Torn Meniscus

[Tyson.g]

Having an MRI tomorrow to determine if the diagnosis is correct.

Anyone have experience with this type of injury?

 

If so:

 

What level of severity?

Type of tear?

Healing time?

Physical Therapy?

Surgery?

 

Just curious as to the experience of others and input as far as what you felt worked or did not work for you.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Burke M]

Seems like the severity of the tear would answer many of the questions which it seems youll soon find out. On another note, Johan Santana(pitcher for the Mets) finished the season pitching and almost pitched a perfect final game of the season a couple of years ago all with a torn meniscus. He had surgery as soon as the season was over and was fine in spring training.

[Tyson.g]

I ended up after the MRI with a diagnosis of a level II sprain of the Medial Collat Lig and the Cruciate Lig.

It looks like some PT should do the trick.

Does anyone have the name of a good PT in Bellingham that understands the physical demands of mountaineering/climbing and skiing?

 

[danhelmstadter]

Ouch, good luck with your recovery Tyson, I hope it's a short time.

[Tyson.g]

Thanks Dan.

It sounds worse than it is.

I am at least still climbing some rock and out of the brace during the work week.

 

[Chad_A]

Hey Tyson,

 

Try Mount Shuksan Family Medicine. 3606471900

 

Kirsten is a nurse practitioner; her husband Bob is a sports PT if I remember correctly. They work together in their office and they're both skiers (and have been instructors at Baker on and off for quite a while). Probably would be a good fit for you. Hope this helps

 

Chad

 

PS - I hear indoor dry tool walls are great recovery work for injuries such as yours (j/k). Heal up!

[DPS]

My running partner just had his torn miniscus repaired. He had surgery, did physical therapy, and is back to running two months post surgery.

[Tyson.g]

Thanks Chad I will give them a call.

I think some drytooling may be in order for recovery work. Free climbing and aid practice don't seem to have hurt.

How's Megan doing?

 

[Chad_A]

Feel free to come over any time, just give me a ring. I owe you at least some laps on that thing; some of the holds are your donation after all! A brew or two and the Ipod blaring makes for a fun atmosphere.

 

Megan's doing great; almost 13 weeks along. The ultrasound was crazy- alternating between having his/her own party in there and taking naps every few minutes

[Giles]

this may not be relevant at all (i'm not a doctor, nor do i know my knee anatomy...) but i dislocated my knee bouldering and was TRing within a month and leading soon after on easier routes. i stayed away from bouldering for a while due to the whole falling thing though... no surgery, no PT, (but my mom is a PT and gave me some basic things to do). besides my MRI and other related doctor visits i never returned to the doctors and i recovered relatively fully. I'm young, and i think that helped a lot in my recovery, but i do regret not taking PT more seriously... i alpine climb / crag regularly in WA and boulder/lead in the gym regularly and ice climb during season, but within all of these realms i experience minor discomfort and pain. my knee dislike dropping from high boulder walls. my knee dislikes the long pain-in-the-ass hikes out that are more or less universally a part of cascade alpine climbing. my knee dislikes long days of front pointing on ice. my knee dislikes drop knees while sport climbing. my knees dislikes snowboarding for more than a few hours. the moral of the story is that ultimately your knees are critical to almost all the facets of outdoor life we love, and we owe it to ourselves to take care of them. I was (and still am) young, and rushed treatment and PT thinking it would be alright, and i may be paying the price for years to come. take your time, take PT seriously, and understand that knee pain/discomfort may always be a part of your active life, but that it'll be alright anyway, and wont hold you back. good luck, be healthy!