Anyone know much about the meniscus in the knee?

[tn94z]

Here's my story. In January, I hurt my knee doing leg extensions. I just assumed it was normal issues with old man joints and just trained through the pain using ibuprofen when it flared up. Well, a couple of months ago, my wife finally talked me into seeing a PT about it. Luckily, I have a friend that is a PT and I worked with him on the issue. From his assessment, he came to the conclusion that it was my meniscus and that he didn't feel it was torn. So we did some rehab and it got better. To the point of training with no pain and even being able to run a 5k.

I then began Muay Thai and had no issues other than the normal tightness and soreness from using muscles in a new way. THEN....I did my first BJJ class and as I walked out of the gym, I noticed it was feeling tight and swollen (this is the feeling I usually got when it flared up). The next few days it got worse again....just like when I initially hurt it. So I foam rolled, stretched, took ibuprofen, etc....and got it better. I did another BJJ class with the same results.

So this week I haven't done BJJ but I have done Muay Thai twice. On Tuesday, I had no issues except for a little soreness as usual. But last night I had a new symptom pop up (literally). As I was stretching for the class, I feel my knee pain come back. I pull my knee sleeve down and there is a knot where my meniscus pain is. So I started messing with it and pushing on it as I squat and I get the knot pushed back in and the pain is gone. Feeling that I am good to go, I head back to the class. As I was working on some combos, I felt the knee pain again. I tried to keep going but I couldn't pivot. Once again, I push on the knot while squatting and work it back in and the pain subsides. I didn't go back to the class this time because I was afraid that I would really mess it up.

Any ideas? Are these symptoms that it is torn and needs surgery? What will stop it from being pushed out? I assume the knot is the meniscus pushing out of the joint. It's not that painful but it is frustrating the HELL out of me!!

[BABY1]

Re: Anyone know much about the meniscus in the knee?

Is the knot big, pea size, hard or soft? I don't know much about the meniscus but knee pain can be referred pain from another area. I would continue to foam roll and especially the IT band cause a tight one can cause knee pain, as well as tight hips can too.

[tn94z]

Re: Anyone know much about the meniscus in the knee?

Is the knot big, pea size, hard or soft? I don't know much about the meniscus but knee pain can be referred pain from another area. I would continue to foam roll and especially the IT band cause a tight one can cause knee pain, as well as tight hips can too.

It's a harder type knot. Bigger than pea size...more like peanut M&M size (leave it to a fatty to reference M&Ms during a medical discussion...haha). I do specific stretches and foam rolling. I have fallen in love with foam rolling. Just on a side note about that....I have been working on flexibility since getting back into martial arts. At the same time, I was only focusing on foam rolling the leg with the knee pain while not worrying about the other. I have noticed a big difference in the flexibility of the leg I foam rolled compared to the non-foam rolled leg. It was a nice little experiment.

I go to see my PT again Monday. I was just curious if anyone else has had this issue and what the outcome was.

[BABY1]

Re: Anyone know much about the meniscus in the knee?

I was thinking you may have developed trigger points but I don't think they would pop out like that?

[rnixon]

I have one miniscus removed in my knee as well as acl reconstruction. It used to pop right out of the joint, that being said they just thought I was full of it and said it was locking up which I believe is what they thought to be caused my the torn miniscus. I would go to a specialist and maybe they will do an MRI or orthoscopic surgery.
I've read in a few places that squats/strong quads will open the gap that the miniscus fills helping with knee pain/problems.

[tn94z]

Re: Anyone know much about the meniscus in the knee?

I have one miniscus removed in my knee as well as acl reconstruction. It used to pop right out of the joint, that being said they just thought I was full of it and said it was locking up which I believe is what they thought to be caused my the torn miniscus. I would go to a specialist and maybe they will do an MRI or orthoscopic surgery.
I've read in a few places that squats/strong quads will open the gap that the miniscus fills helping with knee pain/problems.

I've read that if it's torn, it causes the knee to lock where you can't bend it or straighten it. I haven't run across that issue so I'm hoping that's a sign that it isn't torn. I was trying to get away with not going to a specialist and having to pay for a MRI. I squat regularly (well not the last month, but normally) so maybe that's the issue. This didn't come up again until I haven't been squatting.....

[rnixon]

Ya your in the us where everything costs shit. They can also repair the miniscus if it is not too bad so don't wait to long brother.