Found out awhile back that I have torn cartilage in my right knee(work related), I’ve had good results from squats but sometimes it gets aggravated when doing them. Was wondering if there was any alternate exercise that you could use to stimulate the legs that was close to the intensity that squats do.
Have any of you ever had torn cartilage and had it scoped out with good results? I’ve read some bad stuff online about it or am i just being to cautious? Some orthopedic surgeons say it could make it worse. What do you think?
I had the exact same thing as you my junior season in college. I tore my medial and lateral meniscus in my reight knee the second meet of the year. Competed and lifted on the knee the rest of the season(3 months). It would get agravated or sore but thats it. You can’t really make it worse…or better (without surgery). I did really well that season despite the knee. I had surgery at the end of the season. They just cut out most of my meniscus. They didn’t feel the need to repair it. I was doing ligth squats EXACTLY one week later. Light as in 135 for 3X10. I pushed it a little fast IMO. I developed problems in my left knee (tendonitis) because I was favoring my right knee. After about a month though I was squatting heavy. 6 months later I squatted 585 ATF with no belt or wraps and power cleaned 385. You’ll do fine after surgery. Remember that ice is your best friend.
I also have had my knee scoped.It was great at first but I did to much to soon.now it aggravates me on a regular basis if I do to much.just listen to the doc and go slow and steady and you will be happy.funny thing is before surgery squats helped my knee but it now the opposite.
Torn my lateral meniscus, had it repaired, tore it again, repaired again.
As justhrowit alluded to, cutting out the meniscus is a far easier process than repairing it. I was back on the field within a month, and that was being cautious.
To work legs before the surgery, deadlifts are a good option, as there is less knee flexion involved. You could also try widening out your stance PL style, as this takes some stress off the knees and puts it on the hips. I found I could squat like this with the injury, but full deep squats were very painful.
Though I didn’t do them at the time, I would think box squats would be suitable, as you can sit back and keep your knee angle greater than 90 degrees.
Is there anything unusual about your knee alignment? I’m fairly knock-kneed, and this contributed to the problem, as there was more load on the lateral meniscus. After the second time, I got an “unloader” brace to change the alignment of the knee. This proved helpful for football and any other running. Don’t know how applicable that is to your situation, but it’s something to think about.
I am in the same boat. My knee has ben bothering me for some time now. It isn’t painfull unless I bend it too far. It hurts and then generally aches for a few days afterwards as well. I have just been going to or just above 90 on the squats, no way I can go ATG. I had the knee checked out twice and finally consented to get the surgery. I go in tomorrow @ 9:00 and I can let you know how it went tomorrow PM or Friday. I am going with the spinal as opposed to having general anesthesia. All of the risks associated with surgery are based on general anesthesia.
Some people are wierded out by a shot in the back and the idea of being paralyzed from the waist down. I saw an interview with a lady that was having stomache surgery and went under general anesthesia but woke up mid surgery. She was paralyzed by the drugs and could not let anyone know she was awake and could feel the whole thing. That is waaaaaay worse than being numb from the waist down.
You can even watch the surgery on a screen if you are interested. Then if you get a little wierded out they can sedate you and you fall asleep. Recovery is also shorter since you just wait for the numbing to wear off and to take a piss, to make sure your kidneys don’t shut down. Good luck.
-Will