[Closed] Keyhole knee surgery, worth getting now or waiting till its REALLY sore?

If the doctor thinks you need surgery then they will arrange for that (or more likely refer you on to a specialist). If they dont think there is a problem then you wont have the surgery option anyway!

If they think you need an op then for the long term surely get it done rather than aggravate it?

Surgeon may allow you to pick the general period when you want it done. Mine was fine (NHS) - i said i didn't want it done in the summer so he said just ring up 4 weeks before you want it done.
Whatever you do though don't tell him/her you have self-diagnosed or they wont be so accommodating.
(Having said all that i have had it operated on 3 times and it still hasnt sorted the problem)

The previous posters have pretty much summed it up.

Get an MRI/ decent appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon and then have a think what is best following their advice. You can't do anything before this.

There are several routes to go. A standard NHS route may take some time and you should get good follow up appointemnts. If you really really are in a hurry then many NHS trusts use treatment centres which get you in and out very quickly but you will most likely receive no follow up care (physiotherapy/ post-op surgeon appointment/ etc)- I would be watchful of this.

There are a good number of pathologies that will not do your knee and surrounding joints any good if left untreated (in most cases severely speeding up the osteoarthritis process which isn't funny). If there is something needing treating then I would want it sorted before it really gets bad but there is so much individual variation no-one here could possibly advise you.

Basically, I would think of the long term rather than worry about whatever you have planned for the next few months. A lot of waffle but I hope this is of some help 🙂

Oh and don't expect a miracle cure, knees are tricky little wotsits

about 8 yrs ago my left one was twingy and clicky, particularly uncomfy driving - went private and had a keyhole tidy up, which helped for a bit. About 18 months later I was back in and them both tidied. Since then I have concentrated on core stability, quad exercises, stretches etc. They hurt, most of the time, but it's controllable (diclofenac and whisky seems to help 😆 . ) riding and swimming help hugely, infact if I am inactive for a week the pain increases. for riding spinning Lance style, and for swimming I do front crawl and don't kick (Art of Swimming/Total Immersion).

IMO go and get keyhole, they can have a look around and tidy up, but that won't sort the root cause, which you need to address seperately - in my case hypermobile joints

This comment is made in the absence of a more complete history and examination. Unless it's a barn door meniscal tear an MRI scan might be the preferred investigation before a surgeon sticks an arthroscope in your knee. "Twinging" is not what I'd necessarily expect from a tear (although possible) joint line tenderness, recurrent swelling/effusion, locking are tear symptoms/signs. Lots of things can cause twinging. You need examination by a doc with musculoskeletal interest ideally.
Many GPs have access to MRIs, all orthopods should have access.
One school of thought says MRI scans save NHS money by not scoping knees that don't need it, this also saves patients unnecessary potentially harmful intervention. "Look around and tidy up" is essentially what was once called arthroscopy and washout, this has been proved to be of placebo benefit only, fixing an identified problem is another matter.

I had this done on my left knee 15 years ago Ian.

At the time the cartilage was torn in half and kept jamming in the joint and dislocating it - very painful.

I waited months for surgery but it WAS a miracle cure for me. I could walk the next day (gingerly) and within three months it was back to full strength. I wasn't much of a cyclist at the time and I wonder if gentle rides would have maybe strengthened it up more quickly.

15 years later it's as good as I have any right to expect. As DanW says, think of the long term and seek a professional opinion now - you're not getting any younger (even if they still won't serve you booze ;o)

I've had two so far.The first was a meniscal tear and healed very quickly and was 100% soon after.The second was a plica (irritation to synovial tissue) and in theory should have healed just aswell if not quicker.In practice I got back on the bike too quickly (3 peaks cx after 4 weeks!!!) and its very nearly as bad as it was before the op 😥
To save waiting time see a private orthopedic surgeon first for a consultation (and pay for it) and then get referred to the NHS for the surgery.Its the diagnosis that takes ages!!!

Thanks guys, all good info.

It does sound like a more complicated process than I thought just to reach a diagnosis, which is a shame because frankly I can't afford private physio so will have to wait for NHS...

@ identicalbutlighter, of those symptoms you mentioned, the one that I recognised on other 'knee pain' websites was the locking. I've had this happen to me (always at night) and it wasn't pleasant, definitely more than just a 'twinge'!

I'm guessing the timescales will be out of my hands so I'll get the ball rolling and fire on with some 'mild' hikes and rides to see how it fares. At least I have an exercise regime for the muscles around the knee, if nothing else I know its relatively strong.