There was absolutely no knee pain. The meniscus root is where the meniscus attaches to bone. We recognized that meniscus root tears were a problem over 10 years ago and set out to perform a comprehensive research program to help us figure out how to diagnose the problem, where to place the meniscus repair, and how best to fix the meniscus tear to allow for maximal healing capability. Factors Affecting Meniscus Tear Healing and Prognosis AOSSM Lecture, What Does an Orthopedist Do? . Therefore, we strongly advocate using a button to fix the meniscus sutures or tape on the tibia to minimize the chance of loosening over time. This technique allows for the meniscus to be pulled down into a broad surface area, maximizing its chance for biologic healing. The pain during my recovery has actually only been minimal, requiring no pain meds. Patients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, New York City and the surrounding New York boroughs can expect a variation of the following: Dr. Nwachukwu is extremely knowledgeable about his area of expertise. Thanks to his staff for being so helpful. The goal of a meniscus root tear repair is to locate the torn root and tack it back down to the bone using strong sutures. Takes his time with you and doesn't hurry to rush out of the room if you have questions. I was also allowed to bear weight on my leg while in the brace, which meant no more seated presses. The Steadman Clinic - Edwards, CO The back attachment of the medial meniscus, called a posterior horn attachment, is the most common location for meniscus root tears to occur. To learn more, please visit our, If it is your left knee, you can probably drive very shortly after. We found that the technique was very successful at restoring function to patients and significantly reducing their pain. In terms of when, one should plan to perform a meniscus root repair as soon as it is diagnosed as long as ones articular cartilage is still fairly intact. You have two roots per meniscus which include anterior and posterior roots. This is done to protect the repair and let the body heal it. Great shoulder doc. In some instances, the meniscus posterior horn may need to be released from scar tissue to allow it to be repositioned. In general, patients have to develop good quadriceps strength to allow for maximum absorption with activities prior to returning back to any significant hiking, jogging or running activities. How Long Will My Knee Hurt After Meniscus Surgery Is this normal? 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. Super knowledgeable. But youre also not alone. 28323545 Additionally, preparing 2 transtibial tunnels to secure the meniscal root to its attachment site further increases the Partial weightbearing status (<50%), unless otherwise ordered by MD. Most importantly, I have not missed a single coaching or training session since my surgery. Meniscus root tears are now being recognised as a significant cause of pain, disability, and rapid joint deterioration. Patient Testimonials - Meniscus Root Repair Everett | OCD Repair of the The other aspect that needs to be evaluated is the amount of extrusion of the meniscus. Examination of the medial compartment revealed a complete radial tear proximally 1cm medial to the posterior root insertion. 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. short distances based on their motion and It can create another problem later on youve got to listen to your knee youve got to listen to your body and make sure that you only go with what you can tolerate without making it worse without swelling pain or definitely not losing motion and you might consider staying in physical therapy longer than they want you to or finding something to help you out. Historically, these root tears are often treated with benign neglect and either ignored or trimmed out. The steps in a meniscus root repair are very intricate and our biomechanical studies have validated that the steps are essential. 1) You must be off narcotic medications for a . It helps to be strong, my PT remarked. Torn Meniscus | Meniscus Tear Treatment Options | Duke Health PDF Meniscal Root Repair Post-operative Rehabilitation Protocol Medial meniscus root repair midterm results suggest excellent outcomes in a well-aligned knee with minimal degenerative change. Drivers: The meniscus repair surgery to prevent osteoarthritis is expected to drive market development. Dr. Burnham is amazing. Everyone I was in contact with, from support staff to Dr. Burnham, was kind, friendly, competent, and generous with time and information. Patients who have an ACL tear have a 10% chance of having a lateral meniscus root tear. I was cleared to drive at my followup appointment 2 weeks after surgery, which was exactly what my surgeon had told me to expect. After about five minutes, the wheels were spinning. This allows the meniscus to heal back to the bone. Your subscription could not be saved. I would like to thank Dr. Jeremy Burnham for his wonderful work and surgery on my left shoulder. Meniscal Repair. Meniscus root repair | Knee Problems | Forums | Patient Next, sutures are placed in the meniscal attachment and threaded through the hole in the tibia. Historically, most root tears were treated with meniscectomies because the importance of the meniscus root as a shock absorber was not well known. Diego has an automatic and it was my left knee that was incapaciated, not my right, so the next day, I hobbled into his car and practiced driving around the block. 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. If a patient does have a meniscus root tear and the cartilage in that same compartment is still relatively good or normal, a meniscus root repair would be indicated. His staff is very friendly and upbeat, knowledgeable and thorough. The meniscus has 3 main zones, the 1) posterior horn, the 2) body, and the 3) anterior horn. Edina, MN 55435, EAGAN-VIKING LAKES OFFICE In particular, it has been found that one of the most common reasons why younger patients need total knee replacements is because of a neglected or undiagnosed meniscus root tear leading to the development of osteoarthritis. Dr. Burnham & his staff are very personable & caring. 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. In addition, the other factor is if the meniscus was released significantly enough from scar tissue to pull it back into the joint. You will feel tired for several days. As surgical techniques are being developed and refined, rehabilitation protocols for meniscal root repairs must be defined and tested. 181 West Meadow Drive Suite 400 Vail, CO 81657. And thats all good if youre going to end up having the surgery. What was going to help my knee? And if youve already had your meniscus surgery, then you know what to do so that youre not getting more swelling, pain and not losing motion than that knee and youre staying out of the surgeons office, so you dont have to go back again for another knee surgery. 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. The aftercare and recovery require postoperative protection to allow healing. Very thorough, knowledgeable and courteous. This is called decortication of the medial tibial plateau (for a medial meniscus root repair). But you need to still continue doing a few things to make sure that you get that remaining 20% healed so that you can truly get back to normal so let me give you some practical advice here three things that i want you to take away from this video number one set your expectations. Phase I of Rehab: Surgery until 8 weeks. Each patient was randomly selected to have knee meniscus surgery followed by rehab or to simply attend physical therapy without having surgery. Meniscus root repair is a surgery performed to repair a torn meniscus root. Single leg deadlifts on the good leg, reverse hypers, and dumbbell bench. 1-2 Days After Surgery: Hospitalization for meniscus surgery is typically short. Meniscus repair rehab protocol. The next steps involve placing self-capture sutures into the end of the meniscus root and then drilling cannulas into the area that was decorticated such that the sutures placed into the meniscus can be shuttled down the cannulas and then tied over the tibia. Meniscal repair may be performed either by open surgery under direct vision or minimally invasively using an arthroscope that can be inserted into the knee through a very small key-hole incision to locate and repair the damaged meniscus. Other sources of pain can include scarring within the joint that occurs as a normal part of a surgical procedure, or pain from other pathology and joint, such as arthritis under the kneecap. (Please keep reading below for more information on this treatment.). Please help. The next day, my left knee blew up to the size of a grapefruit. His step by step explanation of surgery expectations before and after the procedure was specific, thorough, and answered all of my questions. What do you suggest if my MRI says that I have a horizontal tear in the body of the lateral meniscus is shown do I need surgery? 5 stars! At my third visit to PT, I was told that I had completely broken my PT protocol, and was better for it. xYIoH8(Jr@fI)/_U}|xW&JDIraqm HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. Non-anatomic root repairs do not restore normal joint biomechanics . Further study into meniscus root tears and radial root tears is ongoing by our research laboratory to try to improve the treatment of these complex problems. You may need surgery to restore full knee function. Jerrica, Dr. Burnham, and the therapy staff (Luke and Joey )were awesome. Usually, pain is minimal after this type of surgery. I would recommend his service to any recreational athlete. Proper fixation of the meniscal root can prevent or slow down the development of arthritis in that area of the knee. Meniscus Root Repair - Joint Replacement Patient Forum Often the best medicine to take is NSAIDs like naproxen and ibuprofen. Sometimes the meniscus damage occurs more gradually as part of degeneration. A meniscus root tear occurs when one or both of these roots tear away from the bone. However, if the meniscus re-tore or is placed into a non-anatomic position and ones cartilage surfaces are still fairly intact, an attempt at a revision repair should be made. Appreciate the attention and time spent during office visits. By using our website, you consent to our use of cookies. No, I didnt say pain free, or I didnt say get back to normal, just strong enough to get back to standing and walking because nobody wants to be in a wheelchair or not be able to get to the bathroom in time because of your knee not working right or being very painful. Patients are usually kept non-weight bearing for the first 4-6 weeks, then advance gradually. On Thursday, February 21, the day after my surgery, I went to work, in my brace and on crutches. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these the BoneSmart view on exercise BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy 5. In particular, making sure the meniscus has a thorough release from scar tissue and making sure that ones sutures or UltraTape are placed into the best substance possible for the meniscus root repair, are important considerations to maximize the chance of healing of the revision root repair procedure. I highly recommend him. Prior to Starting Strength, I would have simply gone to physical therapy, done my exercises like the therapist told me to do, and that would have been it. I am so glad I did! The Smith & Nephew root repair technique involves specific devices which can lower ones surgical time to perform a meniscus root repair. Then, in September, at the Charm City Strongwoman Contest, I sprinted into the gym from the outside looking for one of my volunteers. Meniscus Root Repair The most common method to fix meniscus root tears is through a tibial bone tunnel. Oftentimes, after having a meniscus surgery, people are told that they'll be fine. Dr. Ahmad M Hadied and another doctor agree, is on the left leg i let some patients When I woke up I was in significant pain but the nurses had it under control by the time I left. Meniscus Repair. Does having a cortisone shot help a meniscus tear or is surgery the only option? Return to driving after surgery is okay once narcotic pain medication has been stopped and you are cleared by your surgeon. They are also important to the stability and function of the knee, keeping the meniscus in place. Yet, if you feel discomfort, you can take over-the-counter pain medication. importance of the meniscus root has become more apparent. There was a large grade 4 chondral defect involving the central aspect of the trochlea, approximately 30mm in width by 25mm in length. Recovery Tips After Meniscus Surgery - Kellie Middleton, MD Meniscal root tears: Solving the silent epidemic - Journal of Meniscal Root Tears - Dr. Chris Jones Colorado Springs, CO Dr. Burnham and Jerrica did a great job taking care of all my orthopedic needs. The second tip i need you to take home today is you need to listen to your knee because after youre on your own and youre youre supposed to be 80% better theres things that youll be able to do and go ahead and do those as long as they dont hurt or bother you or cause some effects later on that day or the next day then theyre generally going to be okay things for you to do you can probably do some walking but walking you know a few miles maybe not very comfortable for you that may set off the swelling that may hurt you more. In addition, the design of the meniscus is such that the full pressure of weight bearing activities is transmitted through the root of the meniscus, meaning that it is constantly pulling and stretching the tear with every step.