Problem with my meniscus

Hi Yogini,

Sorry it took me a while to get to this!

My meniscus issue is diagnosed as a small tear and I was advised not to have it operated on (by a sports physiotherapist knee-specialist) until/if and when it becomes more probelmatic.

Funnily enough, due to the positive effect of Bikram yoga on the surrounding muscles, the more Bikram I do, the less bothersome my knee is.

A couple of things:

1. The advice given to me of course is specific to my situation, so may not apply to you – for example, my physio asked if I did any sport/training other than my yoga. As I don’t (ie no running or other heavily knee-dependent activity) he suggested it was not reasonable to operate. He hinted that if I had been keen to do other sports requiring a strong knee, that he would investigate further (I imagine boxing fits into this!).

I also have a good friend who plays sports and she did have an operation (her knee was damaged from years of netball) and she is still active on it. Her recovery is excellent and has helped her get back into her sport, whereas before she could be simply out walking and have her knee collapse under her. Mine is mild by comparison.

2. I DO modify 3 poses (advice from the physio):- Tadasana (tree) I do not fold up my left knee and place the heel into the hip joint, but instead do the more classic tree pose with the sole of the foot against the calf of the other leg.

I do not attempt Padangustasana (toe stand) anymore

Janusirasana (floor head to knee), I leave my left leg straight out instead of tucking it in.

Arda Matsyendrasana (final spine twist) – again I leave my left leg straight out.

I have found these modifications help the knee stay fairy stable while still getting the most of the pose benefits, while minimizing the twisting of the knee (this was the physio’s concern).

My physio did tell me that I had the knees of a 25-yr old (I am 48) which I was happy to hear – and I put that down to the yoga, as I do no other physical activity. I have heard it said before that yoga was originally developed to help young men prepare for long days of meditation – and young male knees can handle a lot more pressure!

Finally, should you choose to be operated on, I can think of no better physiotherapy and rehabilitation than Bikram yoga – I broke my thighbone in 1993 and it wasn’t until I started Bikram in 2000 that all my related issues (balance; groin pains; knee pains etc etc) VANISHED 😉

I hope that helps!

Robert

I’m asking for advice on my knee.

1. I have been told that I’ve most likely have a torn meniscus in my right knee. Haven’t got the MRI yet, but both the doctor and physical therapist (also have a 20% thru-tear in my rotator cuff) are pretty certain that is what it is – inside leg, below the knee.

2. I’m a 52 year old male – athletic my entire life but not necessarily limber. I got into basic yoga about four years ago after tearing my hamstring in a martial arts fighting competition. I tried Bikram and Ashtanga as part of my recovery and really enjoyed them – although as I said, I’m not limber and can’t even get close to performing some of the moves. Nonetheless, I now basically do the Sun Salutation, Triangle and Warrior poses after I work out several times a week.

3. trying to avoid surgery on the knee while being able to play tennis again (i.e., my wife has convinced me that the martial arts fighting is now a memory), is there any specific yoga poses you would recommend to help this problem? I’m assuming they would be focused at strengthening the knee but are there poses that can specifically help the meniscus?

I thank you in advance for any advice you can give. At 52 and about as limber as a rock, I’m testimony that you can enjoy Yoga without being all that good. Again, thanks.

I am thinking through my knee problem and my guess here is that I have a meniscus problem due to my driving–I now have hit the one million mile mark in driving a variety of vans and trucks and if there is something known as “driver’s knee” (I have never looked into it)–I have it.

After about three weeks, I am walking with discomfort–still with the brace and as much as I can without it. There is still plenty of swelling. I stubbornly refuse surgery since it is healing slowly and my Doc seems to agree that surgery is not going to give me a better condition unless I stop making progress.

Of course, Yoga is out and in these short weeks, my body has suffered and the fitness I once had before the “accident” has diminished. I thank Robert for what he has said in this thread to Don. I now worry that I will not be able to do Triangle (which I could actually do fairly well) and some other poses which require some bend in the knee. I understand I will have to start over and take it slowly and build back over time.

I would simply appreciate a pep talk concerning an understanding that healing will occur and I can get back to where I was. I am trying to do some of the poses at home after taking a shower (for example) that do not require my right knee and the gratitude that comes from having an undamaged body has been hammered home. Even Half-Moon is hard since I feel it along the side of my knee as bend over.

Thanks Robert for the inquiry. Things are not great and this is obviously a tough injury. After week 6, I stopped going to the sports doc since all he had left was more stretching exercises. My first trip back to yoga class was OK. My second visit was better and I started stretching more at home as a result. Then–more pain. I iced it a lot, did one more class yesterday that seemed to go OK. But I am concerned. If I can’t get it past a certain point of mobility- I will have to try the surgery. A yoga enthusiast wants me to go “hard” in the Bikram route–a class every day for a week. I just really need a healthy knee. Now, I am coming into week 8 and some say this is still not enough time for a full healing and I am doing OK.

What do you say?

Robert–you are very kind. I will follow your links. I like the hot yoga and it is true that avoiding the poses that cause knee pain–I feel pretty good after class and I don’t know why I should avoid what seems to be a positive experience–do you disagree? If another form of yoga might be more beneficial–let me know what you have in mind.

I must have a full recovery so I can’t take surgery off the table. In fact, I think I need to look into it asap. But I really want to see if I can maintain some consistent improvement.

To answer your question–since the driving has been implicated (after one million miles–I am a tad slow to assess a problem)–I am trying to drive less and when I drive–I will do so with the big medical brace on my knee.

The fact that surgery can be only 70% effective and 30% failure rate with risk of permanent problems–it really has me scared. If a surgeon cannot give me better odds than that–I might never do it. As is, I can walk but I cannot run and the pain is there.

Therefore–do you know anyone who has paid for the $97 book and it actually fixed their problem. Can there really be a medical “secret”–I am skeptical. I’ll try it in desperation if someone can say it might be worthwhile.

I will continue to go the hot yoga–especially if there continues to be some improvement. It feels better after class and then the pain comes back.

Good that I google around, I think I have a lateral meniscus tear on my right knee as a result of twisting too much in certain bikram yoga poses. Should I continue doing yoga or stop for now. There is no swelling on the knee. I can straighten the knee, squat, lunge, walk, climb stair, run without any pain. The only time I feel something is when I touch it. It feels tender to the touch.

Robert, what poses should I modify in addition to those Gabrielle already suggests?

Here is the thread I start.

https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/forum/viewthread/1064/

Thanks for the reply Robert.

I am only suspecting that I have torn meniscus based on the location and symptom I am having. The symptom seems to be a lot different from those I read on the internet. For example, I have no swelling, I can still walk comfortably without any pain. I have no sharp pain, locking, clicking, only tender to touch. Could it be something else?

I will notify my teacher of my injury and modify all poses involve twisting/bending/kicking of the knee.

I just hope that it won’t get worst than it is now.

Hi again,

So it has been a week since my injury. I have done three classes over the weekend. I don’t think it is getting worst, but not getting better either. It still feel sore when I poke at it. Actually I don’t know if it is pain or sore (tenderness).

I told the teacher about my condition, but they didn’t offer much help regarding how to modify poses. They just told me to go easy. So I just follow yours and Gabrielle’s advise. It works fine for most poses while I am not sure on others.

Standing bow – How can I modify this pose? My right knee used to be the strong side and I can kick a lot higher than the left side. Now I am afraid to kick at all.

Floor bow – same thing. I am afraid to kick.

Fixed firm – I am not going all the way down and my knee is much closer than my butt. I am almost sitting on it. It is as if I am doing camel here.

Toe stand – I stop doing it and do another set of Tree instead.

I am quite upset that I have this injury. From what I have read on the internet, this area of the knee will never heal on its own. It will be with me for the rest of my life.