anyone experience a torn menincus in their knee ?

[Paperroses]

I fell twice over the winter on ice and both times my left knee bent in half while my right leg went straight out. Both times I got up and was relieved to not feel pain or injury. All winter I walked 3 mile almost every day. Come spring I started pushing my grandchildren in a stroller up and down hills after which I started to feel sore and have slight pain below and to the inside of my leg under my knee. I just figured it was pmr muscle pain and figured it would heal up . Then I started gardening and everything felt sore for a while . Now 4 months later I cant walk on that leg ,I only feel pain when I put weight on it. I went to the doctor and he prescribed an ointment for inflammation but thinks there could be a tear and suggested a cortisone shot if ointment dosen't help. I'm currently at 4mg prednisone. Anyone have anything like this happen ? will it take longer to heal because of pmr? can I take cortisone with prednisone? Could the pmr have caused this to happen? I originally had horrible pain and inflammation in my knees when I first got pmr 2 years ago.

[piglette]

Prednisone and cortisone are both corticosteroids.

[123-go]

How awful for you. I can't advise with cortisone shot. Rest, ice and elevate may have helped earlier on but I'm not sure if that would help now although you can certainly try. Your doctor "thinks" there might be a tear! He should send you for investigations and I would push for that. He can't diagnose by just looking and guessing.For now you should try to keep weight off the injured leg-difficult, I know, but necessary to avoid further injury; also perhaps try a compression sleeve. Ask your pharmacist about suitability.

Persist with your doctor!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I'd also want a proper diagnosis - because they tend not to just heal themselves ...

[cycli in reply to PMRpro]

agree PMR pro...I was lucky.

[jaycee444]

I had a torn meniscus cartilage in my knee about 8 years ago and very painful it was too. The GP isn’t a lot of help as they have to refer you to a Physio for assessment. The Physio I saw put it down to everything but a cartilage problem and in the end after months of pain I elected to see a knee specialist privately. Meniscus cartilage was suspected so I transferred back to NHS - and had an MRI which confirmed his diagnosis. Had keyhole surgery which cured it completely. Dont know if PMR makes things worse as it was in the days before I was diagnosed. I do know that having to rely on a Physio for a diagnosis was very frustrating. Problem is that nowadays GPs cant refer you straight to the hospital for this sort of problem anymore (or so my GP told me at the time). Maybe its all changed again now.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to jaycee444]

My daughter had knee problems - misplaced patella which kept dislocating. First approach was physio - no improvement after umpteen referrals, Until I happened to be there when it happened and I packed into the car and we headed for James Cook Major Trauma Centre A&E. There a German doctor saw her and heard the story - and immediately referred ber for the knee specialist's clinic. There the first person you see is his personal physio - which annoyed me initially but she was amazing. She identified the problem from the x-ray and ordered an MRI (done almost immediately). By the time she saw Himself the decision had been made as to what needed to be done. Recovery was pretty awful - but the knee now happily takes long runs and even longer walks!

[cycli]

Yes Paperroses....3 weeks pain. Got 2 hrs sleep most nights, had to get up in night and run hot bath and soak for an hour to relieve pain....neurophen 24/7 back in the day. Knee to swollen and locked to move.Probably the cause of my DVT in that leg. Was immobile for most of 3 wks. Had to relearn how to walk with it. Miraculously the rest enabled it to heal itself. Been fine since and recovered from the DVT but did have to retrain all the other blood vessels in the leg to carry the load previously carried by the compromised main vein.

[Rosbud]

Your GP needs to refer you for A scan to give A definite diagnosis x

[Smokygirl]

I tore my right knee meniscus two months after starting on Pred two years ago. I was trying to get out of my car with a very tight pencil skirt on ( serve me right 🤪). I twisted it very badly, After investigation and confirmation I was told there was nothing they could do except operate which I declined. It does not bother me when I walk but I can’t kneel on it or bend it to the side without pain. Also I go upstairs on all fours to take the weight off it. The docs said one can usually walk without pain with a meniscus tear, he also said it would not heal itself.

Hope that is useful info!! Xxx

[Paperroses in reply to Smokygirl]

I ve beenwalking for months without pain just a slight discomfort, figured it was just pmr stiffness but suddenly it became very painful when i stand on it. itsnot the knee but the area below the knee and inside the leg that's why it puzzles me.

[Smokygirl in reply to Paperroses]

Mine is on the middle to the outside of the knee, presumably how I twisted and tore it. Does resting it help?

[oatleypark]

Hi Perroses, experienced similar incident early 2019, MRI confirmed torn meniscus and experienced very painful times, had already had both knees cleaned out previously, arthroscopies, due to many years of sport. More recent medical advice is arthroscopies are hardly used today but how do we avoid pain? I regularly play golf and was able to do so using pain killers but at the surgeon's advice I had 3 PRP injections which is your blood taken out, spun and reinjected late last year to January this year, not sure how long it will last but can do normal activities pain free, have had feedback from another person who's injections have lasted 4 years and still going strong just my experience.Cheers and good health.

Oatley Park

[LBM1953]

Hi. I have had two torn meniscus (both left side), two scans and two arthroscopies (second one about 20 years ago). The op is quick, efficient and solves the problem (if you can get one these days). I had pain in rear and side of knee but it can depend on what the issue is with the meniscus. The first time I had the problem the knee also use to "lock" in a squat position which was screaming agony until I could force it straight. The knee is as good as can be expected these days but I cannot squat on it for any length of time. It is also the area of my body (together with shoulders which were also a problem before PMR) which have maintained some (minor) symptoms (not a problem but reinforces the theory that PMR can affect already problematic areas of your body). Rest and other pain treatment can help but once you have torn your meniscus it won't heal itself and the issue will always be there.

[Exflex]

I have a suspected torn meniscus. Since blood supply is very poor in the area so repair if at all possible will be slow. I’m about 5 years from initial injury and the best treatment is physio to strengthen surrounding muscles as Meniscus is more of a shock absorber. Knee injections do help.

[Vaggers]

Yes, I was walking 5/6 miles a day until I had a torn meniscus. I was told that pmr would slow recovery but, after an mri scan, it looks as though I have severe arthritis and need a knee replacement. The pain when I first tore my meniscus was dreadful and I couldnt walk more than a few yards. Now, however, i can do 3 miles without too much discomfort and my Consultant wont do a knee replacement because I am not in enough pain!

[patrickd]

Wow, sounds like what I'm going through. Painful as heck isn't it? I just can't get comfortable with my knee situation. I too am very active (walking, climbing etc.) so this is a huge burden for people like us...it sucks! I had some x-rays taken and they just said "Your knee looks good and I don't see you needing a replacement anytime soon" GREAT news but didn't solve my issue. I am going to see a physical therapist of which was highly recommended to build up some of the muscles in leg/knee. I am in the US and I will tell you I've tried many creams and nothing really "helps" well maybe for an hour but not in the long term. I've been on Methylprednisolone (similar to Pred. and steroid) for over 15 years and have had surgeries and many injuries throughout the years. Personally, I've noticed that the higher my dosing the more the side effects (longer healing time). I am currently just taking a "maintenance" dose of 4mgs. Given that dose I notice nothing. No side effects or "longer" healing timeframes. Your body adjusts to the dosing and it takes over your adrenal gland. It's a low dose so you should NOT have a longer healing time. I don't normally take a calcium supplement with D BUT since my injury, I started to do this to help out my bones. I also eat more protein of which will help too.

[Noosat]

I had torn meniscus many years ago Had to have it repaired at hospital was wide awake and could see procedure in a mirror