Knee meniscus injury experiences?

[AnxiousMunchkin]

Just wondering if anyone has any pearls of wisdom to share about this. I have anxiety as well and I'm kinda worrying/obsessing about this now!

I had a bad fall when I was 21 - drink fuelled of course when my right knee swelled right up and was pretty bruised, I didn't get it seen to at the time, just hobbled around on painkillers for a few weeks and then it seemed to be ok. It's always been a bit dodgy since - locks out and needs clicking into position to be comfortable, gets a bit sore, twinges etc. I just figured everyone has slightly dodgy bits.

Over the last year I've been building up my yoga practice and more and more noticing discomfort, lack of strength in the knee. This week I went to a physiotherapist about a different problem in my wrist, mentioned my knee, and it turns out there actually is a proper problem in my knee! The jigged it around a bit and found an area that was repeatedly quite painful when she poked it, then did an ultrasound scan and turns out my medial meniscus is a lot thinner on the right than the left. She said there's probably more going on that that, but to start with I'm having a short course of shockwave therapy and been instructed to rest (avoid certain yoga positions, boo) and use ice on it. I'm also hypermobile in my joints and need to consciously try to not 'sit in' the joint as much.

Can anyone else who's has meniscus problems tell me what's worked for them, what kind of investgations etc you had? Dr Google has been worrying me, thinking about needing MRIs and arthroscopy and all sorts. I'm 34 now so I've been walking around on this for over a decade. But how do you rest a knee, really? I have an active on-my-feet job. I'm also usually more comfortable sat down cross legged, even in bed I tend to cross my legs flat on the mattress, I guess that compresses the medial meniscus but it just feels weird to sit or lie with legs straight or less flexed.

I guess I'm just worried now what this means for the future, if it already gives me grumbly pain/discomfort now, is a future of arthritis and knee replacement inevitable

My husband, a lot older than you, has had a torn meniscus in both knees at the same time. Went to a very well recommended knee specialist, Jonathan bell. He had both knees mried and after discussion as my husband doesn't ski or do any sport which puts a real strain on knees a plan was made to use physio to help his knees. He went to a physio Mr bell recommended and she was brilliant and his knees now give him no problem.

Jonathan Bell did my less-than-straightforward ACL repair. I ran a marathon with no problems this year - I would also recommend him!

I have two colleagues who had meniscus revisions with Adrian Fairbanks in the same practice who were also happy. If you are young they tend to opt for surgery. I'd also err on the side of caution with physios - get a orthopaedic surgeon's opinion.

The problem with the meniscus is that it has no blood supply and cannot re generate or repaired, so any damage to it is permanent. Physio or other types of therapy will only strengthen the surrounding muscles to help support it and help you cope with the problems it causes. I'm afraid it will deteriorate over time. I had a tear in the meniscus which caused locking, swelling, reduced movement and swelling. The torn area had to be cut away which has helped, though I do have arthritis in that knee :(

Is meniscus the same as cartilage ?

Thank you for these voices of calm common sense! I think I was panicking about it all somewhat.

I saw my physiotherapist again today and she has said that if what we're doing at the moment (shockwave therapy, TENS, massage & strengthening exercises) don't significantly improve the discomfort, then she will write to my GP recommending a referral for MRI, which I'm feeling a little more accepting about now. She did say that surgery can only do so much though, so will still be having to work on the physio side of things. I've put weight on in the last year, and this is making me feel I want to make a better effort to lose it. I talked to the physio today about the right kind of exercise - no running! Which was my usual go-to. Swimming but not breaststroke, cycling but avoiding hills, stationery gym equipment but not the treadmill. I'm allowed to keep up my yoga but avoid deep knee flexion and cushion/minimise weight bearing on the knee.