Looks like I have one, did it nearly 3 weeks ago, just tried to pedal my bike up the lane and I seem a LONG way from being able to ride even at 50% effort. Might have to take up swimming. Any advice from anyone who has suffered with this? Saw a specialist yesterday, I’m on the waiting list for a scan then keyhole surgery 🙁
I just read on t’internet recovery can be months and I have a skills course booked with Jedi next month that I’ve been really looking forward to….. Not a happy nacho

i had one 5 yrs ago. was back on the bike 4 weeks after keyhole.
do the exercises they give you, cos it does work.

did this when i was about 13 playing rugby, tear then a fluid filled cyst built up
had keyhole and at first felt much worse, was really worried it would never get better
but after a few months it improved, but it took a couple of years before it was as good as new, never really had any physio on it so id recommend getting a specialist to advise on it

I’ve done it….twice.Rode the 3 peaks cx 5 weeks after the first op.

Thanks all, I’m also worried about how long I’ll have to wait until the surgery. Should hopefully hear about physio next week.

yup, lateral meniscus tear 3 years ago.

Had physio and keyhole, got back on the bike 6 weeks after keyhole but like kimbers it took a couple of years to get it completely right.

Oh mate, that is harsh! Kira had a meniscus tear and was out of action for a few weeks after the operation. She had an arthuroscopy (sp?) but was right as rain afterwards and still rides her bike.

Good luck old bean!

Yep, same as others who had keyhole six week recovery, killed my running but pushed me into biking instead, yay!

Thanks Tormy, yeah gutted I might lose all summer riding, was hoping to show you some fine Devonshitre trails this summer as well! The op is apparently an arthroscopy. If I can be back on the bike in 4-6 weeks that won’t be too bad (actually that’s a lie – less then 3 weeks in I’m going mad – it’s also how long I have to wait for the op that’s worrying!
Devonshire trails that is 🙂

I think it is £1800 private (may be a bit out of date) my NHS appointment was an 8 month waiting list but luckily work introduced no medical history private healthcare

Instead of waiting for a scan,then waiting to see a specialist,then waiting for exploratory keyhole and finally getting an op.Pay to see the orthopaedic surgeon privately and get him to put you straight onto the waiting list.Mine was done as a priority case and I only waited 10 days the first time 😀

DavidB – £1800 is a bit much for me unfortunately. I might look at Rorschach’s advice, will wait to see how quickly they can get me in for a scan first though.
So to confirm – Rorschach did you get an initial private appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon and then he got you the op through the NHS 10 days later?

Had knees done from rugby.

Just need your knee cleaned up. Did they say rest it till the key hole op?

Don’t make it worse!

on the plus side if its gonna pi$$ down all summer youll only be missing out on a mudfest

I asked for a referral from my Gp to an orthopaedic surgeon I knew of (he’d operated on some of my friends) for a private consultation.This immediately missed out 6-8 weeks of waiting.I was fully prepared to pay for the whole thing (2.3k) but as I could’nt work with my knee like that I got treated as a priority case.When I damaged it a second time (too much, too soon)I went to see him privately again but I had to wait the normal 6 months.Subsequently I’ve had a 3rd op on the same knee but it was a plica this time.None of the damage was bike related btw.

Had surgery on mine 12 years ago and it’s never been the same. Having said that the surgeon said there wasnt much left meniscus left and that I’d have to have a knee replacement by the age of 40, and I’m now 41 with only mild issues.

Not sure what you can get from that, other than we’re all different…?

It was 3 weeks before I could walk down stairs in a non John Cleese style.

2x keyhole here both times back cycling and running after 6 weeks –
2nd op on turbo after 2 per surgeons advice to get it mobile

1st time around 2000 age 40 off road running and not enough stretching to cope with bad hip alignment – 2nd op last year triggered by damage from hitting a tree root – back running but still can feel sore – cycling fine
first op private care of employer stacks of post op physio
second op NHS no post op physio – bad, been doing strengthening exercises from reading around subject and really helps (balance board )think i got a lot from the post op physio try to get

good luck

GF had lots of issues with 1 knee.

1st clean up took few months to recover from. At the time they notices her cruciate was nearly gone.

2 years later it went – long recovery

last year more swelling and pain. Had a meniscul tear was done on keyhole back to normal after minor clean up in a couple of weeks.

Maybe worth paying for the scan yourself if you want to speed up the process. A mate had his scan in london, paid for a private consult with a surgeon who did NHS too. That skipped all the NHS crap and got him in 6 months sooner.

Get the ligaments checked too!

Well thanks all for your comments, I have to big up the NHS today!
I had to change two dates due to work commitments so I didn’t make it easy for them. I have an MRI scan and pre-op appointments next week then an op the following week. Superb service!!
I might even be fit for Jedi’s training session if I recover quick enough.
mikewsmith – they checked ligaments when I went to A & E, all OK 🙂

I had a posterior meniscus tear fixed last year on NHS. Identified on MRI post Op a month later and keyhole surgery completed after 3months. Took about 5 weeks to get back on the bike. The tear was apparently alot worse than they thought.
9 months on and I’m very happy with the results.

Running is right out for me now though. Tried it a few weeks ago and my knee was very swollen the next day – No problem though as that means more bike.
Dont worry apparently its a very common op and goes very quickly.

Good luck

Really push the Physio exercises when given the green light. It makes all the difference to your outcome.