of motion. He has no palpable effusion in the joint. He has no varus or valgus instability either in full extension or in slight flexion and has no flexion instability. I remain very satisfied with his clinical progress. I would apply absolutely no restrictions to him moving forward, and I can see him again if further problems develop. FINAL IMPRESSION: Satisfactory recovery status post arthroscopic debridement torn medial meniscus.
My wife tore one at 17 the other at 30. Neither knee is great but she tore ACL’s, PCL and bone chipped on the last one. He’ll be fine. He’s young and sounds like the damage wasn’t too bad. Do as the doctors and therapist tell you and he’ll be wrestling in no time. Personally I’ve only torn an MCL and it tells me when the weather is changing.
FastFreddy- these guys just had it scoped, they had the tear cleaned and removed, a completely different surgery than a repair. It's apples to oranges, they're both fruit but not the same. A simple scope with menisectomy (removal of the menisci) most people can damn near walk out of the OR, and most are returning to work within a couple weeks. Scope just means the method of surgery, even ACL's are done with a scope. Arthroscopically just basically means a camera and they're not fully opened up, most surgeries are done this way.
Your son had his repaired, not removed. Hence why he's non weight bearing for 6 weeks. Don't be stupid with the weight bearing and be careful with early deep squatting, that repair needs a chance to heal without excessive load. If the tear is in the outer 1/3rd of the meniscus they will most often times in younger patients attempt to repair since it's better long-term outcomes than a simple scope (fun fact, scopes and sham surgeries have the same outcome at 6 and 12 months). Repair is a significantly longer rehab, but will give him a chance to avoid early onset arthritis like he could have been looking at with a menisectomy.
I rehab a few of these every year in some of our high school and college athletes, shoot me a PM if you have more specific questions.
That’s seems crazy for rehab. I completely ruptured my ACL, tore the miniscus and broke my tibia at 50 something years old. I never was on crutches, in PT days after surgery. Was training within a few months and did a sheep hunt less than 8 months after surgery. I can’t image a young guy being laid up like that for just a miniscus. In college, my brother had a miniscus scoped on a Thursday and was playing in a college football game a couple weeks later. If he’s young and active, and in good shape, he’ll be back on the mat in no time at all.
Grossklw- He did have it scoped and you are correct by saying he had it repaired not removed. It was torn all but on the top side of 1 side. They referred to his tear as a bucket handle tear. The flap of the torn meniscus kept causing his leg to lock out and was not able to bend it until he fidgeted it around a bit. They had to staple his meniscus back in place and absolutely no weight on that leg for quite awhile (I don't know exactly how long as its so early from the surgery). The Dr.'s said to ice and elevate his leg often. He's young (which is a good thing) and will have a full recovery but it's just going to take some time I think.
FF
What Grossklw said is right. I've torn meniscus in both knees, surgery was to clip via a scope, not repair and the recovery was quick. Repaired is a entirely different ball game and takes several months.
Yes go with the doctor!
Mime were both snipped not repaired and it led to replacement down the road
Always listen to doc over us
Fastfreddy, hope your son heals up great and is able to hit the mat next season! On the plus side, he doesn't have to worry about cutting weight for awhile.
One thing I know for sure, wrestlers are tough and that mentality sticks with you for life.
As a former wrestler myself, I am surprised that the schools are allowing wrestling during the pandemic. My tongue in cheek comment is this....good luck making them wear a mask while grappling.....one cross face and it would be long gone. Hope that his convalescence is over quickly.
Medicinemann, former wrestler here as well. I live in PA and the covid restrictions are pretty crazy. With that being said, we were able to have a high school wrestling season although very regulated, no fans in stands, less dual meets, etc. I have a buddy that coaches a high school team and it was hinted that wrestlers may have to wear masks when wrestling. It didn't get much traction because it was ridiculous thing to suggest but we've seen some ridiculous things lately.
Supernaut- You hit the nail on the head about not having to cut weight for awhile! He's been eating like no tomorrow. He was at 144 pounds going into the season and was wrestling at 132 until the 38 pounder (senior) beat him out for the spot. Had another senior he couldn't beat at 26.....cut to 20 and challenged a junior but was so weak when he got there he lost the wrestle off. Started wrestling JV tournaments and not much competition there. I told him he was probably the only returning Iowa high school state qualifier at these JV tournaments LOL. You could say he hit a growth spurt between last year (106#) to this year! Wrestlers are a totally different breed and I believe it teaches them things for later in life. He'll get through it!
Fastfreddy, I'll bet he's eating you out of house and home right now! Cutting weight is the worst and I'm glad to see that it's more regulated now on the high school level than it was in the late 80's when I wrestled. I was 5 foot even and wrestled 103 my senior year until I got hurt. I swear, I never ate my junior and senior years. I grew 7"'s and gained 50lbs. within 6 months after I got hurt when I was 17.
Obviously your son is very talented to be a state qualifier in Iowa a historic powerhouse wrestling state. Hope he makes a full recovery and continues to build on his success!
I was going to say... Left knee, three separate tears, November last year, surgery, walked out and never really slowed down... No Rehab.
But he had a completely different surgery! So, I had basically the same surgery on my right knee at around 19 or so, and was on the same program as he is. six weeks no weight, rehab, crutches etc....
I have never been 100 percent on that knee... maybe around 90 percent at best. Arthritis is the biggest concern with that type of procedure! Well I have had it for 15 plus years and it sucks! I am 53.
Tell him to go very slow and do everything the doc and PT guy says!!!
Good Luck and God Bless!
Interesting on the “snip” vs. “sew”. Obviously do as the doc says, but it surprises me a young athlete will be down that long with that injury. Good luck to him for a full recovery.
Yes, I had it done. My first surgery was done by the West Virginia University sports medicine staff. Six weeks before any major bending or bike riding. Spent the first 10 days in a straight cast. However, I don’t think the meniscus pain every truly went away.
When I had my second acl repair on that knee, they totally removed it. Been 24 years since then. Hardly any pain at all but it’s coming.
repair is very different from resection. In a resection, there is very little healing. One just has to get over the surgery. In a repair, the meniscus has to heal and it has a very poor blood supply, poor enough that most middle aged and older will not heal it-hence resection. Even in young people, most tears are not amenable to repair.It has to be torn in a specific part of the meniscus in a pattern that can be stable after repair.Your doc sounds like he has you on the correct plan-stick with it.
In addition to age the type of procedure also has to do with if the tear is in the interior or exterior of the knee. Exterior; little, to no, blood flow while interior tears have more blood flow.
Well after 1 week and his 1st checkup the Dr.'s said everything looks like it's healing perfectly. He can add a little bit of weight to his leg (it is in a immobilizer) and shower in an actual shower now! Next checkup is March 12th then he can start his PT! One week at a time...
