For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service. And then after the surgery, the focus is doing physical therapy, typically if he gets sent there, and youre going to lose some motion in the surgery so your knee wont be able to bend or straighten all the way. A meniscus can become damaged due to sudden trauma. When the meniscus root becomes detached, the meniscus can extrude out of the joint and lead to effectively having no functional meniscus. His team is prompt, thorough, and fun - always smiles. A possible cause for knee pain 1 year after meniscus surgery would be a re-tear of the meniscus. A physical therapist will be assigned to you and begin a routine of light exercise to help stabilize the knee. A lateral meniscus root tear involves a tear of the meniscus either at or close to the root attachment in the back part of the lateral meniscus. Dr. Burnham is extremely professional, knowledgeable, understanding, kind, and precise. Meniscus root repair surgeon, Doctor Benedict Nwachukwu provides diagnosis as well as surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for patients in Manhattan, New York City, NY who need meniscus root repair surgery. Country. The meniscus is a very important piece of cartilage in the knee. Meniscus Root Repair; Meniscus Transplantation; Partial Meniscectomy; Patellofemoral Joint Repair. Right Knee Surgery After Auto Bicycle Accident, Medical Second Opinion Service MRI/X-ray Review. Then, in January of 2018, while warming up in class one morning, a sharp, nauseating pain shot through my left knee, which made me start limping. Dr Jeremy Burnham has a great way of interacting with his patients. I finally decided to make an appointment with a knee specialist. I never met a doctor and his team that showed some much compassion about their patient. Their sense of compassion and understanding is more than we have ever experienced. Healing kind of goes fast the beginning and then it tapers off. I got a lift home, and returned to the gym later that evening for more coaching. Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. Often, when a meniscus root is torn, it will retract in the joint and become stuck in place. To accomplish this goal, Dr. Nwachukwu drills a small hole from the outside of the tibia (shin bone) into the knee joint next to the natural attachment of the meniscus root. Therefore, a lateral meniscus root repair can be an essential portion of a surgery to address the secondary restrains for a concurrent ACL reconstruction procedure. In the early stages of your meniscus tear you can take these conservative and essential treatments which are as follows: Rest Ice every 15 minutes in every 4-6 hours Compression with an ACE wrap or sleeve Elevation of the leg Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) for pain. Lateral meniscus root tears can lead to arthritis, but they also result in the ACL being a little looser and the clunk that comes with an ACL tear (pivot shift) being more unstable. His interaction with me around my surgery calmed me, and his excellent work in the operating room speaks for itself. Instead of wall slides, I opted for high box squats. The study, " Patients Who Undergo Rotator Cuff Repair Can Safely Return to Driving at 2 Weeks Postoperatively ," was published online on July 21, 2022 in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. Stationary biking is allowed after 6-weeks with Dr. Nwachukwus approval and assessment of healing. Eagan, MN 55121, I struggled with my knee for 18 months - having gone from 10,000 steps a day to only walking as needed. Matthias J. Feucht1,4 Received: 19 May 2022 / Accepted: 13 February 2023 I am currently on crutches for 6-8 weeks with no pressure on my leg at all. I was told by one of the orthopedic surgeons that I worked with that I would never run again and would be lucky if I could ever hike again. This is done to protect the repair and let the body heal it. Protect repair Minimize pain Minimize swelling Surgical repair can successfully allow the meniscus to heal. Contact Dr. Nwachukwus team today! On Thursday, February 21, the day after my surgery, I went to work, in my brace and on crutches. Does having a cortisone shot help a meniscus tear or is surgery the only option? Two important criteria exist to begin driving after meniscus surgery. If one does a meniscus root repair in that extruded position, the chance of a meniscus root repair working over the long term is very minimal. Grant H. Garcia, MD 148 subscribers Dr Garcia demonstrates his new meniscal extrusion technique to further improve meniscus root repairs. His step by step explanation of surgery expectations before and after the procedure was specific, thorough, and answered all of my questions. If one does have quite a bit of arthritis of the same compartment, which we would call Kellgren-Lawrence grades 3 or 4, in most circumstances, other than possibly in very young patients, a root repair would generally not be indicated. And thats all good if youre going to end up having the surgery. A week later, I got my MRI results and I was told that this was going to be a very long recovery, but I had other plans. What most people just don't get from their medical professionals is that the meniscus is a type of cartilage. He has repaired both of my shoulders and he is awesome to the max. By using our website, you consent to our use of cookies. For more information on meniscus root tears of the knee and meniscus root repair surgery, please contact the office of Benedict Nwachukwu, MD, orthopedic knee specialist serving Manhattan, New York City and the surrounding New York boroughs. We recommend the use of 2 cannulas such that the meniscus can be pulled down over a broader area and have a better chance of healing to the bone. Driving after meniscus surgery How soon can you drive after Arthroscopic Knee Surgery? That night, I drove myself to the gym. W;5$u4Yxa_V_bm}q8=^_qbY,H(+",X'{|oMs"&A;3.E s&L=Z`)!]$],b }zb& Y@dy.Lif1:4@"Fz"U2`/h0|6^T&}56+Q:Dn{d:rqW@3 7 U. The High Tech Shirt Problem in the Squat Rusty Holcomb, Observations on Training by an Old Guy Phil Ringman. If not treated, part of the meniscus may come loose and slip into the joint. (Please keep reading below for more information on this treatment.). I was worried for my future with my legs letting me walk but she put me at ease letting me know she will do everything in her power to fix me or send me to whatever specialist I need to see to make sure I have a good chance walking in my future, and they all truly fantastic doctors. I did a little internet searching, and diagnosed myself with a Bakers Cyst, which I discovered was pretty common with meniscus tears. The therapists were a little surprised to see me so soon after my surgery, but I really wanted to know how much range of motion I had post-surgery. Meniscus root repair vs meniscectomy or nonoperative management to prevent knee osteoarthritis after medial meniscus root tears: Clinical and economic effectiveness. Robert LaPrade, MD, PhD In addition, there is no low age for meniscus repairs, with some root repairs being done in patients as young as 6 or 7 years old. A written consent will be obtained from you after the surgical procedure has been explained in detail. In cases the patients undergo meniscus repair or ligament reconstruction, they are given a brace to support the knee in full extension. I was adding 10 pounds a week for deadlifts but have now switched to pause deadlifts on Tuesday and add only 5 pounds a week to the heavy deadlift. Then, in September, at the Charm City Strongwoman Contest, I sprinted into the gym from the outside looking for one of my volunteers. 5 stars! The most common root repair technique is called a transtibial technique. My MRI showed an extensive radial tear adjacent to the medial meniscus root insertion, as well as evidence of high-grade chondral loss involving the central trochlea. <> 2700 Vikings Circle Everyone made us feel comfortable, and they were all polite and professional. After creating two transtibial tunnels, passing sutures through the detached root of the meniscus and down the tibial tunnels, the sutures are tensioned to reduce the root of the meniscus to anatomic position. He provided a thorough explanation without wasting time. One of the most common is in patients who may have some underlying arthritis and the arthritis is causing the pain or the arthritis has progressed further after the meniscus root repair. Single leg deadlifts on the good leg, reverse hypers, and dumbbell bench. If it is your right knee, it will be at least a week before you can drive, as it would be risky to have to hit the break too soon after surgery, and you would be a risk to yourself and everyone else on the road. So that means youre good to go after two to three months. My daughter recovered fully from a total knee reconstruction and now she able to return to sports. Patient Testimonials - Meniscus Root Repair Everett | OCD Repair of the Knee Kirkland X Accessibility View Book An Appointment (206) 784-8833 Wallingford Office (206) 633-8100 Ballard Office (206) 784-8833 Home My Practice Practice Expertise Patient / Medical Resources Educational Resources Videos Radio/podcasts News Contact Dr. Garcia Facebook While you're recovering from your meniscus surgery, you can expect to feel pain while you heal. Dr. Burnham & his staff are very personable & caring. We love you! But typically physical therapy goes two to three months you get 80% better and a lot of times people have the expectation setting themselves that they can get back to everything that theyre doing before and thats just not the case they can do a lot of things now that they couldnt before the surgery typically. What most people just dont get from their medical professionals is that the meniscus is a type of cartilage. Super knowledgeable. Two cannulas are subsequently placed into the area of bone that was decorticated to allow for the transtibial 2-tunnel technique to be performed. Highly recommended! When I said I was not on any medication, he said when I could bend my leg 90 degrees. The knee will be swollen for 2-3 months. This technically challenging procedure should only be done by an orthopedic knee expert like Dr. Nwachukwu who has had extensive experience in performing the meniscal root tear repair correctly. It helps to be strong, my PT remarked. I really like and appreciate the time and effort he commits to research. A torn meniscus can result in either sudden or gradual onset of pain. When these are torn, the loading of the joint is equivalent to having no meniscus on the affected side. Stated to me , in detail, what to expect and how long my recovery will take. while avoiding unnecessary surgery, injections, and medications. Begin passive range of motion exercises Start physical therapy or home exercise program 1-3 days after surgery Work on quad recruitment Brace/Crutch Use 25% weight bearing with crutches, brace 0-90 when ambulating and sleeping, can remove . 1 doctor answer 2 doctors weighed in Dr. Jeffrey Sider answered Sports Medicine 41 years experience Depends: If surgery is on the left leg i let some patients drive the next day if they feel ok. A friend of mine picked me up, and took me to the gym, where I coached my clients, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing. The length of time until patients are able to return to driving varies . 2601 E. Yandell Drive, Suite 232 Dr. Burnham was very helpful for my injury! So go check out that video on how to exercise your glutes theres five exercises in there that you can start doing them i would do them every day i do them a couple times a day even more if you can i would do what you can tolerate without it being too much soreness and your glute muscles and they should all generally be okay on your knee theres some where you got to kneel you can adjust it you can not do that exercise if you want. Meniscal Root Repair Post-operative Rehabilitation Protocol Phase 1: 0-2 weeks post-operatively Goals . Other factors can also be present with extrusion, including the progression of arthritis which can cause a well-done meniscus repair to extrude outside the joint. This specific type of tear makes up 90% of all meniscal root tears. Two weeks today I had meniscus root repair. My daughter injured her ankle in cross country practice and we were able to get in the next day to see Dr. Burnham. And now theyre kind of back to the way they were before the surgery. So if thats your feeling youve taken them and it hasnt really made a difference for you dont take them if you feel like to help you out please take them but dont just take the supplements in hopes of that replacing doing the right exercises and having the right expectations youve got to do them both together give us a like if you thought this video was helpful and please drop a comment if you have any questions and i hope that you get better real soon have a wonderful day guys. Many surgeons will tie the meniscus root repair with the knee bent, so that one can start motion right after surgery and not have to worry about the meniscus root repair being stretched out. Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other abusable medications. . And get the pain under control and recover normally the way that you should have once you start doing the right things. My repair will be later this week on my right leg.