r/MeniscusInjuries

Hello folks,

34 y.o F, have a toddler at home.

Fall 2024 so about 1.5 years ago I started having R medial knee pain. I don't think there was a specific injury but at that time I was suffering horrible lower back pain and I may have overcompensated with my knees (lifting that damn car seat, etc).

I saw my PCP and Ortho who did an X-ray and said I had inflammation, call back if no improvement.

Once every 6-8 weeks I'd have a bad pain week which resolved with bracing and Aleve. Otherwise no symptoms

Got the MRI this may bc I felt the flares were worse and more frequent.

MRI interpretation: "horizontal tear of the posterior horn/body of the medial meniscus. Possible partial radial tear of inferior leaflet of central posterior horn. 4mm medial mensicus extrusion with edema along the distal MCL. "

5/26 I had a steroid injection, Ortho said do nothing or steroids or trim depending totally up to me.

I got a second opinion from a joint preservation specialist who is recommending repair attempt.

Here's my issue:

I have had no flares since the one between my MRI and the second Ortho appt.

I'm wondering if I jumped the gun on surgery too soon. I'm also wondering if this could be still due to steroids.

Anyone been in a similar boat?

I think I may have a meniscus injury. It's been popping in and out for a couple of weeks. Last night it really stuck! Today I am stiff and sore. It will be a minute until I can see a doctor to have it assessed. In the meantime, I can't just sit on the couch. What precautions/restrictions do I need to take impose to protect my knee in the meantime?

Complete ACL tear & Bucket Handle medial meniscus tear

After 8 weeks of prehab, I was walking pretty good. I had a slight limp, but managed to get around the house without significant difficulty. I had FINALLY gained full extension and flexion.

On Wednesday, around 4:30am, I was turning over in bed and attempted to stretch my leg. It was stiff but I didn't think much of it because like, my ACL is non-existant and my meniscus is fucked up, stiffness is bound to happen. I continued to straighten my leg when I heard & felt a loud, excruciatingly painful pop. All of a sudden, my knee is now twice it's usual (already swollen) size. It was the worst pain I've ever felt, mind you I tore my ACL 6 years ago. Bucket handle tear is new. When I reinjured it on April 29th, it hurt but not nearly as bad as this time. I screamed and cried for 30ish minutes. I couldn't walk or put any pressure on it, essentially putting me back where I was 8 weeks ago.

It's been 2 days and I still can't move my knee. I'm using crutches. And it's once again stuck in the same position no matter how much I try to extend or flex. There was like a 50/50 chance that the surgeon would be able to fix the meniscus and avoid a menisectomy but now I feel like it's 0. Surgery is scheduled for July 15th and my surgeon is aware that I popped it again. I just feel kind of hopeless right now.

I (16yo female) have had pretty bad knee pain for the last 2 years. Had multiple false diagnoses of osgood schlatters and despite it being disproved by x-rays, I was treated as if I had it. I continued to play football and futsal throughout the 2 years, as per the recommendation for osgood schlatters. I had to control my pain by playing limited minutes, using pain medication and icing after. When there was no improvement I had a MRI which showed a large tear and I was told I would need surgery. I have researched partial meniscectomys and I am unsure whether I should do the surgery or not. The injury does cause me pain daily when walking up hills, stairs and playing sport as well as instability and sometimes giving out underneath me. I would like to continue to be active in the future but I am scared of getting osteoarthritis young. Anyone have a similar experience?

Going to see a doctor next week so I will see what she says. But has anyone ever "healed" a small meniscus tear by just resting it for a few weeks? By "heal" I mean return to walking and lightly bending the knee for daily easy tasks like house cleaning, sitting in chair, etc. I am not hoping to run, do athletics, or any heavy squatting etc. Just want to avoid surgery due to crappy health premiums & cannot afford the surgery.

Also, if I decline the surgery but then change my mind later (i.e. save enough money) will the insurance later approve it?

Weird & difficult questions but wanted to ask if anyone has done similar. I realize everyone's situation is different so Im just looking for light conversation, not debate or medical advice.

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I am near 8 months PO for a medial meniscus repair (posterior horn), what are people’s experiences of returning to running? I’ve done a few walk/run sessions over the past 2 weeks and some pain running but very mild and not consistent, but of awareness the following day and slight puffy feeling but no limp or major pain. What are peoples experiences of returning to running? This typical? Thanks.

I had ACL reconstruction with a patellar tendon graft + medial meniscus repair on June 1. I’ve been doing PT, my mobility feels pretty good overall, and I’m slowly getting to the point where I may start transitioning from 2 crutches to 1 crutch, but I’m still on crutches right now.

I’m considering a family trip from California to Thailand on July 7, then India from July 19 to 26. July 7 would put me around 5 weeks post-op, and the travel day would likely be 18 to 25+ hours.

My surgeon advised against it because of blood clot risk. I’m taking 2 baby aspirin daily, and he said he could prescribe a blood thinner, but there would still be significant risk.

I’m also wondering if splitting the trip into shorter flights or adding longer stopovers would make it more realistic.

I’m not trying to ignore my doctor. I just want to hear real experiences from people who flew long-haul around 5 to 7 weeks after ACL reconstruction + meniscus repair.

Questions:

• How many weeks post-op were you?
• How long was your flight/travel day?
• Were you still in a brace or on crutches?
• Did you use aspirin, blood thinner, compression socks, wheelchair assistance, or extra legroom?
• Did splitting up flights or stopovers help?
• Did it cause major swelling or set back your recovery?
• Would you do it again?

I’m also considering skipping Thailand and joining later for India around July 19, which would put me closer to 7 weeks post-op. Any experiences would help.

I’m on my 2nd day after my meniscus repair and feeling very negative. I’ve seen so many stories of meniscus repairs failing, people needing multiple surgeries, and it’s all really bumming me out. Could people maybe comment their positive thoughts and experiences under this post to bring up the mood? I’m very worried about this surgery failing. Any tips and tricks? Thank you guys!

I’m 24 years old and I just had my 3rd meniscus surgery on my left knee, all 3 of which were trims rather than repairs. My first two recoveries went pretty smoothly and I was moving mostly pain free, just working on strengthening pretty early on. However, this time around I’m just over a month post op and I’m still in a considerable amount of pain, feel incredibly weak in my knee, and can’t do steps up/down without sharp pain.

I spoke to my physical therapist a little bit about these concerns the last time I saw her and she assured me that since this is my third surgery on the same knee it’s normal for recovery to take longer but I’m just not sure. It feels like a pretty drastic difference to how things went the last two times and I’ve never been wrong about my knee in the past with re-injuries so it’s hard for me to shake the feeling.

Has anyone else had several meniscus surgeries and felt this way? When do I know if I’m getting better at all or if the surgery wasn’t successful?

Edit: for reference after my last knee surgery when the same amount of time had passed I was able to fully squat down to the floor without pain

It's the fifth day after my meniscus root repair and I visited my orthopedic for a bandages change.

He pointed out that even though I am in a NWB phase I should use my injured leg while walking on crutches only for balance and without putting any load on it.

This to me sounds impossible given that I am also not very comfortable with crutches yet. What's your opinion on that? How can I master it without risking any injury?

Caveat: haven’t seen a doctor yet, no diagnosis.

Am on a lovely lovely vacation and went on a hard hike yesterday with my friends. After climbing up 1500feet of elevation gain, I was almost at the end of the hike when I twisted my ankle, fell to the side, and yanked something in my knee that resulted in serious pain and a half-golf ball size swelling along the joint line once I got back to the car. Thankfully i was already wearing a compression sleeve because I’ve been having mild issues with that knee, but damn, did it HURT covering that last half mile downhill.

Swelling has come down a LOT, and I can walk but not well. Now I’m resting and I’m just bummed. Four more days till I get home and I’m debating moving my flight up. Just sad, in pain, and smacking myself for being so clumsy. Please cross your fingers for me it’s nothing super serious, and if anyone has tips for managing an early stage injury (besides RICE) while away from home I’m all ears!

Hello all. New here and hoping to gain some insight from others’ experiences. I am 41 yr. old male, 6’2” 185 lbs, pretty active lifestyle. A few months ago, while crouching in my garden, my knee locked in place during flexion. It required having to “pop” it back into extension. The “pop” was really loud! There was no acute pain following this and I was able to walk fine. Considered it maybe to be a one-off. Unfortunately, this locking started to occur more frequently. My wife witnessed and heard it while I was kneeling to grab something off the shelf at the grocery store and immediately was like “Make an appointment - TODAY.” My medical coverage is through Kaiser (not ideal in this scenario). Saw my PCP who barely put my knee into flexion, ordered x-Ray (completely useless in this case), referred me to Kaiser PT who was booked months out. I already suspected medial meniscus tear. Luckily I had pre-existing relationship with outside PT that was able to, within minutes, recreate the locking through flexion, told me I had a medial meniscus tear. Throughout this entire experience I have not had any acute pain. After popping back into to place, the joint is a little sore. The biggest pain has been not being able to crouch, kneel, abruptly pivot, engage in much lateral movement that rotates the joint, and having to be extremely mindful of that. There has also been a vague feeling of instability at the medial joint while doing things such as navigating stairs. Not ideal for an avid hiker, angler, gym 3 times a week individual with 2 rambunctious dogs. I fought tooth and nail to have my case elevated to imaging through Kaiser and finally got an MRI this week. I received the results today: “Horizontal tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus extending to the inferior and superior articular surfaces”.

So now I’m wondering:

1.) What is the likely treatment with this particular type of tear. Is it likely to be conservative or is the locking indicative of needing surgical intervention?

2.) How do my age, weight, level of activity/lifestyle factor into treatment decision?

3.) Is there anything I should prepare for in anticipation of follow-up, any specific issues I should advocate for on my behalf?

4.) Is this particular type of tear something I am going to have to deal with for the remainder of my life. Are there any preventative exercises I should be focusing on to strengthen my legs for a more positive long-term outcome

Apologies for long winded post. My brain is just working overtime trying to wrap my head around this. Any personal experience, expertise anyone might be able to share is beyond appreciated.

Hello all, has anyone else developed calf pain after ditching the second crutch?
I’m about 6 weeks post-op from a medial bucket-handle meniscus repair.

I stopped using my second crutch 2 days ago, and yesterday I started feeling pain in my calf. Today it’s even worse, and it’s affecting the way I walk. No matter how hard I try to walk normally, I end up dragging my surgical leg because of the calf pain.
Has anyone else experienced this after transitioning off crutches? Was it just your calf muscles adapting to walking again? If so, how long did it take to improve?

One more question: How long did it take you to walk normally again after your meniscus repair?

Hi everyone. I tore my meniscus working out during a class about 3.5 weeks ago. We are still waiting for MRI to see the severity. I’m on crutches but trying to start to weight bear. I’ve been doing physio exercises but my knee keeps locking and that’s where I’m having trouble. The big thing is that I’m getting married in 10 weeks. I’m worried and stressed about that. We have 3 events and I need to be able to walk and sit down and cross my legs (Indian wedding). I’m a big dancer as well. Do I have any hope in healing by then? Any advice, tips or tricks will be appreciated.

21M] 5-Week Timeline: Bucket-Handle Meniscus Repair Recovery
Hey everyone, wanted to share my recovery timeline after undergoing a bucket-handle meniscus repair on my knee. Hope this helps anyone going through the same thing!
Background: 21M. Surgery date: May 29th.
• Weeks 1 – 2.5 (The Hardest Part):
• Strict bed rest. Non-weight bearing (0% load), zero knee flexion (kept it completely straight).
• Pain mostly subsided after week 1.
• Week 3 (Rehab Starts):
• Started physical therapy. Leg muscles had completely atrophied (super skinny).
• Initial flexion was only 45°—had to push through some pain to unlock it.
• Began putting slight weight on the leg using 2 crutches.
• Week 4 (Progress):
• Dropped down to 1 crutch.
• Knee flexion reached ~90°.
• Week 5 (Today - Current Status):
• Crutches: Officially walking with 0 crutches! Gait is slowly returning to normal.
• Flexion: Hit ~105°.
• Brace: Just stopped wearing my medi M4s comfort brace yesterday.
• Activity: Walked 2,000 steps outside today. Knee is slightly swollen but absolutely zero pain.
My Supplement Stack (Recommended by my PT at week 2.5):
Omega-3, Vitamin D3, Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM, Collagen powder, Whey Protein, Creatine, Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc, and Vitamin B-50 complex.

Next Steps: Planning to get PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy in a month, followed by hyaluronic acid injections.

Hi everyone,
I have BPC-157 and TB-500 as two separate vials, and I’m trying to understand how people who have used both typically administer them.
My injuries are:
Small meniscus tear in my right knee.
Patellar tendinitis in both knees.
My main questions are:
If you’re using both BPC-157 and TB-500, do you inject them in the same area or in different areas?
If they’re in separate syringes, where do you usually inject each one?
If treating multiple injuries (meniscus and both patellar tendons), how do you decide which area to inject?
Did you notice any difference between injecting near the injured area versus using a standard subcutaneous injection site?
What kind of dosage ranges have people used for each, and did you adjust based on injury type or severity?

Thanks!

I tore my medial meniscus during an awkward twisting injury while running. After dealing with it for 3.5 years, I underwent surgery for the 4th time to have the posterior horn of my medial meniscus removed (partial meniscectomy).

For the first time in over three years, I can finally walk without pain. I still have some stiffness, and my knee feels a bit strange, it feels heavy and swollen in the back side. I may also have a Baker’s cyst. Got some balancing issues too.

I’d love to hear how recovery progressed for others who have had a similar experience. How long did the stiffness and unusual feeling last, and how did your knee improve over time? Or not improve.

If you don’t have a positive story or outlook, I’d still love to hear it too. I just want to know what I can expect.

Timeline:

Dr saliman

Surgery went well

Medial meniscus right leg intrasubstance tear

Super chill post surgery, minor pain, minor swelling. After a week I felt normal.

4 weeks pass, then walking in my brace my knee pops.

Major swelling event, knee locked in place.

1 week passes, call office. PA sends email saying to give it a week to see if improves.

Doesn’t improve, one week later I want to set up call with saliman. He’s on vacation.

I get MRI in meantime.

So then I wait two weeks to talk to saliman. In meantime just crutching around because knee is locked and can’t do anything with it.

Week 8 post surgery: speak with him today… he looks at my MRI and sees nothing wrong. Says meniscus is intact and to “tough love but push through it”

I don’t know what the hell he means tbh, my shit is fucked up right now.

No chance in any hell I can weight bear, I can’t straighten it, it’s locked in position, I have to sleep with 4 pillows under my knee.

Literally useless post care I can’t lie….

So who’s a reputable person I can speak to for another opinion? If it helps I’m in the Bay Area, California.

I don’t even know what could cause this? Scar tissue? Why would saliman say to just push through it lol, I felt a pop and now it’s locked. It does seem like a push through it situation