REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

I've blown my knee. Advice sought from other knee invalids.

1278 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by -dude-, Jul 20, 2004

ButtGumbo

Discussion Starter · Jul 18, 2004 (Edited)

I blasted my right knee on a tree a few weeks back...hit the outside of it but the inside is blown. I thought it was my MCL, but the Orthapedist seems to think it was my meniscus. He thinks that it will require arthroscopy.

Here's the deal. I'm no athlete. I blast trails (+ urban assault) on my bike and play darts. I play a lot of darts (tournament stylee, 2-4 hours a day, and up to 8 hours at a time), like it or not, the orthapedist doesn't seem to understand what type of stress playing darts puts on my knee. He understands the mountain biking, but the combined activities are complicating the diagnosis. Have any of you blown a meniscus, and if so, what advice do you have for a poor dood that's dealing with some major knee pain?

thx,

KB

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-dude-

· #2 · Jul 18, 2004

get it fixed

Hopefully you've had an MRI to evaluate the source of your pain. If they suggest arthroscopy, don't hesitate too much. If you're in any decent shape you'll recover quickly and biking helps with recovery. I've been on both sides as a patient (5 arthroscopies and 2 ACL reconstructions) and now I'm an ER doc. It's not emergent so you can schedule it for when it fits best into your life schedule, however if you're pain is bad then you may need it sooner. Glucosamine/chondroitin has really established itself as a good joint supplement which works probably as an anti-inflammatory and may ease your pain for now. Let me know what kind of questions you have.

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ButtGumbo

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 20, 2004

-dude- said:
Hopefully you've had an MRI to evaluate the source of your pain. If they suggest arthroscopy, don't hesitate too much. If you're in any decent shape you'll recover quickly and biking helps with recovery. I've been on both sides as a patient (5 arthroscopies and 2 ACL reconstructions) and now I'm an ER doc. It's not emergent so you can schedule it for when it fits best into your life schedule, however if you're pain is bad then you may need it sooner. Glucosamine/chondroitin has really established itself as a good joint supplement which works probably as an anti-inflammatory and may ease your pain for now. Let me know what kind of questions you have.

Well, I haven't had an MRI and this is why...my HMO is kinda weak, they will pay (some) for an MRI, but the DO says that his experience is that with my HMO, that if an MRI is inconclusive (or incorrect), then the HMO almost never pays for the additional care (which is generally arthroscopy). He says that many times MRIs are less accurate for meniscus injuries than, say, ligament injuries. He also says he is fairly confident that his diagnosis is correct, mainly from how I described the injury, and how I yelped as he manipulated the joint under examination. His conclusion was that an arthroscopy will be 95% in my future anyway, and by going that route initially I have the benefit of both the insurance coverage and a swifter resolution.

I'm not dumb enough to not realize he's in business in addition to being a Dr., but at the same time it makes sense, mainly because I've gone around and around with my HMO about other crap.

What do you think?

thx,

-Kev

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blackbart

· #4 · Jul 20, 2004

I had the misfortune of blowing out my mcl (severe stage two tear) on a ride about three months ago to the day. The doc did a few poke and prod test and determined it was mcl but still went for the mri to make sure. The mri allows for not only certainty as to the problem, and there is often more than one with knee injuries, but it also allows you to know the severity, expected recovery time, and necessity of surgery. Which was important to me as I have rather dodgy insurance too.

basically make sure you know what you should and should not do, because if you push it may never be as good as it was. As for me I've started to get back on the bike and have to content myself with putzing around the block, but at least I'm riding

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-dude-

· #5 · Jul 20, 2004

get thee to an orthopedist

You can get away without the luxury of an MRI if arthroscopy is in your future since that will be therapeutic (fix the torn cartilage causing the pain) and diagnostic (evaluate the ligaments inside the knee <ACL and PCL>). Most important is finding a decent orthopedic doc to do an eval.

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