I am supposed to have surgery to repair torn knee cartilege. I am looking for alternatives to surgery. My Dr. is pretty much a surgery guy. I have been doing some research on my own. But I was wonderig if any of you guys have gone through this and have any advice.

Thank you all so much for the input. You have encouraged me to follow my instincts and to explore all options before going with surgery! It was so helpful to read your experiences.

I tore my meniscus and waited 7 months before I had surgery. The initial PT did nothing for me. The post surgery PT was most definitely helpful. My knee is not perfect, but it's better than it was. I think it really comes down to the pain and discomfort you are in. I am only 34 and knew I could not live my life hobbling around. For me it was better to have the surgery. But be prepared for the healing to take a while. If you talk to any football player with a knee injury, they will tell you it takes a full two years to really heal from it. It has been two years and a few months for me. I can finally squat fully, and do most things I used to be able to do. The only thing I can not do is kneel. And while that is a direct result of the surgery or the injury, I don't think it is typical. I think for me, a nerve was nicked during the process.
That's my two cents worth. It's really a personal preference. But I am also in favor of getting second opinions.
--Francie

I have not had knee surgery but anticipate that it might be necessary at some point because I have had problems with at least one knee for many years but luckily discomfort is usually momentary (so far, so good anyhow).

However, I have had a LOT of conversations over the years with people I've worked with and known socially who HAVE had knee surgery. Almost all of them said if they could go back and do it over, they would not have had surgery unless there was absolutely no other options. They said that it just seems that, once you've had one knee surgery, more things keep going wrong with the knee and you need more surgery.

If it were me, I would explore the non-surgical alternatives before making a final decision.

When I tore my ACL I had two orthopedics guys tell me I needed surgery. I really, really didn't want it and ended up getting a third opinion who suggested I had nothing to lose trying PT. If it didn't work the surgery could alway be done later.

I did intensive PT, stuck with my exercise plan and avoided the surgery. I do admit to having some limitations but nothing major and certainly nothing that would send me under the knife.

After five years with two torn meniscus knees, I am happy I didn't have surgery. My ortho guy is a real surgery person also. I got in the pool, and moved the knees the way the PT people suggested I would have to post op. I have swam everyday, (well almost) for all those years and rested, iced, heated it when it erupts from the weather and cold. The last time I was to see the Knee Ortho doc, he told me he wouldn't (that's WOULD NOT) do surgery on either knee because they had come so far in healing because of my efforts both in the pool and in be gentle to them. He then told me that many knees have to be redone in five years, and every five years, because they develope arthritis from the surgery. Before I'd sign on the dotted line, I'd check out alternative methods of dealing with the injury. Surgery might well be your only healing, but why go there if you aren't ready or wanting to...check other methods out. I told my doc when I come crawling in here in pain so bad I can't walk, we'll cut. Good luck, and remember you are the one who owns the knee, you do what is right for you.

Schoolmom,

I agree to talk to a physical therapist about your options, as well as surgeons to avoid, and surgeons to see. When I was in college I worked in a PT office as an office assistant and a PT aide, there are orthos here in the town that I live in now that I would NEVER go to based on what we saw then. There are others that if I had had to have surgery on my knee back then, I would have gone to in a heartbeat!

I just finished physical therapy... I didn't tear my meniscus (sp)... but spent sometime in rehab with a couple of people who did.

I think that they had had surgery and they were progressing just fine.

You might want to talk to a physical therapist. They would be the people to know if there are exercise routines/alternatives to surgery. If I was going to have knee surgery... I'd pull one of the physical therapists aside and ask, "Who would you want to operate on you?"

Different patients recovered faster and better... partly based on who did the surgery... but that was just one factor...

But the PT's did comment occasionally, "Oh yeah, Dr. So and So's patients recover quick because his surgery is GOOD!" or “You can tell, Dr. So and So’s work… the scars are small and he does the least invasive surgeries.”

Best wishes to you!