knee meniscus tear

Posted by shells14 @shells14, Apr 29 7:39am

I had arthroscopy on both knee meniscus in the past. Now, MRI shows I have another tear in my left knee, where I already had an arthroscopy to remove a torn piece 8 years ago. There was some arthritis but not enough for replacement. I am 72.
I did 3 months of PT and it helped and I continued the exercises at home for the past 5 months. Now I am having pain in the knee again and due to have another cortisone injection. My question is : If i have another arthroscopy to remove tear...isn't that going to make it bone on bone real soon? I'm thinking why have that to relieve pain if it puts me down to bone on bone???

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tillymack | @tillymack | Apr 30 7:55am

Do you know what is causing the knee meniscus tear?

shells14 | @shells14 | Apr 30 8:39am

No clue ! What could cause it?

hraka13 | @hraka13 | Apr 30 2:08pm

When I had my tear it felt mostly fine in the morning but as the day progressed and I walked it got worse. After my surgery to cut away the tear (mine wasn’t taken all the way thru), I developed arthritis in my knee. I wear a slip-on supportive knee brace when I know I’m going to be walking, like grocery shopping. I keep it in my backpack just in case.

hraka13 | @hraka13 | Apr 30 2:11pm

In reply to @shells14 "No clue ! What could cause it?" + (show)

@shells14, most are from sharp, jerky trauma. Mine was when my leg was grabbed and pulled sideways and across my body. (I was being yanked from the car and my friend grabbed my leg to pull me back in. He may have saved my life.)

tillymack | @tillymack | Apr 30 5:22pm

In reply to @shells14 "No clue ! What could cause it?" + (show)

@shells14 From Mayo Clinic web site - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/torn-meniscus/symptoms-causes/syc-20354818

shells14 | @shells14 | Apr 30 7:57pm

In reply to @hraka13 "When I had my tear it felt mostly fine in the morning but as the day..." + (show)

@hraka13 thank you ! Can you walk a mile ? I still like to walk ?

dtevis | @dtevis | May 1 11:27am

From my understanding after having partial meniscectomy for a 'radial' tear (at 71 years old)and removal of 25% of my meniscus this year, the future of bone on bone pain is affected by how much of the meniscus they have to remove. An intact meniscus is all cartilage and protects our bone. But if it's torn, we do lose some of the protection.
In my history working in the health field, some orthopedic specialists said that if they do an arthroscopy, they sort of stir up some of the arthritis/inflammation that is there. The orthopedic surgeon will advise regarding the expected outcome in each person's specific type of tear/how big the tear is/where the tear is-which part of the meniscus is torn. My orthopedic surgeon said the surgery may or may not help as it is hard to determine presurgically. Because of the burning pain I had with certain movements, I strengthened some after a cortisone shot but was still limited with occasional burning pain, not able to cross affected leg over the other, not able to bend at knee to sit. I am now 3 months post injury and have been able to increase my strength & no longer have any burning pain and great increased motion. Because of the meniscus injury though, my chance of arthritis within 5 years is still increased. It is increased with both the injury and increased whether one has surgery or not.
Strengthening the muscles on the front of the thigh(quadriceps) and the side of the thigh(hip abductors) helps to keep the knee more stable as you walk.