Having an MRI scan in a week due to tearing the cartilage in both my knees. One isn't too bad but the left now hurts to walk. The doc said that's its the outside cartilage and operating can lead to arthritis – at 27 I'm a bit worried about this!

Anyone had similar and what was the outcome?

Ask them to trim it rather than removing it. I had a tear and it use to lock my knee joint for up to a week at a time. They went in and did a bit of key hole and removed the torn bit and all's been well since. That was 6-7 years ago.
I do get the odd wobble. It acts as a reminder not to do anything too silly.
Tim

I've had an arthroscopic trim on left and right knees. Go and get it done. Otherwise you'll be hobbling around forever. You'll be amazed at the difference after the op…

When you flare it up it will hurt/swell like mad and take time and RICE to settle it again. You can manage it pretty well if you are just wanting to cycle, I have pretty much sacked off running due to constant frustration and more time spent managing the injury than making progress. Tears that break the side of the meniscus can be harder to fix. You need to get sports-specific advice when you have the MRI.

My main sports are snowboarding, football, cricket and obviously biking. I couldn't really handle not being able to do these things in the future.

If it already hurts to walk and is holding you back what is there to loose long term as you are already having significant problems that are spoiling your life.

My flatmate had a cartilage trim around 3 weeks ago – the scars are 2 tiny paper cuts each less than a centimetre long. He had surgery at 2.00 and was walking out of the hospital as normal by 9.00 the same night.

He has spent several years putting up with it, which meant loads of normal walking about in countryside which he could not do. It spoiled several of his holidays. He has been told his cartilage will never be normal (as it does not regrow) but that in practical terms now it is trimmed it will no longer have any negative effects on day to day life long term, so things will be masses better for him.

How long are they saying it will take to get worse arthritis than the pain and disability than you are already suffering? Remember there are knee replacement ops which might help with any problems later on if there is no arthritis for a long time and these things get better and better. Try the various roadie forums for info on cycling with knee damage, knee replacements and hip replacements – they all seem to have no significant problems once its done.

If your ligmaents are alright it shouldn't be too bad for snowboarding, as long as you have it tidied up. I haven't played football for a couple of years. As for cricket, perfect excuse to bowl spin, stand about in the slips having a chat, and pass up on those quick singles in favour of swinging for the ropes.

At the moment I can still do all sports but take ibuprofen. The pain and discomfort come after and then it hurts to walk, particularly up stairs and my knees get very hot.

When I get the results of my MRI I have another appointment with the specialist and go from there. He didn't give many details about getting arthritis due to operating. I just want to know some options so I understand things before I go in.

I have a completely torn ACL and can still snowboard and MTB! I would definately suggest the arthroscopy did me the world of good, never had reconstructive surgery on my ACL but it's mostly fine now. I was never told about the arthroscopy leading to arthritis. I had mine at 20 now a little older .. maybe a decade and a tiny bit ….

I don't think its the arthroscopy that leads to arthritis, I think its caused by removing cartilage.

Had both cartileges in my right knee ripped to shreds playing rugby over 30 years ago. In those days there was no keyhole surgery so have 3 inch tramline scars each side of my knee and no cartileges. 1 week in hospital and 10 days on crutches.

I have a bit of arthritis but still bike and hillwalk at 54 with the aid of a good knee support.

With modern surgical techniques you should be absolutely fine after a few weeks, but you may need to avoid some of the worst impact/twisting stuff

I have had 3 knee athroscopies, with varying success. I don't think the process increases arthritis likliehood, tbh if your knees are problematic you're likley to end up arthritic anyway. One thing though is that you lose some nerve sensation close to the skin – good when you brush past nettles riding though !

I've had mine done (trimmed), went from hobblin to walking quick quickly really. I have sprained it a few times since then though, so make sure you do your exercises to increase strength again after. Oh, I was asked if I had any intentions in being a pro footballer or any other sports, I wish I had said yes, as I am told that they would have taken more care in the op!!

I had arthscopracy last thursday ,for patella tracking tho, but I've had debridement (trimming) of the meniscus twice before and hav'nt suffered post op.
And I ride ss exclusively.When I talked to my orthapedic surgeon he assured me that even with the damage I've sustained (wakeboard and snowboard injuries) riding ss could not cause any further damage.

Im 29, had 4 arthroscopies…2 on both knees.

The right knee is now stable and since 97 hasnt really given me problems.

The left knee gave me problems until hopefully now. I have just had an op to 'straighten' the leg, which was, in their view at fault. I didnt have a well aligned left leg, and so the forces that i put through the knee were incredible as the line of force didnt actually pass through the knee itself, but to the side. In realinging the bones, hopefully the forces will now pass through the centre of the knee and be supported by a knee that is stable enough.

The risk with arthroscopies, and hence the reason that many people have multiple and not just one, is that in trimming the cartilage they leave a sharp edge which can then quite easily catch and re-tear.

Get a second opinion regarding your alignment, as this was not seen by any doc in the UK, only here in Switzerland by a renowned sports doctor. There may be a reason why you have both knees like this. Just a thought, not saying it will be the case.

edit: oh and re: sports.. the only sports i have stopped are badminton & tennis. Due to my long history of knee probs i have never tried snowboarding. I can never try it as its seen as one of the worst for damaged knees.

I tore my medial meniscus after a pretty big off at Mynydd Du, one of the steeper Dragon DH tracks.

Symptoms included pain and locking knee, which left me lying in the office a few times when I got up from my desk quickly and my leg failed to extend!

I was pretty depressed as my sports are riding, climbing and skiing. In the end physio managed to sort the flap of cartiledge. In 6 months I was full strength, back skiing harder than before – nailing some good couloirs and cliffs – and biking.

It still hurts a bit now, a few years on but keeping the supporting muscles strong helps.

All the best!

I have a partial tear in the cartilage on the inside of my knee and at the same time severed both anterior and Posterior cruciate ligaments, this was done in 97, I never had re-constructive surgery on the cruciates and the torn flap of cartilage was trimmed during an arthroscopy.

I had to give up skiing (due to lack of cruciates) I was crap at that anyway and took up snowboarding. I wear a brace while boarding, I also had to stop running as that was causing pain in the side of my knee. I now avoid impact sports as much as possible, though can still manage a good long day’s hill walking, though after which my knee will be sore, some ice and ibuprofen gel do the trick. After a week snowboarding or a few hard days on the bike I might have a bit of a limp, overall I am as active as possible, though having adjusted to take into account the limitations of my knee.

Sounds like a fairly common problem then so hopefully will be able to get it sorted with little side effects.

Is arthroscopies done under local or local anesthetic?

had one 8 yrs ago locked out keyhole surgery to remove some cartilage
been fine up to recent – hill running/climbing/cycling/skiing but i think i hit it on a fall on roots and got a 2nd tear same knee

arthritis is only an issue if too much cartilage removed and where in joint it is taken from – should be less of an issue since modern practise is to trim as little as possible – i'm a bit worried cos 2nd time round not so much left and arthritis much more likely

usually done under general but as day surgery

General.

Like timbur, mine used to lock up – but running for the bus. Sorted by kneeling on the ground carefully to put it back in place. Arthroscopy about 17 or 18 years ago (removed about 2/3 of the cartiliage on the inside of the knee. Generally been ok but the combination of snowboard lessons in hard boots – and a board set up daffy 🙁 – and unicycling, about 7 or 8 years ago definitely made both knees worse for a while, not been quite the same since.

I think there may be other options than removal nowadays (but may be ££) – have a search for 'carticell' (IIRC). Cartiliage cells are removed, cultured and replaced in the damaged area to repair it.

Oh, and apart for running for the bus/train, I don't ! – I'm a little worried about causing any more damage than there is already, not to mention it's a little uncomfortable at times…

Get yourselves on the DLA.

Unable to work for 15 years due to snapped cruciate

Gravity-Slave is spot on.

I damaged my knee (ligaments & meniscus) a couple of years ago. The key to a successful recovery I reckon is a good sports physio and being prepared to incorporate the exercises they recommend into your daily life. I still do mine regularly even now in order to try and prevent recurrence.