I had ACL/meniscus repaired in the fall of 2010 and have since done numerous triathlons and a marathon last fall. I have been doing a lot of running this winter on an indoor U-shaped track that is 220m long with 180-degree turns. I have done up to 20-km indoors and have been running on here 4-5 times per week usually between 30-60 minutes.
It feels as though I may have re-injured my meniscus and I was wondering if anyone else has been running with a similar injury and/or how they have been managing it? Is surgery necessary? The literature seems to indicate so in order to prevent the tear from spreading depending on location.
I will certainly contact a doctor about this but I was just wondering what to expect.
Thanks.
PS: I always tell my children, “if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say it!”. Some people may want to consider this advice.
how much did they take out of meniscus? if not locking, i would work on muscles imbalances and knots that maybe the severe u turn as placed on muscles. mobility wod website has many episodes on fixing knee issues. also if it feels like arthritis pain then maybe prp and or stem cell. look at regenexx site for discussion. i had surgery at 58 on right knee and though i no longer do im distances it has held up for going on 8 years. the left knee had degenerative tears and oa last year or so and i had the stem cell and prp done at emory in atlanta. not cheap and not covered by insurance but it really helped the left knee and i avoided surgery.
but muscle imbalances and trigger points may be source.
if you mean repaired not surgically trimmed i have no experience with that.
Which knee? Is the track unidirectional (counterclock wise)? Chances are the torque on your knee is causing the problem. I would try running on a treadmill or outdoors for awhile before any surgery.
I tore my meniscus in my left knee in 2004 and had it surgically repaired – I guess trimmed would be the proper term as they removed only a small portion of the meniscus…
Approximately 2 years ago, I tore the same meniscus again while climbing 14ers in Colorado… The recent tear has not prevented me from anything I do (climb, ski, cycle, run, etc.) and only flares up every now and then…
My surgeon stated “why would I operate on your knee if it is not preventing you from doing what you want to do”? He also mentioned that repeated operations could result in arthritis in the knee joint later down the line…
I work in orthopaedics/biomechanics and I have no direct experience with the injury for myself, but I do study the injury and treatment options as its tied closely to my work in medical devices and medical research.
sad to tell you that there is not much you can do to heal damaged cartilage and meniscal tissue. drugs only kill the pain and not cure the issue totally. Surgery is usually the best way, although you should consult your doctor if you are of suitable age or advanced enough damage for surgery.
On the bright side there are some new promising meniscal implants. I don’t think they are approved for use in the USA yet, but they are being used in europe. check them out.
The flare ups usually only occur after I end up twisting the knee… Usually the pain will last a few days and I will rest it and take Advil… I am currently training for IMFL and my longer runs are in the 12-15 mile range right now… Hope this helps…