rachelk Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Hello I wonder if anyone might have any advice to help me. I have been training for a Race for Life next weekend, and have been doing a gradual program of walking/running. (I was not a fit person and still have a way to go) I never intended to be able to run the whole way, or even part of the way, but used it as motivation to get fitter. I spent yesterday afternoon in our local minor injuries unit and have been told I have a tear in the meniscus or cartilage of my knee, which could ultimately result in an operation to repair it. Does anyone have any experience of this, and what are my chances of it repairing on its own? If it does, is it likely to be a recurring problem? I'm so disappointed, I am being to see the effects of getting fitter, and have just registered to do another race at the end of July and now it all seems a bit pointless. Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrin Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Sorry, no experience of this particular problem, just thought I'd send my sympathy. It's really disheartening when something like this happens. I decided I'd like to take up running a couple of years ago and started to really enjoy it, felt the benefits of doing regular exercise and started to loose weight, then I got plantar faciitis in both heels and had to stop Hope you get your knee sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Could you walk it instead of run? Is your knee swollen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Oh poor you how disheartening! What exactly happened to make you go to the injuries unit? I ask this because if you have twisted or had a blow to the knee it is a different injury to degenerative wear of the fibres, which is normally aggravated by running in old trainers, carrying too much weight, bad posture, or any other number of factors. Knees are a nightmare, and please be aware before you agree to surgery that the op will not be guaranteed, and as the meniscus only has blood supply to certain areas if you have torn it where there is no blood flow it will be removed instead of repaired, and this is nearly always less successful going forward. Whether you have surgery or not, once the inflammation has subsided you will need to strengthen the quads to support the knee and make sure you keep your weight down. My husband has two messed up knees and still runs and skis to a high standard so its not all gloom and doom! Let me know if I can help at all, and good luck with a fast recovery. Rhaps xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 I really hurt my knee 10 days before a marathon - iliotibial band syndrome. I couldn't walk for 3 days. I went had a sports massage (ouch), iced, anti inflamms, stretched and rested. It is so heartbreaking to not run after so much hard work preparing. I did run using a decent knee support and finished in a good time (did get a little sore during the run but adrenalin kept me going). Not saying that you should still run necessarily but it may not be out of the question. I went into it prepared to listen to my body and walk if necessary and have no lasting damage. Good luck, I really hope that it settles down for you. I had a friend who had a suspected tear and by the time the appointment came up to sort it it had got better on it's own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 My ES had knee surgery to tidy up his cartlidge last year when he was 18, first started when he was 7 and his knee gave way. The last couple of years he was in a lot of pain and it was liable to just give way. His surgery was very quick but he took a good couple of days to not be in any pain (I do personally think he has a really, really low pain threshold ) and he was driving by about a week and a half later. He's not had much pain since although it has started to give way again but I think this is more due to having dodgy hyper mobile joints. I do think if you can hold off from having surgery you'd probably be better off as our surgeon said that it might not work and it could reoccur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 A good Sports Physio would give you good advice about whether to run or rest it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 I agree with Lesley - surgery may not be necessary if you get decent physio (sadly that probably means non NHS - unless they can get you in within a week and guarentee several sessions a week initially). If you go private look for a physio that specialises in sports injuries (most private ones do). Good luck and hope you manage to run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
