Inlower,I waited for almost 2 years waitin for mine to "take care of its self".Get it checked out or you will be lookin at the high side of 200 lbs.Activity is the key to health,if it hurts to move you wont and that wont burn any calories.

Joe

 

I had my left knee scoped (twice) last year (May). The first scope was to trim a torn lateral maniscus. The doctor failed to STRESS the importantance of keeping it elevated and iced for a few days following the surgery. I told him I was going to drive 600 mile the following day and all he said was "I wouldn't recommend it". Yes, I was stupid...

I'd been away from home for the week prior to the surgery and was anxious to go home the day after...so I did.

About 3 hours from home (driving my daughter's Del Sol because it has an auto tranny), I started experiencing shortness of breath, pain radiating from my neck/chest out to both arms, etc.

By the time I got home I was ready to go to the E/R. My wife arrived home from work about 20 minutes after me and she drove me to the hospital. That was at 5pm. It was 1am before they got me back into triage and started running tests. They determined that I most likely suffered a heart attack on the road, due to the results of a particular protein or enzyme test (don't remember what they called) it. My results were OFF THE CHARTS and indicated heart muscle damage. So...apparently a blood clot or series of them found their way to my heart from my left knee and caused some problems.

I was admitted and stayed in the hospital for 9 days, during which they drained my knee twice (HUGE needle/syringe) and scoped it again to clean up the mess I'd made of it driving home within 18 hours of the surgery. The doctor had written on the discharge papers "weight bearing as tolerated" but failed to inform me that they doped my knee so much for the surgery that I would be oblivious to the pain for about 24 hours...this only added to the problems - since I was feeling no pain, I thought, "I don't need no stinking crutches".

Bottom line - if you have your knee scoped, keep it elevated and iced for at least a couple days with minimal weight-bearing during that time. Normal full recovery (at least for my particular surgery) should've been 4-6 weeks. I caused myself and my loved ones quite a bit of grief...especially with the heart-attack scare.

I'm NOT proud of what I did...just want to make sure you're well informed, as I was NOT.

Luckily...my knee is pretty much back to normal...I run 3-5 miles every other day on the treadmill without pain. The only pain I've experienced was the first time I attempted to kneel or squat on that (left) side...a DEFINITE NO-NO!!!

 

78 Explorer- All I can say is WOW! Pretty scarey to say the least. Its just a good thing everything turned out OK. Thanks for the post.

 

Try this on for size. Mine was a skiing incident. I had the binding cranked down, as usual. Well, we were at a little rinky dink place and bored pretty quick. We started busting through the woods and jumping drifts and such. Well, I launch off this drift and right as I lifted a root was over my ski and rode down to my binding. So in mid air, about 8 ft, I hear this pop, as did the guy behind me. I landed face down in the snow and my left foot, with ski attached is facing backwards. Not cool.

Had the surgery, nothing big, 2 weeks later I start ed running again. You're current physical condition plays a large part in your recovery process.

 

ABSOLUTELY!!! the better condition you're in prior to surgery...the faster your recovery time!

Scott

 

Explorer,
Very good point, it also is of proven value to top off on vitamins both before and after surgery to promote and speed healing.
I had my surgery back in the good old days of ten inch scars, casts, and months long recuperation. These days are a cake-walk in comparison.

 

Jake 00

Here are some easy ways to try to find out if you have ligament or cartilage damage

Duck-walk – Squat down like you are a catcher in baseball. Once down try to walk forward about five steps. If you cannot get down in that position or walk, then you have a torn meniscus. You can live without this surgery, but if can limit your ability to lift and pivot on that leg as the meniscus is a cup/shock absorber for the leg.

Anterior Drawer – Put your legs on a chair while wearing shorts. Have another person look at the anterior portion of the knee. If there is an indentation or if it looks like the injured leg is sitting lower then the unaffected one you have damaged your ACL. If the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is damaged it will feel as if your leg is really unstable and wants to slide out when you stop walking.

Valgus Stress Test – Have another person put one hand below your calf and the other on the outside of the knee. (Right hand calf, left hand knee if it is the right leg and opposite if it is the left) Test at 90 degrees and 45 degrees by simply pulling out LATERALY (away from the body midline) with the lower hand. If there is pain or there is no stopping point, then you have a damaged MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament)

Varus Stress Test – Switch the position of the hand from the Valgus Stress Test. Test at a 90 degrees and 45 degrees by simply pulling out MEDIAL (Towards the body midline) with the lower hand. If there is pain or there is no stopping point, then you have a damaged MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament)

These are some preliminary test that you can use to test for damage to knee ligaments. I have been involved with sports medicine for fifteen years and this is what I use to arrive at a judgment on whether I need to refer a person to a doctor or it I can rehab it myself.

Another thing to remember is that cartilage and ligaments have a minimal amount of blood supply and do heal by themselves over A LONG period of time. You can do nothing, but then you will have to worry about scar tissue.

It sounds as if the doctor wants to take an evaluation look, but if he finds something he will fix it then. He may just think that there is debris in your knee that needs to be cleaned out.

Hope this helps.

 

AZTrainer...

GREAT, INFORMATIVE post!