My physio identified a torn meniscus. He put me in the gym and planned a spin cycle workout to basically grind the torn bit away which gets absorbed by the body. I continued his plan on my own for 6 weeks 3 times a week. A very mechanical approach. It worked perfectly and 10 years later no pain or problems. Ps I was 50ish at the time.
@@robertvandenheuvel9695 The tear created inflammation, swelling and pain which kept me awake. The spin cycle didn’t aggravate those issues ( while I wasn’t a gym bunny I had a good BMI as I worked in construction. Yes it fixed the tear as the physio explained. Still no issues today.
I've only warched this one video so far, but already, I definitely agree with you. It's very refreshing to have a young doc tell folks to try to do all they can on their own to heal rather than go into yet another surgery.
This vid is absolutely right. I was recommended surgery. Instead, I waited for 5-6 months doing soft regular exercise and went back to playing tennis five times a week. I'm 57.
@@Northwindbreeze I've had external tear on the left knee and internal on the right. Both healed perfectly without surgery. Competing at over 50s tennis category currently with no issues.
@@BlackTop-s1b I dont want to put you in danger but, as I deal with a vertical crack in my meniscus right now, what I have understood is, that squats or similar deep bending knee movements are bad. One would have to rest enough to allow the meniscus to heal while mildly doing exercises for the gluteus AND quads to keep your muscles active, to avoid arthrophy and to absorb shock. No jumping, no high impact moves and finally, hydration and time: from 4-12 months (according to a 4 M subscribers youtube Physio). I am also a certified personal trainer/ had my own Fitness gym for years, I understand at least a little of what I am talking about.
I am SO happy to see this information. I am a rehabilitation nurse with a work related MRI verified "complex meniscus tear". I am still working and have minimal discomfort during my 13+ hour shift. I ice the area at night. I am waiting for an assessment by a workman's compensation Orthopedic MD. I am expecting the surgeon to recommend a surgical solution. I DON'T want surgery. this presentation really helps me understand my options.
I tore the medial meniscus on my left knee while removing wall to wall carpeting at my mother-in-law's house. I was age 64 when the knee problem began. The pain was terrible, so almost a year after the tear, I went to an orthopedist. An intern suggested (while I was waiting for the doctor) not to have surgery. The doctor, a highly recommended surgeon that worked with the local major league baseball team, told me that surgery was the way to go and would relieve the pain, so we had it scheduled. Two weeks before the surgery date, the knee started feeling better. Two days before the surgery date, the knee was markedly improved, so I called the doctor and canceled the surgery. The knee healed on its own. I had no physical therapy. Five years later, the knee is still doing well.
thanks for sharing this .also at 61 doing floor removal my left is killing me popping like the sole on my boot is flopping and i had my cortisone shot 2 days prior ,i hate the thought of another total knee replacement so researching all i can and this helps and gives hope thanks
@@rosewoodsteel6656 aging process has more affect on muscle loss, added to that injury worsens , but symptomaticly u might be not feeling anything now but later if u sustain any other injury u will tend to have poor prognosis . So clinically it's best to check knee health after any injury .
I had a meniscal tear 2 months ago. I'm 30 (F), otherwise in good health, lead an active lifestyle, and yet, don't know the exact point of injury or how it happened. Anyway, I was advised surgery by the orthopedician, but my physiotherapist suggested rehab first and seemed very confident about me recovering without surgery. i wanted to avoid surgery so I put my faith in him. 2 months later, I am so much better. I can walk, bend my knee, i've started climbing up stairs as of yesterday, all without any pain. It's not back to normal but I can see a drastic recovery compared to week 1. I feel positive now that the rest of my recovery, too, will happen with rehab exercises. Thank you Doc, for making me realise I chose the right plan of treatment!
@@dummymail6457it's been about 7 months now and I'm doing almost everything with no restriction, the only movements I can't yet do comfortably are sitting cross legged on the floor, and squatting or lunging with heavy weights. I can do body weight squats to parallel, but not yet below knee level (mostly out of my own mental block of trying it yet). There are rare days when i feel a slight discomfort on the medial side of the knee, perhaps when I've gone too far with certain movements that the joint isn't yet ready for. But even that resolves after a night of sleep, without any pain killers. Hope that answers you guys' questions. Feel free to ask if you have more!
While playing soccer I ended with a partial tear ACL. I was very determined on my rehab and I decided not to get surgery, my recovery has been excellent and much better than expected, after 4 months and a half I can run, run the stairs up and down, play basketball recreationally, ride my bicycle and dance 9 hours in a rave party. I didn't go back to soccer competition yet since I want to keep doing rehab for at least 3 months more so my ACL is stronger, but I feel great, I can extend my leg with no issues and I can do all rehab exercises with no pain.
Nice to hear my brother , I twisted my knee last week and i really wanna know if i can rehab without a surgery . I want to know how long it has take before the pain was gone . And did you also got pain in the first week after a long distance walking in the knee like something got stuck in the knee. Pls let me know 👊🏽
I read these same studies 2 years ago and refused meniscus surgery. Took me 6 months to get back to being able to walk 1 mile again. This concise summary is so eloquent and clearly stated. I am so grateful for Dr. P’s honesty and amazing ability to communicate complex & difficult studies into plain language for all of us to understand. Thank u for caring what’s best for the patient’s health & not what’s best for the doctor’s wallet!
Love your testimony. I'm an Aqua Fit instructor. Can only use one leg now. Either a tear or a bad sprain. Not sure yet. Swollen but swelling is reducing with ice. I won't have surgery. Great to read your experience. Good for you for your patience. Well done. ( I can still teach sitting or standing - just no movements with legs. Works out fine)
@@happy777abc hope the healing is going well. It’s always so difficult when trying to stay healthy & u have a health scare/obstacle. Hope ur back to 💯 soon!!!
@@zoni36 thanks! It's getting better. I've been seeing the chiropractor. It's really helping! I have some good support sleeves for my leg, too. Just hobbling around letting it heal. It's put up often throughout the day, using ice. And castor oil topically, as it reduces inflammation. 👍. Grateful. I'll be back 100 percent. I'm certain.😁.
I wish I had seen your video before having my meniscus surgery!, after an MRI showed I had a meniscus tear the doctor said I needed the surgery even when pain was minimal and I didn't had my knee locked, he insisted that I should get it to "avoid future problems" and now I realize he did that just to get a quick cash grab, now after the surgery I have more pain and no meniscus and another doctor just recently told me I might need replacement knee surgery in a few years, Thanks for your video!, I'm subscribed now!
Your experience was mine exactly. Minimal pain 10 days later, I’m walking an hour each day, no clicking, popping or locking happening. My PA wants me to have arthroscopic surgery. He didn’t suggest trying PT first. Not good.
ABSOLUTELY same here.MRI shows medial m tear.Light pain,no clicking,swelling, locking. I can run and climb up stairs, but the doc who viewed the MRI recommended repair or removal of meniscus. I ll definitely think twice now,and will seek a few more opinions.
I am a 74 year old life time athlete who CURED a severe lateral tear in the meniscus of my left knee, which happened at age 65 as a result of sitting on my knee BENT under me for two hours in a restaurant ( really dumb because I never got hurt playing violent sports) by taking one teaspoon of powdered HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN every day. I went from not being able to walk at all, to feeling no pain and no dysfunction after about two months, and returning to play a low impact level of tennis, squash and hockey after about six months. After one year on this protocol I was able to return to playing all those sports with virtually the same intensity as before my injury with only the slight NORMAL slowing down due to my age. I am an advocate for exploring ALTERNATIVE SCIENCES which are non intrusive and which try to take advantage of a better understanding of GOD'S great design of life and its UNLIMITED potential for self repair and maintenance and I am especially a staunch advocate for NOT interfering with it. This is why I am also a great critic of " slashing surgery"...which cures absolutely nothing. I was lucky enough to consult a smart orthopedic surgeon who warned me NOT to go for surgery immediately unless my knee " locked up " completely. He correctly advised me that surgery does not cure a torn meniscus, all it does is remove the debris, so except for the benefits of relieving pain from floating material...it will not cure the problem AND because of the constant risk of infection. I hope this suggestion helps some of you with this problem to cure it without surgery using HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN. The collagen will also help rebuild the other damaged cartilage in the knee which may be causing pain and osteo arthritis, if as this doctor says, this is the underlying cause of someone's pain and dysfunction. GOOD LUCK
Hello thank you very much for your information very interested. Can we get Hydrolyzed Collagen in pharmacy ? Can you send a picture of the this please ? Thank you in Advance😊
Drinking some as we speak. I'm about 90% sure I have a torn lateral meniscus on the right knee. Was doing research on the symptoms then came across your comment. Immediately researched it and went out and bought two jars. Really hope it helps. Appreciate your comment on it.
That is a relevant and funny question because when I first started taking gelatin, I did it by eating JELLO. Then my daughter, who is a CORDON BLEU chef told me that JELLO has very little actual gelatin and that is full of sugar so I stopped. I then bought GELATIN powder and used that for a while and did see results but it had a beefy flavor which was unpleasant. After more research I learned that HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN was the more bio-available form of gelatin and it was virtually tasteless. I have been getting my best results with this.
Four years ago I refused surgery for a torn meniscus. I healed with squats and deadlifts. Today I have a normal life and lift heavier and heavier weights.
@@nathanmccumber8965 I didn't have swelling, just a meniscus tear and pain. After 2 months I started lifting light weights and increased. Only bike to work aerobically.
@@tshepofiles7375 I stopped performing impact exercises and started doing spinning, deadlifts and squats, in addition to other exercises for the upper body. I started with very light weights and took my time to increase them. It takes several months while the pain subsides. I currently do the same weights as I did before my meniscus tear, and without any pain. I still avoid impact exercises and only run light for a short time.
I am a 43 yr old male. 6 months ago I had a meniscus tear while in a full squat position. I couldn't bend my knee for a month. I could only put weight on my toes for 2 months. Anyway my surgery was supposed to be a couple days ago but I cancelled. Months 5 and 6 brought such rapid healing form mother nature that I'm almost completely better. I'm glad there was 6 month wait for surgery. It gave mother nature time to do her thing.
Thank you for this decision making video. I had an injury while demonstrating jumps to athletes. Sudden sharp pain led to an MRI presenting a medial and lateral meniscus tear. I considered the partial removal surgery but feared losing the buffer between the bones. A year later, I've showed much improvement running, and jumping. Yesterday I did a jump workout twice and ended up that evening on crutches. Although experiencing pain still, today I could walk without the crutches. It made me reconsider the surgery, that's how I ended up watching this video. I will once again opt out of surgery and continue to strengthen muscles and rest as needed.
@@JeffreyPengMD Hello doctor, l am 40 years old and have been recently diagnosed with complex meniscal tears in my MRI. I have never had any injury, trauma neither workout rigorously. However, l have flat feet. Don't know what role this plays. I can move my knees and perform all day to day activities without any issue. I have decided NOT to go for surgery. Is it the right thing to do? And can l workout in the gym, taking care not to overload my knees?
Hey man you make really good videos. I don’t know why you’re not getting more views. I’ve watched several of your videos and they are super well made, great info,
Thank you for this comprehensive information Dr. Peng. I appreciate your research and common sense approach to meniscus issues. This is the best video I have seen so far on this subject.
Dr Jeff Peng’s shares this amazing technical solutions for knee problem patients that truly can help millions people of the world. It is most grateful of his professional intelligence and compassion to all. Elizabeth
such an invaluable information. I've been suffering from Partial Meniscus Tear & Partial ACL Tear. Your videos have helped me a lot to make my choices very carefully for my treatment. May you get reward for your efforts and have more success and peace in your life. Much appreciated
Hi i have question...i have same problem with Acl and meniscus soo i dont want go to operation but im not sure in that maybe i need...im very active in a lot of sports and im study kinesiology so i need my knee sooner as possible.I fill a litlle pain in my knee but i can do flexion and exstension normally and I have filing my knee is stable.Did you go to operation or yust rehab?
@@anelabaresic1933 Hi, I hope you're doing good. I'm not a professional Sports person so my doctor suggested me for PRP and Rehab only. Otherwise Surgery would've been recommended. Secondly, I had a Grade 1 Medial Meniscus tear. If you're recommended for the surgery then never go for Meniscus Removal, Meniscus repair should be the priority. It's a very terrible injury, May you get well soon.
Going thru this right now! Skipped surgery and doing an extensive rehab, I already see and feel huge results within a week! Make surgery the very last option!
After viewing a few vids for knee care I must recommend this presentation. Thank you Doc! You're delivery is on point professionally directed, brilliant, fact backed informative, supportive, & absolutely appreciated! I subscribed to your channel 👍
I had an acute tear. I couldn't jump and land without pain for almost 2 years. Squatting would cause a painful crunch in my knee especially the deeper the squat. My knee occasionally would lock up and then be fine 20 minutes later. I did a lot of walking and then had to gradually ease into jogging/running. It took 3 years of increasing physical activity/rehab to get healthy. I can now squat without my knee getting crunchy/poppy. So I figure it healed and simply took a long time, along with Gods help and physical activity to get the blood/synovial fluid moving and promoting healing. I was ready for surgery immediately after the injury, but I held off and it was a long 3 years to get back to normal. It hurt missing sports for 3 years but perhaps in the long run it was for the best. Do what you can to promote strength in the joint and promote synovial fluid flow in the joint. My first few months of returning to jogging were tough after a long time of being unable to run due to pain. At that point, my joint was not used to the physical demands of running, so take it slowly.
Thanks a lot for sharing this information. I was about to have surgery due to a "meniscus tear". Luckily I decided to see another doctor for a second opinion; He told me to try rehab first, then start a strengthen routine. I was hesitant at first, but decided to not take the surgery and proceed with the rehab. Your video gave me a lot of hope. Thanks again!
Had terrible pain in right leg,so much so they did X-rays and MRI to see what was going on. Turns out I had meniscus tear along with osteoarthritis. By the time they did all this I was well enough to return to walking,playing Pickelball,RqtBall and swimming. I have follow-up with Doc in a few weeks to discuss surgery option vs injection. I’m opting for neither after watching this video😅 . I have been doing some Physical Therapy exercises too which may be helpful. Age here is 80.
bravo. I am a 74 yo female pickleball player and developed symptoms after a longer than usual walk, for heaven’s sake. This video is encouraging. Me too, osteoarthritis and a tear.
Thank you Dr. Jeffrey for bringing in this awareness. This is a really important video that highlights many important points and I can vouch that my experience has been similar to what you have described here. I am 48 years old and experienced knee pain while playing competitive badminton in Jan 2022. An MRI examination confirmed I had a L3 tear in my medial meniscus of left leg. I was expecting a surgery but was very surprised when my doc suggested physiotherapy. 6 months later i discovered L3 tear on my right medial meniscus. According to him I am also an early candidate for OA and like you mentioned he asked me to strengthen my calf, knee, glutes and core muscles. One year down the line I am back to playing non-stop for over an hour with no surgery.
@@dominiquebrodoteau5135 yes my knee would make clicking sound. Even if I was lying in my bed and if I would Fold or straighten my leg it would click. I injured my knee in late Dec/Jan 2022 and stopped playing by mid of Jan. The pain subsided by April. I had started using a knee brace if I was walking or traveling. I still use the brace in my right leg while playing.
@@deven_sh So you mean to say physiotherapy and other measures alone helped you to overcome that pain? Has the sound gone or it's still there? I have a complex tear in both knees but it's painless. But l am scared that if l work out or do cycling it might get aggravated. I have decided to put off surgery till the time it starts hurting unbearably or impairs my movement or daily life.
@@dominiquebrodoteau5135 I have had a meniscectomy. I can guarantee, having had it, that you don't want it. Meniscectomy is a "gift" that just keeps on giving ... constant pain, dysfunction, arthritis in the knee, hip and foot,inability to work. The only thing healthy after a meniscectomy is the knee surgeons bank balance,
Very helpful - thank you. My gut feeling is that surgery should only be a last result. Your message encourages me to look at strength exercise and range-of-motion stretches for the next few months. Again, thank you.
Many thanks for the video, great advice for torn meniscus, a very nasty, painful and very slow-healing injury. I particularly like the way the video discourages patients from instantly taking the surgery route, based on published research studies. Just wanted to share my meniscus injury story and encourage sufferers to not give up. I do power-walking as a way to keep fit and control my weight. It works great. I walk at least 10 km/day, sometimes up to 20 km/day, or even 30 km/day on rare occasions. My meniscus was injured about 10 months ago, as a result of an awkward landing after a jump. For the first 3 months after the injury, I could barely walk or climb stairs, my knee was swollen with some liquid inside (but not bruised), and I was in pain. For the first month, I had to take medications to be able to function. I completely stopped power-walking (obviously). I visited the doctor, who recommended the RICE regimen-rest, ice, compression, elevation. I didn't do an MRI scan or any other type of medical exam. The doctor prescribed magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C and D3 (I was severely D3-deficient at the time). After the first 3 months, things improved noticeably, to the point where I was able to do slow walks for up to 5 km. I felt some pain, but bearable. What I noticed was that the more I walked, the faster the knee was healing. This is because movement helps the blood reach the meniscus (a very difficult part to reach), feeding it the necessary nutrients to promote healing. So, I slowly increased my daily walking distance, paying attention to the feeling I was getting from the knee as I walked. After each walk I applied the RICE method. Now, after 10 months, I rarely feel discomfort or pain, I can power-walk for almost 20 km easily, and I feel that my meniscus has almost healed. So, my recommendation to everyone suffering from a meniscus injury: give it plenty of time to heal, apply the RICE method, slowly "energize" the knee by doing mild exercises and walking, don't let it rest completely for long periods of time. I think the human body has ways of self-healing, and surgery should be the last option. Whatever you do, always visit your doctor, but also do your own research and give your body a chance to take care of the injury.
@@medicinenews5470 As I wrote in my comment, I didn't do an MRI scan. I visited an orthopedic surgeon, who examined my knee by inspecting it and subjecting it to some specific, directed movements, during some of which I felt severe pain and discomfort. According to him, this indicated a meniscus injury. Also, the knee accumulated some liquid inside it, which caused it to swell and be hot to the touch (especially in the first 2-3 months), but it was not bruised or discolored. In the first few weeks, I had to take pain medications in order to be able to walk. Whatever it was, it sure was very nasty and scary, and I'm really glad that it has now almost completely healed.
My 2015 medial menisectomy was the best thing I ever did. I went from locking my knee at random moments several times a day, to running six miles within a week of my surgery. It was absolutely liberating, and I would recommend it to anyone.
You might recommend it. But perhaps you should not! Just because it's worked for you to this point, also doesn't mean down the line, you wont suffer. I had partial a medial maniscus removal 20 years ago. I am sorry for it now, I can tell you! Osteoarthritis has set in and affective muscle strengthening on its own I am certain would've been smarter!
I had exactly the same, it was horizontal split and it was locking my knee behaving as rug under the door. As it was old injury when I was young doctor said that because of the age it will not repair if they stich it. First time it happen I have not done anything just putting ice for few days. But also doctor told me risks, and that I cannot run anymore, or in other words although my knees are good that surgery will start process of osteoporosis so I need to lower down physicals activity that involves putting pressure on knees. When I run I need to be aware that I use my toes and never heals, so my feet/legs will spring the load. So not sure what doctor/studies talking about but for me it took few months of locking my knees to realizing I can not walk properly. Days after surgery I could walk again normally. So, I guess there are multiple factors that needs to take in consideration: was it injury or degeneration, what is age of patient, is it reparable ....
I was scoped for a partial meniscus tear. Then seven months later I needed a partial knee replacement. This lasted about five months (tibial component came loose). A lot of pain, nerve ablations, pain clinics and then after a couple of years of fun-sucking pain, I just had a revision to a total knee. My original option was surgery or a year in a full splint and a year of PT. If you go to a surgeon, you’re going to get surgery, beware.
Hello Jeffrey, I agree with you that for a degenerative meniscal tear, surgery is not necessary, but I think is important to mention that, in traumatic meniscal tears without OA, a meniscal repair is possible, not only a menisectomy, which we know can lead to postmenisectomy arthritis. Based on the tittle of your video and on your explanation on the matter, patients can develop the false idea that ANY meniscal tear is successfully treated without surgery. Also, I think is important to tell people that the goal of orthobiologics is to manage symptoms and slow down the progression of OA, but it won't cure the disease and in a lot of cases you can not avoid a knee replacement.
I 100% agree with your comments. I have multiple other videos explaining exactly what you point out, including meniscus repairs. Thanks for commenting!
Dr. Peng, My Sports Medicine Doctor also graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She gave me PRP injections in both kneecaps. I am 8 weeks out from the second knee injection, and my kneecaps' pain has decreased by 90%. I still have intense pain directly above my kneecaps after sitting, so my doctor ordered an MRI. The MRI revealed a torn medial meniscus tear and quadriceps tendinosis in both knees. At my recent appointment, my doctor advised against surgery for the menisci (just like you advised) and set up an appointment for me to have a PRP injection in one of my quadriceps tendons. My doctor and you have the same approach. I will report back in about 6 or 7 weeks and update you on my pain level. Thanks for your excellent videos!
I will wait for your report… I fractured my tibia and when it healed the pain in my knees didn’t go away . My doctor ordered an mri and we found out I had vertical tear of anterior horn and horizontal tear of the body on the lateral meniscus , now the doctor said I need arthroscopy to fix it. I said no immediately and now I’m researching what to do . I’m a 60yo woman and Im aware that I may not recover as fast compared to younger people so I’m really looking forward to hear how your recovery is going and in the meantime I will explore other options for myself but I will be breaking up with my doctor for sure.🤯🤯🤣…thanks for your comment.
@@marjorieferrer9520 I am 4 weeks out from the quad tendons injection in my left knee. I played basketball yesterday and the pain level in my left knee is a 1. I will have the injection in the right quad tendons in about 1.5 weeks and will report back. In hindsight, I wished that I had pushed for the MRI at my first visit with the sports medicine doctor because the MRI highlighted the areas causing pain.
Your video was way more helpful than all the research of medical studies I read on my own. My two questions are : 1. why is the effected leg weaker? 2: If a person over 65 never had knee pain until after a hike with lots of twisting from roots and rocks and then suddenly developes significant pain how do you know it isn't an acute tear - is it just the presense of OA on MRI?
Thank you so much for such an informative session, really appreciate it. I had a meniscus tear and have undergone the gel injection, the plasma therapy and nothing worked for me so I had an arthroscopy done on April 2023 and still have excruciating pain constantly, I’ve done physiotherapy and it’s unfortunate that I’m still pain. I’ve tried all kinds of massage oils you name it. I’m so frustrated and giving up on my self. Is there anything else I could try. Thank you
Hi, your meniscus tear story is a carbon copy of mine. My tear was medial root meniscus. It seemed to be Improving before I had Arthroscopic surgery 4 months ago but now feels worse. Swelling after minor walking or gardening and severe pain. Am hoping my physio who is wonderful will be able to rehabilitate me. I haven't worked in 10 months 😢
Your video are extremely I,formative and reassuring. I am 74 and I have a degenerative medial meniscus tear on my right knee. Hardly any pain and I have good mobility. I have been walking and am doing weighted leg raises to maintain muscle mass in my quadriceps. Excellent advice. Liked and subscribed!❤
It kills me that I didn’t go to physical therapy and instead got 3 meniscus surgeries over the course of 5 years. I’m 28 now and my knees have never been close to where they were before the first injury. No one gave me any options. It was “do the surgery.” Really messed my life up
I'm sorry man. But you have definitely not messed your life up. Have you considered cycling / biking for example ? Non impact and amazing for building bullet-proof massive legs. Wishing you the best. There is always something out there for you ! 😎
I had a tear decades ago, I still have full range of motion, no more pain. Just some popping etc but I can walk for hours, I’ve been in an elliptical. Thank you for the video
As a mail carrier who walked 10 miles with a heavy satchel I had severe knee pain while walking and even while I slept each night. In 2012, I had x-rays and was informed that I had a meniscus tear. But being that I lived alone and did not have enough sick leave to have surgery and therapy. I am thankful for that circumstance now. I have retired now and only have pain intermittently in my knee. But this week I have extreme pains in my neck and shoulder area. I can’t lift my right arm past my head and can’t find any sleeping position that does not radiate pain. I have watched over 50 RUclips videos to relieve the pain. One thing for sure is that it’s hell getting old.
Certainly not qualified to diagnose- but I wouldn’t be surprised if you have some kind of rotator cuff injury or tear. I’ve gone through orthoscopic surgery for that 20 years ago and for a woman- I can say it was one of the worst things I have ever done. It was a year of healing- lots of pain, removing scar surgery, etc. I found out later - this issue could also be supported or fixed with PT vs surgery. Wish I had known that? I still have issues with that shoulder off and on, but will not go back in with surgery. My problem is following thru with excercises as I need too! Also I know some whom acupuncture has helped as well.
Great video!!! I have a meniscus tear due to a slip and fall. I don't want to do surgery, but the catching and pain are hard to deal with. I am managing trying to deal with it.
Exactly my thought, since most people are dealing with acute tears, and this video was about degenerative tears. Need that info, and frankly would have liked him to address whether or not he had an answer for that
Very interesting!! I am an orthopaedic nurse and applaud your bravery in suggesting that hopping up on the OR table should be avoided if possible. Here in the U.S. a lot of patients have unrealistic expectations when it comes to their treatment and want a quickie solution (don't we all? LOL!?!). I have shoulder pain from an injury that I opted to treat with physical therapy. I am 68 years old and wanted very much to avoid the lengthy post surgical recovery that would have necessitated being off work for quite a few weeks. After several months I was healing up quite well and went from not being able to open a door or pick up a jug of milk to being able to do all these things and more! I see the complications that can arise from surgical interventions which -- although a minority of cases -- can be quite debilitating and leave the patient wondering if living with the original problem might have been easier. Now, Doc, have you any solutions for a pesky Baker's cyst?
Baker's cyst can be aspirated under ultrasound guidance. More importantly, you should work with your docs in figuring out the cause of the Baker's cyst. Usually it's due to underlying osteoarthritis.
Thank you SO much for this information! As a person with a diagnosed degenerative meniscus, hearing this kind of advice before having surgery (which my doctor has recommended) is so valuable. Thank you again!
Put off meniscus surgery for 3 years. Just got it today…. It was super easy. Not even taking any pain medication and I’m at like a 2/10 on the pain scale. Glad to have it done and be on the road to finally getting it to 100%
I tore my meniscus playing soccer in 2017. Doctor said I needed surgery immediately but I just didn't trust the guy. Against everyone else's recommendations decided to trust my body instead. Took 4 months off, and eased back into running slowly. Made sure not to do any sharp twists (only straight running, no soccer). Eventually progressed to sprinting in straight lines, then about a year in took up Muay Thai. Been lifting, sprinting & Muay Thai for 5 years now and never had an issue with the meniscus (or any other part of the knee) since. It's always in the back of my mind to be careful how I bend my knee, but I'm glad I didn't get surgery
Thank you so much. I was scheduled to get surgery for my meniscus tear, but I had PT for 2 months and it’s getting better. I told the doctor and he said we can’t hold off on surgery if it’s getting better.
Great info! I was having left knee pain for days after light soccer passing drills (In my 50s) and Ortho noticed swelling. Wanted to extract excess fluid and inject cortisone in the office, but I told him I'd wait for an MRI. Followed up with a sports medicine Ortho who read the scan and diagnosed me with degenerative cartilage/osteo-arthritis but did not recommend surgery or cortisone, only strength building in that quad. Somglad my doc was on point. However I brought up that I was considering PRP treatment and he said it wouldn't help. I think I'm still going to try it to help eliminate this aching soreness in my knee .
I had meniscus tear repair surgery on my left and right knees in 2008 and 2011. Now I am still playing vigorous squash racket sports twice a week at 60 years old. Besides surgery also important to take whey protein before and after sports to bring nutrients to repairs the muscles, ligaments and catilage while the blood flow is still viscous after sports. I am from Singapore and our doctors are very skillful. On 23 Aug 2023 my wife undergone a total right knee replacement and on 24 Aug the next day, she was already walking unaided Infront of the surgeon.
Thank you, Dr. Peng, for your clear and detailed explanation. I’m a 64 year old woman and tore my meniscus playing tennis. I have no osteoarthritis and my cartilage is fine. My PA recommends arthroscopic surgery. I’m definitely going to try PT first instead given the high likelihood of poor outcomes you pointed out. Thank you!
I didn’t even do this much research but I came to these conclusion on my own.. based on how well I know the person with the issues.. I appreciate your thorough video.. because I’m passing it along as support to the things I’ve already said..
I was supposed to have lumbar spinal fusion as the pain was so excruciating that in a few hours I couldn't walk unless I was bending at almost 90 degrees of hip flexion using a cane. I had to quit work. I was in tears 24/7 from the pain knowing I couldn't afford surgery without insurance. Well, being an OT, I went with my instincts and healed myself by certain exercises and stretching. Good thing it took almost a year to get on disability or else I would have opted for surgery. That was less than 10 years ago. I'm now 66 and my back is great. Once in a while it gets stiff so I resorrt back to my one favorite exercise and in a few days, I'm as good as gold. That taught me not to be in a rush for surgery, even though the pain was almost unbearable unless I was non mobile in bed. I even put off having my sheltie's front leg from being fused because of bowing. A vet recommended the fusion 7 years ago and fortunately Pippin's leg has not gotten worse even though he's a soccer fiend. I wonder how that knee fusion would have impacted his whole body over time if he didn't have the feedom to move that leg. Now I have a meniscus tear and will hopefully exercise myself back to health! No surgery for me if I can help it.
Very informative. It gives a 360 degrees into looking at the condition. Its good to be aware when at doctors office in order to assess how good he is into assessing the condition.
This was very helpful. I believe I have the chronic tear. I believe I got it from the last time I was doing squats and lounges. How I managed to tear the meniscus is probably because when I was doing the squats and lounges the last time, i went not only too heavy, but did to many sets and reps. So, i basically overworked my knee.
I got a diagnosis from n mri that I have a slight torn meniscus and some arthritis in my right knee and was told by an orthopedist to eventually get surgery. I’m so happy to hear this from you, Dr Pang! I will seek physical therapy!
Dr pang, what is better treatment for a women age 70 above with the knee problem, is this meniscus can help to treat her knee? I need ur futher explaination, can i get ur number
I always doubted whether I'm doing the right thing by avoiding surgery. For the past year I've been doing rehab exercises and cut down on running. I'm now seeing significant improvement and back to running consistently with minimal to no pain. Thank you for this really informative video 😊... I'm now more convinced to avoid surgery
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you’re doing better!! I’ve hurt my leg 4 months ago, and every time I go back for a check up with my PT I am making progress, slow but it’s for sure progress. It just hurts that he keeps mentioning surgery option as if my leg is not progressing or getting worse 😢. It makes no sense, cause I never complained about the progress cause I’m doing better every time. One should actually get encouragement from a health care provider especially if the patient keeps feeling better, to keep up! But no, I’ve been constantly reminded about the surgery even though I denied it. I’m glad I did my research and this video is among them.
1975, I suffered an oblique medial tear. Two weeks prior to arthroscopic surgery, I asked my chiropractor purely as a joke if she could adjust my knee. She quite seriously said "yes." I still haven't had the surgery! Every once in a while, if it acts up, I show some strong person how to yank my lower leg in a downward medial move while I'm sitting in a chair with the knee bent at 90 degrees. If done properly, two things happen: one is, I'm almost pulled out of the chair, and the other is that the knee regains pain-free operation.
Wish I had seen this a week ago; just had surgery for a bucket handle tear of my meniscus and they removed about 40% of it. I'm 41 years old, this came on gradually rather than a sudden incident, and the osteoarthritis symptoms align much closer with what I had been feeling the weeks leading up to the day my meniscus tore (as well as an MCL sprain)
I have Bucket-handle tear of the medial meniscus with flipped meniscal tissue extending into the intercondylar notch. I hope there is a way out from getting surgery. How are you feeling now?
@@AmySmith-pt7pb 7 months removed from surgery, I still have what can only be described as a minor discomfort time to time, "pain" is too strong a word. I did some rehab exercises for the first 6 weeks or so but admittedly not as much as I probably should have. My wife says she still notices a slight limp when I walk but I can walk 5kn with no pain. Running and squating are still out of the question though, and climbing multiple floors of stairs is still daunting. For context I'm 41 yrs old, so not a spring chicken but also not "that" old, yet! From the multiple docs I consulted, surgery was reccomended by 8/8 for a bucket handle tear I'm afriad.
@@ryanalex106 Was the surgery worth it? I didn’t have correct treatment plan at day one of injury which lead me to re-injure and has this major tear today.
@@AmySmith-pt7pb In the end I would def say yes it was. It was also my 2nd time injuring it (much worse the 2nd time) and I was walking a bit within a day, 90% pain free in a few weeks.
In short; strengthening exercises for the affected leg and possibly injections. Pleased by this as I thought my running days were over so will try easing back into it.
oh god! I'm currently choosing physio over surgery and i'm so happy to see this. I was having doubts that i'm making the wrong choice, but it just sounded so counter-productive to me to remove (part of) the meniscus. I want to continue oly lifting so it's very important for me that my knees work
I just tore my meniscus again and everybody tells me that my only option is a meniscectomy. I completely disagree but now I have a quality video to help share my point of view. Thank you Jeff. Excellent explanation. I'm headed for PRP injections next week.
@@Alex.1739 Partial tear of the MCL, the medial meniscus, and a slight tear to the patella tendon. 2 weeks ago I received prolotherapy plus PRP, with 2 additional treatments at one month intervals recommended. After a 5 day resting period I resumed normal activities. I’ve been using the recumbent bike each day for approx 30 minutes. I will not resume the stairclimber for a few weeks and I am trying to minimize any twisting of the knee. Things are appreciably improved but the area around the tears is still very sore with light pressure massage to facilitate blood flow.
Thank you so much for this video. I really wish I'd seen this information before having partial meniscus removal 2.5 years ago. That said, I believe my tear might have fallen into the Acute category given that the pain was nearly intolerable and not diminishing during the couple of weeks between injury and surgery. I was desperate and leaped at surgery to find relief. Generally, I've done ok post-surgery, but have certainly not gotten back to where I was with my lower body strength and confidence in activities. Since then, my other knee has been problematic with symptoms mimicking those I had in the injured knee in the months/years prior to the acute tear. A few months ago I had three rounds of PRP injections in both knees as I was routinely having more bad days than good days and it was affecting my overall fitness and quality of life. I can say that after those injections, I now have more good days than bad days, but still have enough occasional pain to limit that active lifestyle I once enjoyed (running, hiking, walking the dog, etc.). And much of the problem with all of this is that I'm constantly in fear of causing another incredibly painful injury in my non-surgery knee, which limits me perhaps more than the physical symptom itself (pain). The acute injury leading to my surgery, I suppose, traumatized me to an extent and it's difficult to feel safe doing anything too active with my legs, especially when pain is present. For example, I don't dare to strike off on a hike in the woods because I fear that any pain I'm feeling is going to turn into another acute event and I'll be stuck dragging myself home. Fear is a terribly limiting thing and at 57 I feel WAY too young to not be as active as I always was before the injury & surgery. Given the positive results with PRP, I'm inclined to do a 4th and maybe even 5th round of injections, however, with insurance not yet covering it, it has been a very expensive path ($3000 so far out of pocket for 3 rounds). I'm sharing all of this for two reasons: First, maybe something in my experience will help someone else as they consider options. And second, I'd like to know if you have any insight regarding a timeline for insurance companies to start covering PRP Therapy. Thank you again for a really terrific and helpful video!
Be more concerned with encountering bear or mountain lion. Sure to tore it there and then and its not like healthy knees would give you running chance with bear anyway.
Dear Doctor, Im impressed by the video. I have Medial Meniscus Tear grade 3 for both the knees since 2 months and had physiotherapy for this 2 months and no i took MRI again and the torn was not heal. result is the same even taking bedrest and physiotherapy. Personally i'm a software professional and i don't wanted to opt for surgery. Mentally im becoming very sick and cant concentrate on anything. Could you please suggest me the best ways to recover Meniscus tear. This is the question from a million people and would be really helpful. Please answer this. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately I cannot give medical advice over the internet. Please seek the advice of your trusted health care provider. Best of luck!
Try some comfrey salve to relieve pain, complete bone tissue supplement, Near red infared red light therapy, fix hips, seriously check out corexcell pt, walk backwards safely to strengthen vmo muscle, hope this helps !!! Be patient! GOD BLESS
Thankyou for the clear explanation in your videos. I wish that all this research was available back in 2009 when I had a bucket handle meniscus tear from doing yoga! I was in my early thirties and was advised to do the arthroscopic surgery to remove some of the meniscus so that I can straighten my injured leg. After the initial swelling had gone down, I wasn’t in any pain at all, just couldn’t straighten my injured leg. I wish that my surgeon had pursued repair rather than removal. If my tear was not degenerative, would I have been better off leaving it alone and just try excercise only for treatment? That’s what I wonder now that I’ve developed osteoarthritis. Maybe your next video can be about what those of us with subsequent osteoarthritis after meniscus surgery can do to improve our situation? Great video, appreciate it!
Thanks for commenting! Hind sight is always 20/20. You and your docs did the best with the information you had at that time and who knows, maybe you would still have ended up needing surgery. Regardless, if you have osteoarthritis, the treatment is the same whether it was a downstream consequence of a necessary surgery or age related wear and tear.
I have the same thing from doing yoga. Who knew I could get this injured. My left knee has been swollen for 5 weeks. MRI shows a medial meniscus tear...and worn down acl. Bone on bone behind knee cap. I'm going for prp injections and praying this will help. I have pain, swelling and need a cane to walk now.
I’m a bodybuilder (steroid free) and have been noticing osteoarthritis problems in both knees after leg days. What can I do to resolve the issues and reduce the pain. I’m currently taking joint supplements and collagen. I have also experimented with peptides like bpc157 and TB500 and had positive results from them. Any other advice would be helpful to keep me moving the weights and slowly increasing my strength. I’m 42 years old so got some hard miles on me by now but not ready to stop the heavy weights
My mom was 65 when she got meniscus tear. She got arthroscopy in 2013 to remove debris in her knee joint. Doctor said then, it will not remove the pain completely… 10 years passed, my mom feels bad knee pain all these years, limping and nights of bad sleep… no improvement! She got already hyaluronic acid injections which help only a little bit for a short period of time…
Excellent video, both your presentation and from a medical perspective. I'm glad to live in this age with a conservative approach to meniscus tears. It helps me to stay motivated to do my daily exercises. Thanx.
This is a great informative video... Im 99% sure I've torn mine, but I see my doctor next week. Ill be getting an MRI, but thanks to this video, I can make an informed decision for any conditions noted.
Thank you for this amazing video. I'm 38. Had my ACL reconstruction surgery 3 years back. Been playing intense Badminton. My knee got locked with sharp pain 6 months back. MRI pointed to meniscus tears. I didn't really have an injury so I don't know if it's acute or degenerative tear. Did physical therapy, got back to badminton but again knee got locked causing great pain. Now I'm not playing and the knee is fine, but I badly want to get back to intense badminton. Can a person like me at 38 with mechanical symptoms do physical therapy and still get back to intense sports?
Hello Doctor, you focused on the meniscus in arthritis. However, for meniscus injuries or tears caused by sports injuries or trauma, is your opinion also not to have surgery?
I had meniscus surgery...right after I had it, met two people who said they did not have surgery and got 100% better. They were perfectly fine...I felt so lame. I don't think I needed the surgery now, 10 years later. The surgery itself was trauma inducing when they blow your knee up with water like a giant water balloon.
@@seeni2005 the people I spoke with told me they gradually got better and then 100% between 6 months to 1 year. This is about the time to fully recover from surgery too! There’s not a lot of blood supply at the meniscus, so healing is much slower than other parts of the body that have a high blood supply.
I’m going on 5 months post operatively for partial menisectomy (posterior horn right medial meniscus). I’m in a lot of pain. Is there still hope for me if I do vigorous PT? Or is the way I’m going to end up?
@@kidneymd1962 Sorry to hear, man. My doctor told me I need PT to build up the muscles due to atrophy. The stronger muscles pulled everything into alignment (ie: made my knee cap or patella track correctly. All I had to do is ride my bicycle until my knee leg got stronger. It took about 6-months to feel very good and 1 full year to be 100%. You shouldn't be in a lot of pain 5 mo's post op.
I am 64 years old. Tore my medial meniscus 2.5 years ago sprinting up a muddy hill. I work out with an outdoor bootcamp group. Xray and MRI showed both knees are close to bone on bone on the medial side. It has taken me 2.5 years to where i can finally run without pain, I used both a rowing machine and Jacob's ladder. Finally learned that I had to back of and give just the right amount of pressure. Also, had one PRP injection which was a BIG help.
A platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is an orthopedic therapy that uses a patient's platelets to accelerate the healing of damaged joints, ligaments, tendons, or muscles. Your plasma contains proteins that help your blood clot as well as support cell growth.
Got a compound tear in the middle of my medial meniscus. Flapped under in two directions front and back. I think I need the surgery even though I really didn’t want it. This video was quite helpful though in decision making.
Injured my knee 5 wks. ago. Had a MRI yesterday and was diagnosed w/a medial meniscus tear and a Baker's Cyst. Very painful and when I lay my leg flat it hurts constantly. I cannot sleep, a pillow does no good. An x-ray showed no arthritis & a ultrasound showed no blood clots. My ortho says I do not need surgery. I don't know the degree of the tear, yet. I'm in a terrible mess as every step is painful still. I'm in a brace, compression, physical therapy, Nsaids, RICE. I want this behind me. I enjoyed the video. Thxs
@@JeffreyPengMD My DR called me last night. I have a significant meniscus tear, the Baker's Cyst has a sm leak and is in a unnatural position, and he told me I also have a bone bruise. Also swelling & fluid in the knee. He said my knee was in a terrible mess. Not what I wanted to hear. He did mention surgery. It will be a long haul for me. Thxs for coming back.
What did they do about your bakers cyst? Remove? Drain? I have the same thing I just had my MRI two days ago Haven’t met with the dr to discuss options yet
@@mrindependent1 It was a moderate size, so not sm. but, I guess it eventually went away,, I had the meniscectomy. It is so painful. I injured my other knee 10 mos. later. This time a meniscus root tear, & I got a stress fracture, bone edema, I a sm. Baker's cyst. Usually once the ortho fixes the initial problem it resolves itself.
I had my first meniscus problem 8 years ago. After 4 years, it popped again... I didn't seek no help. 4 months ago it popped again and last week, again but this time it was the worst of all 4 times. My knee is locked in and I finally decided to get MRI. It was medial meniscus and it does have a little flap hanging over in which is preventing me from fully stretching my knee. I will see a surgeon tmrw because I can't deal with this any more. I done physical therapy but this problem keeps chasing me
After watching this video today, I really regret for having a meniscus surgery three days ago. Due to pain and left knee limping I was desperate to have it fix. The orthopedic doctor recommends arthroscopic surgery. Here I am on my bed recovering after my knee surgery and now going through RUclips and found Dr. Peng!!. I should have studied and watch more videos before going through surgery. My only hopes now is I will have a pain free knee in the future.
Hello, would you mind telling me how your knee is now? I have a meniscus tear and the doctor told me that I should start physiotherapy so I do not need surgery, but I am still worried and want to know more about the surgery in case I need one. I hope you are feeling better now!
I have a torn medial meniscus and had grade 1 to 2 pain. My knee cap moved and clicked when I bike. My Orthopedic doctor recommended surgery if I want to play basketball again. I almost did it until I got 2nd opinion. The doctor told me exactly this. After months of knee strengthening exercises, I have been playing basketball this year without pain. Medial tear is difficult to heal but not impossible. You just need patience.
This is a great video focusing on best treatment for degenerative meniscus tears, the emphasis being on modern practise backed up with some research evidence. For many this is the future of meniscus tear treatment & fortunately the days of unwelcome anthroscopies & meniscus removal are now being ended.
Over a year ago, I had an acute onset of what was chronic degenerative lateral and medial meniscus tears (MRI). I was first scheduled for surgery in July; however, after a successful trip to Europe, where I walked ~6 miles a day, I decided to give it some time. As a runner, I chose to take up personal training from a strengthening coach and do a slow-running recovery plan on the treadmill. While I had decent results, after 6 months, I had plateaued. Anytime I tried to run on the road, the pain would hobble me for a couple of days. Treadmill 5ks were fine, but anything other than that was a no-go. So, my surgery to clean up the meniscus was last Wednesday. I'm nervous but optimistic. I agree that the use of knives and scalpels should be a last resort. That said, I'm not ready to stop running yet, so worth the risk.
Yes, I had similar experience, but I'm glad that I had that arthroscopic procedure to clean the knee. It's three months and the pain has subsided significantly
Hello doctor Myself umar from Coimbatore, Tamilnadu , I have a meniscus bucket handle tear in 2021 September and underwent a Meniscal repair in the same month , but yesterday I had a locking of Knee while getting up from ground and today went for an MRI and found out that the meniscus tore again - bucket handle tear . Sending you both the reports now , let me know what should be done now . Thanks
Dr. Peng, in your opinion, do you think acupuncture also a good option to treat meniscus tear? I am debating whether I should go with that or physical therapy.
Thanks dr. Jeffrey I'm having problems with my meniscus now I strained it real bad and it's been 2 weeks but it's the swelling starting to go down and I'll be able to move my knee now thanks a lot for your program I appreciate it
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My physio identified a torn meniscus. He put me in the gym and planned a spin cycle workout to basically grind the torn bit away which gets absorbed by the body. I continued his plan on my own for 6 weeks 3 times a week. A very mechanical approach. It worked perfectly and 10 years later no pain or problems. Ps I was 50ish at the time.
Was it recovered after the 6 weeks?
@@robertvandenheuvel9695
The tear created inflammation, swelling and pain which kept me awake. The spin cycle didn’t aggravate those issues ( while I wasn’t a gym bunny I had a good BMI as I worked in construction. Yes it fixed the tear as the physio explained. Still no issues today.
Did u take mri again
@@mohammedsuhail4314
No problems to date, so I don’t see the need for any further scans.
Could you share the spin cycle with us please, what did it include? I am struggling with a torn meniscus and hoping this can help me
This guys is one of the few good doctors that aren't interested to get rich by operate his patients and really care for their well-being ❤
I've only warched this one video so far, but already, I definitely agree with you. It's very refreshing to have a young doc tell folks to try to do all they can on their own to heal rather than go into yet another surgery.
This vid is absolutely right. I was recommended surgery. Instead, I waited for 5-6 months doing soft regular exercise and went back to playing tennis five times a week. I'm 57.
very good but, where was your meniscus tear located?
I'm going through this as well. What kind of exercises did you do?? Thank u God bless
@@BlackTop-s1b Static bicycle and triceps weight machine mainly. But very gradually. Good luck!
@@Northwindbreeze I've had external tear on the left knee and internal on the right. Both healed perfectly without surgery. Competing at over 50s tennis category currently with no issues.
@@BlackTop-s1b I dont want to put you in danger but, as I deal with a vertical crack in my meniscus right now, what I have understood is, that squats or similar deep bending knee movements are bad. One would have to rest enough to allow the meniscus to heal while mildly doing exercises for the gluteus AND quads to keep your muscles active, to avoid arthrophy and to absorb shock. No jumping, no high impact moves and finally, hydration and time: from 4-12 months (according to a 4 M subscribers youtube Physio). I am also a certified personal trainer/ had my own Fitness gym for years, I understand at least a little of what I am talking about.
I am a Board Certified OB/GYN and you, my colleague, have the BEST and most informative information I have found yet.
I am SO happy to see this information. I am a rehabilitation nurse with a work related MRI verified "complex meniscus tear". I am still working and have minimal discomfort during my 13+ hour shift. I ice the area at night. I am waiting for an assessment by a workman's compensation Orthopedic MD. I am expecting the surgeon to recommend a surgical solution. I DON'T want surgery. this presentation really helps me understand my options.
Did your knee get better? Or did you end up getting surgery??
I tore the medial meniscus on my left knee while removing wall to wall carpeting at my mother-in-law's house. I was age 64 when the knee problem began. The pain was terrible, so almost a year after the tear, I went to an orthopedist. An intern suggested (while I was waiting for the doctor) not to have surgery. The doctor, a highly recommended surgeon that worked with the local major league baseball team, told me that surgery was the way to go and would relieve the pain, so we had it scheduled. Two weeks before the surgery date, the knee started feeling better. Two days before the surgery date, the knee was markedly improved, so I called the doctor and canceled the surgery. The knee healed on its own. I had no physical therapy. Five years later, the knee is still doing well.
thanks for sharing this .also at 61 doing floor removal my left is killing me popping like the sole on my boot is flopping and i had my cortisone shot 2 days prior ,i hate the thought of another total knee replacement so researching all i can and this helps and gives hope thanks
Weird lol
You need physical therapy
And why is that, Pmad?
@@rosewoodsteel6656 aging process has more affect on muscle loss, added to that injury worsens , but symptomaticly u might be not feeling anything now but later if u sustain any other injury u will tend to have poor prognosis . So clinically it's best to check knee health after any injury .
I had a meniscal tear 2 months ago. I'm 30 (F), otherwise in good health, lead an active lifestyle, and yet, don't know the exact point of injury or how it happened.
Anyway, I was advised surgery by the orthopedician, but my physiotherapist suggested rehab first and seemed very confident about me recovering without surgery. i wanted to avoid surgery so I put my faith in him.
2 months later, I am so much better. I can walk, bend my knee, i've started climbing up stairs as of yesterday, all without any pain. It's not back to normal but I can see a drastic recovery compared to week 1. I feel positive now that the rest of my recovery, too, will happen with rehab exercises. Thank you Doc, for making me realise I chose the right plan of treatment!
How you feeling now? Did you went for surgery?
😊
very god but please reply because many people have this type of injrey so your one massage has changed our life
@@dummymail6457it's been about 7 months now and I'm doing almost everything with no restriction, the only movements I can't yet do comfortably are sitting cross legged on the floor, and squatting or lunging with heavy weights. I can do body weight squats to parallel, but not yet below knee level (mostly out of my own mental block of trying it yet).
There are rare days when i feel a slight discomfort on the medial side of the knee, perhaps when I've gone too far with certain movements that the joint isn't yet ready for. But even that resolves after a night of sleep, without any pain killers. Hope that answers you guys' questions. Feel free to ask if you have more!
While playing soccer I ended with a partial tear ACL. I was very determined on my rehab and I decided not to get surgery, my recovery has been excellent and much better than expected, after 4 months and a half I can run, run the stairs up and down, play basketball recreationally, ride my bicycle and dance 9 hours in a rave party. I didn't go back to soccer competition yet since I want to keep doing rehab for at least 3 months more so my ACL is stronger, but I feel great, I can extend my leg with no issues and I can do all rehab exercises with no pain.
Wow! Thanks for sharing
Nice to hear my brother ,
I twisted my knee last week and i really wanna know if i can rehab without a surgery . I want to know how long it has take before the pain was gone . And did you also got pain in the first week after a long distance walking in the knee like something got stuck in the knee. Pls let me know 👊🏽
You mean to say that physical therapy helped you recover fully? And how bad was the tear?
Can you suggest that rehab, because i am also in this same condition now, i had done prp too
Thank very helpful.
I read these same studies 2 years ago and refused meniscus surgery. Took me 6 months to get back to being able to walk 1 mile again. This concise summary is so eloquent and clearly stated. I am so grateful for Dr. P’s honesty and amazing ability to communicate complex & difficult studies into plain language for all of us to understand. Thank u for caring what’s best for the patient’s health & not what’s best for the doctor’s wallet!
Love your testimony. I'm an Aqua Fit instructor. Can only use one leg now. Either a tear or a bad sprain. Not sure yet. Swollen but swelling is reducing with ice. I won't have surgery. Great to read your experience. Good for you for your patience. Well done. ( I can still teach sitting or standing - just no movements with legs. Works out fine)
@@happy777abc hope the healing is going well. It’s always so difficult when trying to stay healthy & u have a health scare/obstacle. Hope ur back to 💯 soon!!!
@@zoni36 thanks! It's getting better. I've been seeing the chiropractor. It's really helping! I have some good support sleeves for my leg, too. Just hobbling around letting it heal. It's put up often throughout the day, using ice. And castor oil topically, as it reduces inflammation. 👍. Grateful. I'll be back 100 percent. I'm certain.😁.
Did you have a bucket handle meniscus tear or something less severe?
@@isthisaricethey called it a flap
I wish I had seen your video before having my meniscus surgery!, after an MRI showed I had a meniscus tear the doctor said I needed the surgery even when pain was minimal and I didn't had my knee locked, he insisted that I should get it to "avoid future problems" and now I realize he did that just to get a quick cash grab, now after the surgery I have more pain and no meniscus and another doctor just recently told me I might need replacement knee surgery in a few years, Thanks for your video!, I'm subscribed now!
Your experience was mine exactly. Minimal pain 10 days later, I’m walking an hour each day, no clicking, popping or locking happening. My PA wants me to have arthroscopic surgery. He didn’t suggest trying PT first. Not good.
ABSOLUTELY same here.MRI shows medial m tear.Light pain,no clicking,swelling, locking. I can run and climb up stairs, but the doc who viewed the MRI recommended repair or removal of meniscus. I ll definitely think twice now,and will seek a few more opinions.
I am a 74 year old life time athlete who CURED a severe lateral tear in the meniscus of my left knee, which happened at age 65 as a result of sitting on my knee BENT under me for two hours in a restaurant ( really dumb because I never got hurt playing violent sports) by taking one teaspoon of powdered HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN every day.
I went from not being able to walk at all, to feeling no pain and no dysfunction after about two months, and returning to play a low impact level of tennis, squash and hockey after about six months. After one year on this protocol I was able to return to playing all those sports with virtually the same intensity as before my injury with only the slight NORMAL slowing down due to my age.
I am an advocate for exploring ALTERNATIVE SCIENCES which are non intrusive and which try to take advantage of a better understanding of GOD'S great design of life and its UNLIMITED potential for self repair and maintenance and I am especially a staunch advocate for NOT interfering with it. This is why I am also a great critic of " slashing surgery"...which cures absolutely nothing.
I was lucky enough to consult a smart orthopedic surgeon who warned me NOT to go for surgery immediately unless my knee " locked up " completely. He correctly advised me that surgery does not cure a torn meniscus, all it does is remove the debris, so except for the benefits of relieving pain from floating material...it will not cure the problem AND because of the constant risk of infection.
I hope this suggestion helps some of you with this problem to cure it without surgery using HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN. The collagen will also help rebuild the other damaged cartilage in the knee which may be causing pain and osteo arthritis, if as this doctor says, this is the underlying cause of someone's pain and dysfunction.
GOOD LUCK
Thanks for sharing your experiences
Hello thank you very much for your information very interested.
Can we get Hydrolyzed Collagen in pharmacy ?
Can you send a picture of the this please ?
Thank you in Advance😊
Drinking some as we speak. I'm about 90% sure I have a torn lateral meniscus on the right knee. Was doing research on the symptoms then came across your comment. Immediately researched it and went out and bought two jars. Really hope it helps. Appreciate your comment on it.
@@leonmaliniak would jello work? It is gelatin, I think
That is a relevant and funny question because when I first started taking gelatin, I did it by eating JELLO. Then my daughter, who is a CORDON BLEU chef told me that JELLO has very little actual gelatin and that is full of sugar so I stopped. I then bought GELATIN powder and used that for a while and did see results but it had a beefy flavor which was unpleasant. After more research I learned that HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN was the more bio-available form of gelatin and it was virtually tasteless. I have been getting my best results with this.
Four years ago I refused surgery for a torn meniscus. I healed with squats and deadlifts. Today I have a normal life and lift heavier and heavier weights.
Bravo!
How long did u wait b4 lifting weights. N how long was swelling.
@@nathanmccumber8965 I didn't have swelling, just a meniscus tear and pain.
After 2 months I started lifting light weights and increased. Only bike to work aerobically.
How it healed? Please share your stories sir
@@tshepofiles7375 I stopped performing impact exercises and started doing spinning, deadlifts and squats, in addition to other exercises for the upper body. I started with very light weights and took my time to increase them.
It takes several months while the pain subsides. I currently do the same weights as I did before my meniscus tear, and without any pain. I still avoid impact exercises and only run light for a short time.
I am a 43 yr old male.
6 months ago I had a meniscus tear while in a full squat position. I couldn't bend my knee for a month. I could only put weight on my toes for 2 months. Anyway my surgery was supposed to be a couple days ago but I cancelled. Months 5 and 6 brought such rapid healing form mother nature that I'm almost completely better. I'm glad there was 6 month wait for surgery.
It gave mother nature time to do her thing.
So happy for you !
What did you done
Did u take specific medicine
Hlo
To God be the Glory, because He make our bodies to be heal. He is Merciful God.
This is a fantastic breakdown and explanation. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Thanks for commenting!
Thank you for this decision making video. I had an injury while demonstrating jumps to athletes. Sudden sharp pain led to an MRI presenting a medial and lateral meniscus tear. I considered the partial removal surgery but feared losing the buffer between the bones. A year later, I've showed much improvement running, and jumping. Yesterday I did a jump workout twice and ended up that evening on crutches. Although experiencing pain still, today I could walk without the crutches. It made me reconsider the surgery, that's how I ended up watching this video. I will once again opt out of surgery and continue to strengthen muscles and rest as needed.
Thanks for sharing, good luck!!
@@JeffreyPengMD Hello doctor, l am 40 years old and have been recently diagnosed with complex meniscal tears in my MRI. I have never had any injury, trauma neither workout rigorously. However, l have flat feet. Don't know what role this plays. I can move my knees and perform all day to day activities without any issue. I have decided NOT to go for surgery. Is it the right thing to do? And can l workout in the gym, taking care not to overload my knees?
@@dominiquebrodoteau5135 what conclusion u find now
Excellent work. It was great to get an account based on empirical evidence and the review data. Really informative. Thank you
Hey man you make really good videos. I don’t know why you’re not getting more views. I’ve watched several of your videos and they are super well made, great info,
Thanks for the comment and support! I'm still new to RUclips and learning how best to share information!
Thank you for this comprehensive information Dr. Peng. I appreciate your research and common sense approach to meniscus issues. This is the best video I have seen so far on this subject.
You're welcome! Thanks for commenting
Dr Jeff Peng’s shares this amazing technical solutions for knee problem patients that truly can help millions people of the world. It is most grateful of his professional intelligence and compassion to all. Elizabeth
Thanks for your kind comment!
such an invaluable information.
I've been suffering from Partial Meniscus Tear & Partial ACL Tear.
Your videos have helped me a lot to make my choices very carefully for my treatment.
May you get reward for your efforts and have more success and peace in your life.
Much appreciated
Thanks for commenting!
Hi i have question...i have same problem with Acl and meniscus soo i dont want go to operation but im not sure in that maybe i need...im very active in a lot of sports and im study kinesiology so i need my knee sooner as possible.I fill a litlle pain in my knee but i can do flexion and exstension normally and I have filing my knee is stable.Did you go to operation or yust rehab?
Following
@@anelabaresic1933 Hi,
I hope you're doing good.
I'm not a professional Sports person so my doctor suggested me for PRP and Rehab only.
Otherwise Surgery would've been recommended.
Secondly, I had a Grade 1 Medial Meniscus tear.
If you're recommended for the surgery then never go for Meniscus Removal, Meniscus repair should be the priority.
It's a very terrible injury, May you get well soon.
Going thru this right now! Skipped surgery and doing an extensive rehab, I already see and feel huge results within a week! Make surgery the very last option!
May I ask what type of surgery you opt out of?
What are you doing for rehab?
@@nerychristian soft wave therapy
How u feelnow
@@aaronwidder9624 What's that?
After viewing a few vids for knee care I must recommend this presentation. Thank you Doc! You're delivery is on point professionally directed, brilliant, fact backed informative, supportive, & absolutely appreciated! I subscribed to your channel 👍
Thanks for the comment!
I had an acute tear. I couldn't jump and land without pain for almost 2 years. Squatting would cause a painful crunch in my knee especially the deeper the squat. My knee occasionally would lock up and then be fine 20 minutes later. I did a lot of walking and then had to gradually ease into jogging/running. It took 3 years of increasing physical activity/rehab to get healthy. I can now squat without my knee getting crunchy/poppy. So I figure it healed and simply took a long time, along with Gods help and physical activity to get the blood/synovial fluid moving and promoting healing. I was ready for surgery immediately after the injury, but I held off and it was a long 3 years to get back to normal. It hurt missing sports for 3 years but perhaps in the long run it was for the best. Do what you can to promote strength in the joint and promote synovial fluid flow in the joint. My first few months of returning to jogging were tough after a long time of being unable to run due to pain. At that point, my joint was not used to the physical demands of running, so take it slowly.
Thanks for sharing. Do you mind if I ask your age?
@@james4878 injured early 40's
You give me Hope . 👌😊❤️
I'm also confused with rehab or surgery. But your experience is really good ray of motivation for me. I will wait for surgery n will join the rehab.
I'm glad to hear your story. Sorry. Can I ask you. How old are you?
Thanks a lot for sharing this information.
I was about to have surgery due to a "meniscus tear".
Luckily I decided to see another doctor for a second opinion; He told me to try rehab first, then start a strengthen routine.
I was hesitant at first, but decided to not take the surgery and proceed with the rehab.
Your video gave me a lot of hope. Thanks again!
Had terrible pain in right leg,so much so they did X-rays and MRI to see what was going on. Turns out I had meniscus tear along with osteoarthritis. By the time they did all this I was well enough to return to walking,playing Pickelball,RqtBall and swimming. I have follow-up with Doc in a few weeks to discuss surgery option vs injection. I’m opting for neither after watching this video😅 . I have been doing some Physical Therapy exercises too which may be helpful. Age here is 80.
bravo. I am a 74 yo female pickleball player and developed symptoms after a longer than usual walk, for heaven’s sake. This video is encouraging. Me too, osteoarthritis and a tear.
Thank you Dr. Jeffrey for bringing in this awareness. This is a really important video that highlights many important points and I can vouch that my experience has been similar to what you have described here. I am 48 years old and experienced knee pain while playing competitive badminton in Jan 2022. An MRI examination confirmed I had a L3 tear in my medial meniscus of left leg. I was expecting a surgery but was very surprised when my doc suggested physiotherapy. 6 months later i discovered L3 tear on my right medial meniscus. According to him I am also an early candidate for OA and like you mentioned he asked me to strengthen my calf, knee, glutes and core muscles. One year down the line I am back to playing non-stop for over an hour with no surgery.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing your experience
Did your knee make snapping/clicking sounds in the beginning? How long did it take for the pain to subside?
@@dominiquebrodoteau5135 yes my knee would make clicking sound. Even if I was lying in my bed and if I would Fold or straighten my leg it would click. I injured my knee in late Dec/Jan 2022 and stopped playing by mid of Jan. The pain subsided by April. I had started using a knee brace if I was walking or traveling. I still use the brace in my right leg while playing.
@@deven_sh So you mean to say physiotherapy and other measures alone helped you to overcome that pain? Has the sound gone or it's still there? I have a complex tear in both knees but it's painless. But l am scared that if l work out or do cycling it might get aggravated. I have decided to put off surgery till the time it starts hurting unbearably or impairs my movement or daily life.
@@dominiquebrodoteau5135 I have had a meniscectomy. I can guarantee, having had it, that you don't want it. Meniscectomy is a "gift" that just keeps on giving ... constant pain, dysfunction, arthritis in the knee, hip and foot,inability to work. The only thing healthy after a meniscectomy is the knee surgeons bank balance,
Very helpful - thank you. My gut feeling is that surgery should only be a last result. Your message encourages me to look at strength exercise and range-of-motion stretches for the next few months. Again, thank you.
You're welcome! Thanks for commenting
Wow. This video is exactly what I needed! Thank you SO much, Dr. Peng.
Many thanks for the video, great advice for torn meniscus, a very nasty, painful and very slow-healing injury. I particularly like the way the video discourages patients from instantly taking the surgery route, based on published research studies.
Just wanted to share my meniscus injury story and encourage sufferers to not give up. I do power-walking as a way to keep fit and control my weight. It works great. I walk at least 10 km/day, sometimes up to 20 km/day, or even 30 km/day on rare occasions.
My meniscus was injured about 10 months ago, as a result of an awkward landing after a jump. For the first 3 months after the injury, I could barely walk or climb stairs, my knee was swollen with some liquid inside (but not bruised), and I was in pain. For the first month, I had to take medications to be able to function. I completely stopped power-walking (obviously). I visited the doctor, who recommended the RICE regimen-rest, ice, compression, elevation. I didn't do an MRI scan or any other type of medical exam. The doctor prescribed magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C and D3 (I was severely D3-deficient at the time).
After the first 3 months, things improved noticeably, to the point where I was able to do slow walks for up to 5 km. I felt some pain, but bearable. What I noticed was that the more I walked, the faster the knee was healing. This is because movement helps the blood reach the meniscus (a very difficult part to reach), feeding it the necessary nutrients to promote healing. So, I slowly increased my daily walking distance, paying attention to the feeling I was getting from the knee as I walked. After each walk I applied the RICE method.
Now, after 10 months, I rarely feel discomfort or pain, I can power-walk for almost 20 km easily, and I feel that my meniscus has almost healed. So, my recommendation to everyone suffering from a meniscus injury: give it plenty of time to heal, apply the RICE method, slowly "energize" the knee by doing mild exercises and walking, don't let it rest completely for long periods of time. I think the human body has ways of self-healing, and surgery should be the last option. Whatever you do, always visit your doctor, but also do your own research and give your body a chance to take care of the injury.
No MRI or other medical exam - it's very unlikely you had a meniscus tear. You likely sprained a ligament
sir you have any MRI report ??? are you sure you have meniscus tear please reply
@@medicinenews5470 As I wrote in my comment, I didn't do an MRI scan. I visited an orthopedic surgeon, who examined my knee by inspecting it and subjecting it to some specific, directed movements, during some of which I felt severe pain and discomfort. According to him, this indicated a meniscus injury. Also, the knee accumulated some liquid inside it, which caused it to swell and be hot to the touch (especially in the first 2-3 months), but it was not bruised or discolored. In the first few weeks, I had to take pain medications in order to be able to walk. Whatever it was, it sure was very nasty and scary, and I'm really glad that it has now almost completely healed.
My 2015 medial menisectomy was the best thing I ever did. I went from locking my knee at random moments several times a day, to running six miles within a week of my surgery. It was absolutely liberating, and I would recommend it to anyone.
Total or partial menisectomy? We’re you experiencing intense pain while hyperextending knee?
On the fence with surgical intervention vs PRP?
You might recommend it. But perhaps you should not! Just because it's worked for you to this point, also doesn't mean down the line, you wont suffer. I had partial a medial maniscus removal 20 years ago. I am sorry for it now, I can tell you! Osteoarthritis has set in and affective muscle strengthening on its own I am certain would've been smarter!
I had exactly the same, it was horizontal split and it was locking my knee behaving as rug under the door. As it was old injury when I was young doctor said that because of the age it will not repair if they stich it. First time it happen I have not done anything just putting ice for few days. But also doctor told me risks, and that I cannot run anymore, or in other words although my knees are good that surgery will start process of osteoporosis so I need to lower down physicals activity that involves putting pressure on knees. When I run I need to be aware that I use my toes and never heals, so my feet/legs will spring the load.
So not sure what doctor/studies talking about but for me it took few months of locking my knees to realizing I can not walk properly. Days after surgery I could walk again normally.
So, I guess there are multiple factors that needs to take in consideration: was it injury or degeneration, what is age of patient, is it reparable ....
It's a meniscus root tear, but there's almost no pain! Do I still need surgery in this case? Doctor. Here is Korea!
Any update on asthrosaid injections?
I was scoped for a partial meniscus tear. Then seven months later I needed a partial knee replacement. This lasted about five months (tibial component came loose). A lot of pain, nerve ablations, pain clinics and then after a couple of years of fun-sucking pain, I just had a revision to a total knee. My original option was surgery or a year in a full splint and a year of PT. If you go to a surgeon, you’re going to get surgery, beware.
Fantastic. Clear explanation he is great. Thank you sir.
Hello Jeffrey, I agree with you that for a degenerative meniscal tear, surgery is not necessary, but I think is important to mention that, in traumatic meniscal tears without OA, a meniscal repair is possible, not only a menisectomy, which we know can lead to postmenisectomy arthritis. Based on the tittle of your video and on your explanation on the matter, patients can develop the false idea that ANY meniscal tear is successfully treated without surgery. Also, I think is important to tell people that the goal of orthobiologics is to manage symptoms and slow down the progression of OA, but it won't cure the disease and in a lot of cases you can not avoid a knee replacement.
I 100% agree with your comments. I have multiple other videos explaining exactly what you point out, including meniscus repairs. Thanks for commenting!
Meaning surgery really need? I have degenerative osteoarthritis meniscal tear on my left knee .will it really better if surgery?
Dr. Peng,
My Sports Medicine Doctor also graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She gave me PRP injections in both kneecaps. I am 8 weeks out from the second knee injection, and my kneecaps' pain has decreased by 90%. I still have intense pain directly above my kneecaps after sitting, so my doctor ordered an MRI. The MRI revealed a torn medial meniscus tear and quadriceps tendinosis in both knees. At my recent appointment, my doctor advised against surgery for the menisci (just like you advised) and set up an appointment for me to have a PRP injection in one of my quadriceps tendons. My doctor and you have the same approach. I will report back in about 6 or 7 weeks and update you on my pain level. Thanks for your excellent videos!
I will wait for your report… I fractured my tibia and when it healed the pain in my knees didn’t go away . My doctor ordered an mri and we found out I had vertical tear of anterior horn and horizontal tear of the body on the lateral meniscus , now the doctor said I need arthroscopy to fix it. I said no immediately and now I’m researching what to do . I’m a 60yo woman and Im aware that I may not recover as fast compared to younger people so I’m really looking forward to hear how your recovery is going and in the meantime I will explore other options for myself but I will be breaking up with my doctor for sure.🤯🤯🤣…thanks for your comment.
@@marjorieferrer9520 I am 4 weeks out from the quad tendons injection in my left knee. I played basketball yesterday and the pain level in my left knee is a 1. I will have the injection in the right quad tendons in about 1.5 weeks and will report back. In hindsight, I wished that I had pushed for the MRI at my first visit with the sports medicine doctor because the MRI highlighted the areas causing pain.
Dr. Peng thanks for detailed and clear explanation. I share your video with all my senior friends who have knee pain. God bless you.
Thanks for sharing!
Your video was way more helpful than all the research of medical studies I read on my own. My two questions are : 1. why is the effected leg weaker? 2: If a person over 65 never had knee pain until after a hike with lots of twisting from roots and rocks and then suddenly developes significant pain how do you know it isn't an acute tear - is it just the presense of OA on MRI?
Thank you so much for such an informative session, really appreciate it. I had a meniscus tear and have undergone the gel injection, the plasma therapy and nothing worked for me so I had an arthroscopy done on April 2023 and still have excruciating pain constantly, I’ve done physiotherapy and it’s unfortunate that I’m still pain. I’ve tried all kinds of massage oils you name it. I’m so frustrated and giving up on my self. Is there anything else I could try. Thank you
Hi, your meniscus tear story is a carbon copy of mine. My tear was medial root meniscus. It seemed to be Improving before I had Arthroscopic surgery 4 months ago but now feels worse. Swelling after minor walking or gardening and severe pain. Am hoping my physio who is wonderful will be able to rehabilitate me. I haven't worked in 10 months 😢
Your video are extremely I,formative and reassuring. I am 74 and I have a degenerative medial meniscus tear on my right knee. Hardly any pain and I have good mobility. I have been walking and am doing weighted leg raises to maintain muscle mass in my quadriceps. Excellent advice. Liked and subscribed!❤
It kills me that I didn’t go to physical therapy and instead got 3 meniscus surgeries over the course of 5 years. I’m 28 now and my knees have never been close to where they were before the first injury. No one gave me any options. It was “do the surgery.” Really messed my life up
Thank you for the testimony
Location of injury
I'm sorry man. But you have definitely not messed your life up. Have you considered cycling / biking for example ? Non impact and amazing for building bullet-proof massive legs. Wishing you the best. There is always something out there for you ! 😎
Thanks for sharing
Hi I’m so sorry for your knees, I’m going through some meniscus problems right now too. Can I ask how you got your injury?
I had a tear decades ago, I still have full range of motion, no more pain. Just some popping etc but I can walk for hours, I’ve been in an elliptical. Thank you for the video
you have done any surgrey
Love this video. Super helpful with recent resarch data, well explained. Thanks bro, really appreciated sharing your knowledge. Super grateful.
As a mail carrier who walked 10 miles with a heavy satchel I had severe knee pain while walking and even while I slept each night. In 2012, I had x-rays and was informed that I had a meniscus tear. But being that I lived alone and did not have enough sick leave to have surgery and therapy. I am thankful for that circumstance now. I have retired now and only have pain intermittently in my knee. But this week I have extreme pains in my neck and shoulder area. I can’t lift my right arm past my head and can’t find any sleeping position that does not radiate pain. I have watched over 50 RUclips videos to relieve the pain. One thing for sure is that it’s hell getting old.
Certainly not qualified to diagnose- but I wouldn’t be surprised if you have some kind of rotator cuff injury or tear. I’ve gone through orthoscopic surgery for that 20 years ago and for a woman- I can say it was one of the worst things I have ever done. It was a year of healing- lots of pain, removing scar surgery, etc. I found out later - this issue could also be supported or fixed with PT vs surgery. Wish I had known that? I still have issues with that shoulder off and on, but will not go back in with surgery. My problem is following thru with excercises as I need too! Also I know some whom acupuncture has helped as well.
Get some physical therapy, it might take some time but it can help many things!
@@ed7519 Thanks for the suggestion. But the pain went away after about a month. I can lift my arm over my head and have no pain.
Are you still a pain in the neck? I mean do you still have pain in the neck?@@LRH143
Great video!!! I have a meniscus tear due to a slip and fall. I don't want to do surgery, but the catching and pain are hard to deal with. I am managing trying to deal with it.
Do you have suggestions for non-surgery solutions for the acute meniscus tears?
Great video, very clear and informative.
Exactly my thought, since most people are dealing with acute tears, and this video was about degenerative tears. Need that info, and frankly would have liked him to address whether or not he had an answer for that
Very interesting!! I am an orthopaedic nurse and applaud your bravery in suggesting that hopping up on the OR table should be avoided if possible. Here in the U.S. a lot of patients have unrealistic expectations when it comes to their treatment and want a quickie solution (don't we all? LOL!?!).
I have shoulder pain from an injury that I opted to treat with physical therapy. I am 68 years old and wanted very much to avoid the lengthy post surgical recovery that would have necessitated being off work for quite a few weeks. After several months I was healing up quite well and went from not being able to open a door or pick up a jug of milk to being able to do all these things and more!
I see the complications that can arise from surgical interventions which -- although a minority of cases -- can be quite debilitating and leave the patient wondering if living with the original problem might have been easier. Now, Doc, have you any solutions for a pesky Baker's cyst?
Baker's cyst can be aspirated under ultrasound guidance. More importantly, you should work with your docs in figuring out the cause of the Baker's cyst. Usually it's due to underlying osteoarthritis.
Thank you SO much for this information! As a person with a diagnosed degenerative meniscus, hearing this kind of advice before having surgery (which my doctor has recommended) is so valuable. Thank you again!
Be very wary of doctors. They try to push surgery to make money. I recovered perfectly without surgery after first doc told me I needed it.
Put off meniscus surgery for 3 years. Just got it today…. It was super easy. Not even taking any pain medication and I’m at like a 2/10 on the pain scale. Glad to have it done and be on the road to finally getting it to 100%
How much cost of surgery?
Where was your location of injury
Did they put you under?
Glad you're feeling better
@@mohammedsuhail4314dude, he just said meniscus surgery. Where is the meniscus?
You’ve earned my subscription, I was considering surgery for a few months now. I’ll just continue with rehab and cycle work.
I tore my meniscus playing soccer in 2017. Doctor said I needed surgery immediately but I just didn't trust the guy. Against everyone else's recommendations decided to trust my body instead. Took 4 months off, and eased back into running slowly. Made sure not to do any sharp twists (only straight running, no soccer). Eventually progressed to sprinting in straight lines, then about a year in took up Muay Thai. Been lifting, sprinting & Muay Thai for 5 years now and never had an issue with the meniscus (or any other part of the knee) since. It's always in the back of my mind to be careful how I bend my knee, but I'm glad I didn't get surgery
so during the first 4 months you cannot bend your knee?
Thank you so much. I was scheduled to get surgery for my meniscus tear, but I had PT for 2 months and it’s getting better. I told the doctor and he said we can’t hold off on surgery if it’s getting better.
Which type of exercise you do please 🙏 reply me
Great info! I was having left knee pain for days after light soccer passing drills (In my 50s) and Ortho noticed swelling. Wanted to extract excess fluid and inject cortisone in the office, but I told him I'd wait for an MRI. Followed up with a sports medicine Ortho who read the scan and diagnosed me with degenerative cartilage/osteo-arthritis but did not recommend surgery or cortisone, only strength building in that quad. Somglad my doc was on point. However I brought up that I was considering PRP treatment and he said it wouldn't help. I think I'm still going to try it to help eliminate this aching soreness in my knee .
Respect your opinion. I had the surgery done and proceeded to win multiple Trail run races, pain free. Best decision I made.
I had meniscus tear repair surgery on my left and right knees in 2008 and 2011. Now I am still playing vigorous squash racket sports twice a week at 60 years old. Besides surgery also important to take whey protein before and after sports to bring nutrients to repairs the muscles, ligaments and catilage while the blood flow is still viscous after sports. I am from Singapore and our doctors are very skillful. On 23 Aug 2023 my wife undergone a total right knee replacement and on 24 Aug the next day, she was already walking unaided Infront of the surgeon.
except cartridge does not have any blood vessels so this approach will not help
Thank you, Dr. Peng, for your clear and detailed explanation. I’m a 64 year old woman and tore my meniscus playing tennis. I have no osteoarthritis and my cartilage is fine. My PA recommends arthroscopic surgery. I’m definitely going to try PT first instead given the high likelihood of poor outcomes you pointed out. Thank you!
7 years ago I tore my meniscus at 47. Physio did absolutely nothing for me. Now at 55 I am booked for the surgery in 2 weeks. Can’t wait.
I didn’t even do this much research but I came to these conclusion on my own.. based on how well I know the person with the issues.. I appreciate your thorough video.. because I’m passing it along as support to the things I’ve already said..
What?
I was supposed to have lumbar spinal fusion as the pain was so excruciating that in a few hours I couldn't walk unless I was bending at almost 90 degrees of hip flexion using a cane. I had to quit work. I was in tears 24/7 from the pain knowing I couldn't afford surgery without insurance. Well, being an OT, I went with my instincts and healed myself by certain exercises and stretching. Good thing it took almost a year to get on disability or else I would have opted for surgery. That was less than 10 years ago. I'm now 66 and my back is great. Once in a while it gets stiff so I resorrt back to my one favorite exercise and in a few days, I'm as good as gold. That taught me not to be in a rush for surgery, even though the pain was almost unbearable unless I was non mobile in bed. I even put off having my sheltie's front leg from being fused because of bowing. A vet recommended the fusion 7 years ago and fortunately Pippin's leg has not gotten worse even though he's a soccer fiend. I wonder how that knee fusion would have impacted his whole body over time if he didn't have the feedom to move that leg. Now I have a meniscus tear and will hopefully exercise myself back to health! No surgery for me if I can help it.
Very informative.
It gives a 360 degrees into looking at the condition. Its good to be aware when at doctors office in order to assess how good he is into assessing the condition.
Thx for commenting
This was very helpful. I believe I have the chronic tear. I believe I got it from the last time I was doing squats and lounges. How I managed to tear the meniscus is probably because when I was doing the squats and lounges the last time, i went not only too heavy, but did to many sets and reps. So, i basically overworked my knee.
Yes Tore mine doing lunges. I always hated them anyway. Why was I doing them at 50 when there are other exercises to do.
I got a diagnosis from n mri that I have a slight torn meniscus and some arthritis in my right knee and was told by an orthopedist to eventually get surgery. I’m so happy to hear this from you, Dr Pang! I will seek physical therapy!
Thanks for commenting!
Dr pang, what is better treatment for a women age 70 above with the knee problem, is this meniscus can help to treat her knee? I need ur futher explaination, can i get ur number
I always doubted whether I'm doing the right thing by avoiding surgery. For the past year I've been doing rehab exercises and cut down on running. I'm now seeing significant improvement and back to running consistently with minimal to no pain. Thank you for this really informative video 😊... I'm now more convinced to avoid surgery
Awesome! Thanks for commenting
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you’re doing better!! I’ve hurt my leg 4 months ago, and every time I go back for a check up with my PT I am making progress, slow but it’s for sure progress. It just hurts that he keeps mentioning surgery option as if my leg is not progressing or getting worse 😢. It makes no sense, cause I never complained about the progress cause I’m doing better every time. One should actually get encouragement from a health care provider especially if the patient keeps feeling better, to keep up! But no, I’ve been constantly reminded about the surgery even though I denied it. I’m glad I did my research and this video is among them.
Can you run with left meniscus tear?
@@Tamaradrummer do the same workout at home. Never get surgery.
How you doing now?@@Tamaradrummer
Great Professional Advice 🙏 Thank You… Dr. Peng
1975, I suffered an oblique medial tear. Two weeks prior to arthroscopic surgery, I asked my chiropractor purely as a joke if she could adjust my knee. She quite seriously said "yes." I still haven't had the surgery! Every once in a while, if it acts up, I show some strong person how to yank my lower leg in a downward medial move while I'm sitting in a chair with the knee bent at 90 degrees. If done properly, two things happen: one is, I'm almost pulled out of the chair, and the other is that the knee regains pain-free operation.
Thank you Dr. Peng. You are a true Healer serving others. So rare. So precious. Thank you. GOD Bless you.
Wish I had seen this a week ago; just had surgery for a bucket handle tear of my meniscus and they removed about 40% of it. I'm 41 years old, this came on gradually rather than a sudden incident, and the osteoarthritis symptoms align much closer with what I had been feeling the weeks leading up to the day my meniscus tore (as well as an MCL sprain)
I have Bucket-handle tear of the medial meniscus with flipped meniscal tissue extending into the intercondylar notch. I hope there is a way out from getting surgery. How are you feeling now?
@@AmySmith-pt7pb 7 months removed from surgery, I still have what can only be described as a minor discomfort time to time, "pain" is too strong a word. I did some rehab exercises for the first 6 weeks or so but admittedly not as much as I probably should have. My wife says she still notices a slight limp when I walk but I can walk 5kn with no pain. Running and squating are still out of the question though, and climbing multiple floors of stairs is still daunting. For context I'm 41 yrs old, so not a spring chicken but also not "that" old, yet! From the multiple docs I consulted, surgery was reccomended by 8/8 for a bucket handle tear I'm afriad.
@@ryanalex106 Was the surgery worth it? I didn’t have correct treatment plan at day one of injury which lead me to re-injure and has this major tear today.
@@AmySmith-pt7pb In the end I would def say yes it was. It was also my 2nd time injuring it (much worse the 2nd time) and I was walking a bit within a day, 90% pain free in a few weeks.
@@ryanalex106 orthopedic told me I need surgery, but I am still trying to see options. What kind of surgery did you get? Just partial repair?
Thansk for breaking down the latest research. Great vid. You earned a subscriber!
In short; strengthening exercises for the affected leg and possibly injections. Pleased by this as I thought my running days were over so will try easing back into it.
oh god! I'm currently choosing physio over surgery and i'm so happy to see this. I was having doubts that i'm making the wrong choice, but it just sounded so counter-productive to me to remove (part of) the meniscus. I want to continue oly lifting so it's very important for me that my knees work
Nice!
I just tore my meniscus again and everybody tells me that my only option is a meniscectomy. I completely disagree but now I have a quality video to help share my point of view. Thank you Jeff. Excellent explanation. I'm headed for PRP injections next week.
How your recovering coming. I pray the Lord Jesus Christ that's not a trinity heals you.
@@nathanmccumber8965 Thank you for the well wishes.
What were your symptoms please? Any clear signs?
@@Alex.1739 Partial tear of the MCL, the medial meniscus, and a slight tear to the patella tendon. 2 weeks ago I received prolotherapy plus PRP, with 2 additional treatments at one month intervals recommended. After a 5 day resting period I resumed normal activities. I’ve been using the recumbent bike each day for approx 30 minutes. I will not resume the stairclimber for a few weeks and I am trying to minimize any twisting of the knee. Things are appreciably improved but the area around the tears is still very sore with light pressure massage to facilitate blood flow.
Just found out I have a meniscus tear. This is good to know. Nonsurgical consult next week.
Thank you so much for this video. I really wish I'd seen this information before having partial meniscus removal 2.5 years ago. That said, I believe my tear might have fallen into the Acute category given that the pain was nearly intolerable and not diminishing during the couple of weeks between injury and surgery. I was desperate and leaped at surgery to find relief. Generally, I've done ok post-surgery, but have certainly not gotten back to where I was with my lower body strength and confidence in activities. Since then, my other knee has been problematic with symptoms mimicking those I had in the injured knee in the months/years prior to the acute tear. A few months ago I had three rounds of PRP injections in both knees as I was routinely having more bad days than good days and it was affecting my overall fitness and quality of life. I can say that after those injections, I now have more good days than bad days, but still have enough occasional pain to limit that active lifestyle I once enjoyed (running, hiking, walking the dog, etc.). And much of the problem with all of this is that I'm constantly in fear of causing another incredibly painful injury in my non-surgery knee, which limits me perhaps more than the physical symptom itself (pain). The acute injury leading to my surgery, I suppose, traumatized me to an extent and it's difficult to feel safe doing anything too active with my legs, especially when pain is present. For example, I don't dare to strike off on a hike in the woods because I fear that any pain I'm feeling is going to turn into another acute event and I'll be stuck dragging myself home. Fear is a terribly limiting thing and at 57 I feel WAY too young to not be as active as I always was before the injury & surgery.
Given the positive results with PRP, I'm inclined to do a 4th and maybe even 5th round of injections, however, with insurance not yet covering it, it has been a very expensive path ($3000 so far out of pocket for 3 rounds).
I'm sharing all of this for two reasons: First, maybe something in my experience will help someone else as they consider options. And second, I'd like to know if you have any insight regarding a timeline for insurance companies to start covering PRP Therapy. Thank you again for a really terrific and helpful video!
Thanks for sharing your experience!
WOW!!! I'm on Social Security because I'm retired, I couldn't afford that out of pocket:-(
Be more concerned with encountering bear or mountain lion. Sure to tore it there and then and its not like healthy knees would give you running chance with bear anyway.
related to steve/
Your deserve the best man ,Thank you I was going for surgery but I started to change my mind
Glad you found the info helpful, thanks for your comment!
Dear Doctor, Im impressed by the video. I have Medial Meniscus Tear grade 3 for both the knees since 2 months and had physiotherapy for this 2 months and no i took MRI again and the torn was not heal. result is the same even taking bedrest and physiotherapy. Personally i'm a software professional and i don't wanted to opt for surgery. Mentally im becoming very sick and cant concentrate on anything. Could you please suggest me the best ways to recover Meniscus tear. This is the question from a million people and would be really helpful. Please answer this. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately I cannot give medical advice over the internet. Please seek the advice of your trusted health care provider. Best of luck!
Try some comfrey salve to relieve pain, complete bone tissue supplement, Near red infared red light therapy, fix hips, seriously check out corexcell pt, walk backwards safely to strengthen vmo muscle, hope this helps !!! Be patient! GOD BLESS
@@jonathanmora4458 where can I get this medicine?? Im from India
Bro I m also from India. How are you feeling now? Can we connect?@@venkateshmammula4146
Addition, this was the best video yet. Im going strengthen it instead of surgery, im on a good gym plan now. FOI in FL dumb
Thankyou for the clear explanation in your videos. I wish that all this research was available back in 2009 when I had a bucket handle meniscus tear from doing yoga! I was in my early thirties and was advised to do the arthroscopic surgery to remove some of the meniscus so that I can straighten my injured leg. After the initial swelling had gone down, I wasn’t in any pain at all, just couldn’t straighten my injured leg. I wish that my surgeon had pursued repair rather than removal. If my tear was not degenerative, would I have been better off leaving it alone and just try excercise only for treatment? That’s what I wonder now that I’ve developed osteoarthritis. Maybe your next video can be about what those of us with subsequent osteoarthritis after meniscus surgery can do to improve our situation? Great video, appreciate it!
Thanks for commenting! Hind sight is always 20/20. You and your docs did the best with the information you had at that time and who knows, maybe you would still have ended up needing surgery. Regardless, if you have osteoarthritis, the treatment is the same whether it was a downstream consequence of a necessary surgery or age related wear and tear.
@@JeffreyPengMD Thanks Doc!
Dr. Johan Bellemans has video about exercise for when arthritis sets in.
@@ivanmatusic5540 Thankyou. Will check it out!
I have the same thing from doing yoga. Who knew I could get this injured. My left knee has been swollen for 5 weeks. MRI shows a medial meniscus tear...and worn down acl. Bone on bone behind knee cap. I'm going for prp injections and praying this will help. I have pain, swelling and need a cane to walk now.
Most excellent video. Contains solid info, including a bit of history,
But of current.
Excellent presentation
Of solid info.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’m a bodybuilder (steroid free) and have been noticing osteoarthritis problems in both knees after leg days. What can I do to resolve the issues and reduce the pain. I’m currently taking joint supplements and collagen. I have also experimented with peptides like bpc157 and TB500 and had positive results from them. Any other advice would be helpful to keep me moving the weights and slowly increasing my strength. I’m 42 years old so got some hard miles on me by now but not ready to stop the heavy weights
My mom was 65 when she got meniscus tear. She got arthroscopy in 2013 to remove debris in her knee joint. Doctor said then, it will not remove the pain completely… 10 years passed, my mom feels bad knee pain all these years, limping and nights of bad sleep… no improvement! She got already hyaluronic acid injections which help only a little bit for a short period of time…
How to treat without surgery starts at 7:50
Thanks!
This information was very informative and helpful.
Thank you so much.
Excellent video, both your presentation and from a medical perspective. I'm glad to live in this age with a conservative approach to meniscus tears. It helps me to stay motivated to do my daily exercises. Thanx.
Thanks for your comment! Good luck!
This is a great informative video... Im 99% sure I've torn mine, but I see my doctor next week. Ill be getting an MRI, but thanks to this video, I can make an informed decision for any conditions noted.
Thank you for this amazing video. I'm 38. Had my ACL reconstruction surgery 3 years back. Been playing intense Badminton. My knee got locked with sharp pain 6 months back. MRI pointed to meniscus tears. I didn't really have an injury so I don't know if it's acute or degenerative tear. Did physical therapy, got back to badminton but again knee got locked causing great pain. Now I'm not playing and the knee is fine, but I badly want to get back to intense badminton. Can a person like me at 38 with mechanical symptoms do physical therapy and still get back to intense sports?
Most likely yes. Not all locked knee = meniscus. Consider myofascial trigger points within the medial or lateral heads of the gastrocnemius
@@JeffreyPengMD Thank you so much for the advice, Doctor.
Thank you for the research summaries. Very helpful!
Surprised they can’t install some type of rubber in place of the meniscus
Maybe one day...!
Hello Doctor, you focused on the meniscus in arthritis. However, for meniscus injuries or tears caused by sports injuries or trauma, is your opinion also not to have surgery?
I want to continue boxing or intense exercise.
I had meniscus surgery...right after I had it, met two people who said they did not have surgery and got 100% better. They were perfectly fine...I felt so lame. I don't think I needed the surgery now, 10 years later. The surgery itself was trauma inducing when they blow your knee up with water like a giant water balloon.
You're not alone. Many patients have told me the same thing. But hindsight is always 20/20!
But how long we need to wait for idle to become better
@@seeni2005 the people I spoke with told me they gradually got better and then 100% between 6 months to 1 year. This is about the time to fully recover from surgery too! There’s not a lot of blood supply at the meniscus, so healing is much slower than other parts of the body that have a high blood supply.
I’m going on 5 months post operatively for partial menisectomy (posterior horn right medial meniscus). I’m in a lot of pain. Is there still hope for me if I do vigorous PT? Or is the way I’m going to end up?
@@kidneymd1962 Sorry to hear, man. My doctor told me I need PT to build up the muscles due to atrophy. The stronger muscles pulled everything into alignment (ie: made my knee cap or patella track correctly. All I had to do is ride my bicycle until my knee leg got stronger. It took about 6-months to feel very good and 1 full year to be 100%. You shouldn't be in a lot of pain 5 mo's post op.
Thank you for this honest video.
Glad it was helpful!
I am 64 years old. Tore my medial meniscus 2.5 years ago sprinting up a muddy hill. I work out with an outdoor bootcamp group. Xray and MRI showed both knees are close to bone on bone on the medial side. It has taken me 2.5 years to where i can finally run without pain, I used both a rowing machine and Jacob's ladder. Finally learned that I had to back of and give just the right amount of pressure. Also, had one PRP injection which was a BIG help.
Thanks for sharing!
What is a PRP INJECTION
A platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is an orthopedic therapy that uses a patient's platelets to accelerate the healing of damaged joints, ligaments, tendons, or muscles. Your plasma contains proteins that help your blood clot as well as support cell growth.
Got a compound tear in the middle of my medial meniscus. Flapped under in two directions front and back. I think I need the surgery even though I really didn’t want it. This video was quite helpful though in decision making.
Injured my knee 5 wks. ago. Had a MRI yesterday and was diagnosed w/a medial meniscus tear and a Baker's Cyst. Very painful and when I lay my leg flat it hurts constantly. I cannot sleep, a pillow does no good. An x-ray showed no arthritis & a ultrasound showed no blood clots. My ortho says I do not need surgery. I don't know the degree of the tear, yet. I'm in a terrible mess as every step is painful still. I'm in a brace, compression, physical therapy, Nsaids, RICE. I want this behind me. I enjoyed the video. Thxs
Thanks for commenting!
@@JeffreyPengMD My DR called me last night. I have a significant meniscus tear, the Baker's Cyst has a sm leak and is in a unnatural position, and he told me I also have a bone bruise. Also swelling & fluid in the knee. He said my knee was in a terrible mess. Not what I wanted to hear. He did mention surgery. It will be a long haul for me. Thxs for coming back.
What did they do about your bakers cyst? Remove? Drain?
I have the same thing
I just had my MRI two days ago
Haven’t met with the dr to discuss options yet
@@mrindependent1 It was a moderate size, so not sm. but, I guess it eventually went away,, I had the meniscectomy. It is so painful. I injured my other knee 10 mos. later. This time a meniscus root tear, & I got a stress fracture, bone edema, I a sm. Baker's cyst. Usually once the ortho fixes the initial problem it resolves itself.
I had my first meniscus problem 8 years ago. After 4 years, it popped again... I didn't seek no help. 4 months ago it popped again and last week, again but this time it was the worst of all 4 times. My knee is locked in and I finally decided to get MRI. It was medial meniscus and it does have a little flap hanging over in which is preventing me from fully stretching my knee. I will see a surgeon tmrw because I can't deal with this any more. I done physical therapy but this problem keeps chasing me
After watching this video today, I really regret for having a meniscus surgery three days ago. Due to pain and left knee limping I was desperate to have it fix. The orthopedic doctor recommends arthroscopic surgery. Here I am on my bed recovering after my knee surgery and now going through RUclips and found Dr. Peng!!. I should have studied and watch more videos before going through surgery. My only hopes now is I will have a pain free knee in the future.
Hello, would you mind telling me how your knee is now? I have a meniscus tear and the doctor told me that I should start physiotherapy so I do not need surgery, but I am still worried and want to know more about the surgery in case I need one. I hope you are feeling better now!
I have a torn medial meniscus and had grade 1 to 2 pain. My knee cap moved and clicked when I bike. My Orthopedic doctor recommended surgery if I want to play basketball again. I almost did it until I got 2nd opinion. The doctor told me exactly this. After months of knee strengthening exercises, I have been playing basketball this year without pain. Medial tear is difficult to heal but not impossible. You just need patience.
How long weren't u able to put weight on leg.
This is a great video focusing on best treatment for degenerative meniscus tears, the emphasis being on modern practise backed up with some research evidence. For many this is the future of meniscus tear treatment & fortunately the days of unwelcome anthroscopies & meniscus removal are now being ended.
👏
Over a year ago, I had an acute onset of what was chronic degenerative lateral and medial meniscus tears (MRI). I was first scheduled for surgery in July; however, after a successful trip to Europe, where I walked ~6 miles a day, I decided to give it some time. As a runner, I chose to take up personal training from a strengthening coach and do a slow-running recovery plan on the treadmill. While I had decent results, after 6 months, I had plateaued. Anytime I tried to run on the road, the pain would hobble me for a couple of days. Treadmill 5ks were fine, but anything other than that was a no-go. So, my surgery to clean up the meniscus was last Wednesday. I'm nervous but optimistic. I agree that the use of knives and scalpels should be a last resort. That said, I'm not ready to stop running yet, so worth the risk.
Yes, I had similar experience, but I'm glad that I had that arthroscopic procedure to clean the knee. It's three months and the pain has subsided significantly
Hello doctor
Myself umar from Coimbatore, Tamilnadu , I have a meniscus bucket handle tear in 2021 September and underwent a Meniscal repair in the same month , but yesterday I had a locking of Knee while getting up from ground and today went for an MRI and found out that the meniscus tore again - bucket handle tear . Sending you both the reports now , let me know what should be done now . Thanks
Dr. Peng, in your opinion, do you think acupuncture also a good option to treat meniscus tear? I am debating whether I should go with that or physical therapy.
Both work well in my experience but they don't heal the problem cause is inside.
Thanks dr. Jeffrey I'm having problems with my meniscus now I strained it real bad and it's been 2 weeks but it's the swelling starting to go down and I'll be able to move my knee now thanks a lot for your program I appreciate it
Very helpful information. I have a diagnosis of tear, but I want to avoid surgery altogether.