UKC

Hi all,

   There have been a few old threads on here with a lot of members discussing meniscal tear surgery and their experiences. Medical methods have improved and I'm posting to get some up to date feedback from some who have had an identical proceedure.

   10 weeks ago I felt the pop and they found a lateral tear to my knee meniscus cartilage. 8 weeks ago they got me in and did an 8 stitch repair rather than removal. Now I'm aware that the blood supply in this area makes recovery a bit hit and miss but with good rehab it's quite likely I'll return to full use and fitness. My weight is low, my health is good and I'm fit.

   I'm off crutches, sticking to the physio like a zealot and showing good signs of improvement. The physio seems very happy with progress so all signs are good. A ball park timescale has been given at 6 months to a return to climbing............ U wot m8????

   The idea of a re-tear isn't an option for me so their word is law as far as I'm concerned. What I would like to know is what members here have found after having the repair. How long for recovery? After effects? Did you stick to the rules? All that stuff. I'm aware that the meniscal removal has quicker recovery but repair is what I've had. Many thanks to all the fine members on here.

ps, I hope we get no snow this winter!

Morning

I've had both knees repaired/stitched one a bucket handle tear 8yrs ago, the other a lateral tear 4yrs ago.

I was well behaved, stuck to the physio, and recovery was a lot quicker than they suggested.

I kept up my climbing near enough straight away running laps on top rope on a big overhanging lead wall whilst wearing the massive fixed leg brace and just using that leg for balance and hopping the other one.  Worked well.

Lots of gym work building up my quads made a big difference, they were pretty weedy - standard bouldering legs at the time!

Can't remember exact time scales, but much quicker than 6 months.

I had the same in my left knee in 2006 aged 27, I am always conscious of it even now but I have done quite a bit since then, a number of marathon/endurance type events, cycled and climbed without issue. The building up of the quads seems to be important though and I personally would recommend weight training (Machines at first) and static bike work initially and then build up to squats (goblet and front squats are my preferred). It took me a while to get running again, I would say it was a year before I attempted 5k. 

Sorry to hear of your injury. If you don't mind me asking, how did it occur? Was this a particular position or move that caused it or a more long term wearing out or weakness? Or was it caused outside of climbing?

Hi Tom, I had the feeling something had popped about a year back and thought it was a muscle just stuck in the wrong place as I was able to shake my leg out and pop it back. The position that often caused this pop was when I turned my foot at extreme angles which obviously puts pressure on the knee joint. 10 weeks ago I was simply kneeling down at work and it popped properly when I tried to get up and that was when it locked. I only had the pop once whilst climbing and was able to shake it back as usual. I'd say this thing popped out of place maybe 4 times over a year before I had to go in.

Faster than that - beware rock-overs though, and jumping off if bouldering.  I had one done in late November some years back and was ice climbing in Scotland in Feb/March, albeit walking very steadily on the walk down

Interesting that you had kept much more active and were advised to do so. I got warned in very clear terms that I was to keep off work for 3 months as what I do is in the domestic constuction trade. 8 weeks after the op I am only able to do exercises using my own body weight and have been told to stay off the bike. The physio appointments are every 2 weeks and I can't fault the care I've had.

What they did tell me was that 8 stitches in a tear was quite a considerable length of damage so the recovery would be more the longer end of what I might expect. They also said there was soft tissue damage, not sure what that meant exactly. The reassuring thing was I was told I will fully recover but I'm curious to hear first hand on here how people like yourself feel now. Thanks very much, this really helps a lot.

Funny you say building the quad muscles. I was horrified to see how much muscle wastage I'd had quite soon after the op, my leg looks like it had been starved. The physio has helped switch on the muscles again but I never gave machine training any thought as it's not something I do anyway, my job is quite a workout. I hope in a couple of weeks when I go for another assessment that she might agree to a more intensive workout. Thanks for sharing.

So I might actually catch the back end of the winter season, happy days!

I would just add don't forget your "good" leg during rehab. I didn't and then developed problems in lower back/hip when I eventually started running again. This was due to an imbalance, resulting from me focusing too much on just one leg during knee rehab