Torn Meniscus and Riding

[chixwithtrix]

I've been riding for a year now and just started running buoys on my SXR. Doing great and starting to get in shape, only problem now is my right knee seems to be weak. I had a torn meniscus and cycst removed back in 2009.

From my GoPro I can see my body position is worse turning right and I have issues with the ski sliding out that direction as well. The trouble is with my knee holding the Gs that direction.

Figured I'd ask some seasoned riders here, are there any workouts or therapy that would help and be more ski specific. Not sure if I want to wear a knee brace...but maybe that is the answer.

 

[Quinc]

Squats and deadlifts. However, start light and be mindful of knee position; you know find a good personal trainer to learn proper technique. Surprisingly crossfit gyms have some great trainers when it comes to compound movements and olympic style lifting so start there. (finding a PT, not actually joining an x-fit gym.)

 

[chixwithtrix]

Awesome, appreciate the reply. I hope to be hitting the gym soon, will have to take it easy for sure.

 

[Fro Diesel]

Your knee is not weak, its your quads and gluts that are weak. Also, be careful not to be misdiagnosed when its truely just an IT band issue. A tight spot due to overuse/weak surrounding muscular structure. Spend some time with a deep tissue rollerball on your thighs and you might just find that knee pain disappear.

 

[Just4Fun]

Don't be scared to join a crossfit gym cause of the bad reviews, there's good gyms and bad ones like anything else.
I was lucky to find a great gym been going for 2+years 0 injurys. The workouts are very jet ski oriented. Some days we lift heavy, other days are a lot more cardio. As for your knee get a professional opinion a knee brace might be the ticket..
+1 on the roller ball, foam rolling also does wonders

 

[Vumad]

Don't ask the internet. Find a physiotherapist or similar. By similar I mean a chiropractor, physical therapist, personal trainer, etc. Someone who can reliable evaluate you ROM, balance, etc. I probably could have avoided a significant injury if I had realized my warning signs were not my IT band, which I truly did think it was my IT band at the time.

You can check some things on your boat. Imbalances in the machine can affect turning. My SXR wouldn't turn right because it came with a blowsion front exhaust and the outlet cover caused drag. Removing the cover resolved the problem. My Superjet wouldn't turn left, so I put a weight plate under my pipe which balanced out the battery and the ski would then lean left and carve.

 

[chixwithtrix]

Thanks for the replies. I'd rather not join a crossfit gym, if anything I'd love to learn a martial art/MMA. But I barely get time to jet ski much less join a gym, plus I'm a chick and a regular gym is bad enough around here.

I also had a back surgery in 2011 so working out is always a special case with me. They had to remove some of my cartilage in my knee and I've always felt a 'pinch' and weak since the surgery. Whole helluva lot better than before the surgery, but only so much could be salvaged.

I try 40lb squats now focusing on form and being smooth. The knee takes it, but I almost feel like it loses strenth 3/4 of the way up.

 

[chixwithtrix]

I ask the web because you get a whole lot of different experiences without bias.

I was 19 when I had my knee surgery and after two wrong doctor diagnoses for that. Lived with it for years, PT, medicine, xrays. Three wong diagnoses for my back before that surgery. I have a distrust for a doctor's single opinion. Mostly because of my age and trying to throw medicine at the problem.

 

[Vumad]

Thanks for the replies. I'd rather not join a crossfit gym, if anything I'd love to learn a martial art/MMA. But I barely get time to jet ski much less join a gym, plus I'm a chick and a regular gym is bad enough around here.

I also had a back surgery in 2011 so working out is always a special case with me. They had to remove some of my cartilage in my knee and I've always felt a 'pinch' and weak since the surgery. Whole helluva lot better than before the surgery, but only so much could be salvaged.

I try 40lb squats now focusing on form and being smooth. The knee takes it, but I almost feel like it loses strenth 3/4 of the way up.

I ask the web because you get a whole lot of different experiences without bias.

I was 19 when I had my knee surgery and after two wrong doctor diagnoses for that. Lived with it for years, PT, medicine, xrays. Three wong diagnoses for my back before that surgery. I have a distrust for a doctor's single opinion. Mostly because of my age and trying to throw medicine at the problem.

The back is a major component you left out of your initial post. That is why I say to find someone skilled to evaluate you.

This is a dermatome chart. You did not specify what portion of you back you had surgery on. You can see from this chart that your L3, L4 and L5 innervate the region of your knee. It is possible that the two injuries are related. The knee weakness could have been due to low innervation of the region, resulting in instability and injury of the knee, which destabilized the back further. Lots of people live with herniations and have no idea until they become even more stable. I'm speculating, so is everyone else, which is why I'm suggesting you see a specialist that can evaluate you. Even just once to know where your issues are is enough.

 

[chixwithtrix]

True, I just highly dislike doctors. Usually just take my money and time and nothing gets solved. I get chiropractic work every once in a while, great to get realigned and probably due. I understand I probably just haven't found the right doc yet. I'd like to try some Airrosti.

It was a herniation at L5 S1, surgery was when I was 24. I have scoliosis too, I'm a while bag of bolts hahah.

 

[Scorn800]

I rode with a torn meniscus for 4 seasons. I had my doctor prescrible a brace. I finally blew out my acl snowmobiling and had surgery. They removed 30% of my meniscus and did my acl at same time. I couldn't ride for 5 months.

 

[chixwithtrix]

The back is a major component you left out of your initial post. That is why I say to find someone skilled to evaluate you.

This is a dermatome chart. You did not specify what portion of you back you had surgery on. You can see from this chart that your L3, L4 and L5 innervate the region of your knee. It is possible that the two injuries are related. The knee weakness could have been due to low innervation of the region, resulting in instability and injury of the knee, which destabilized the back further. Lots of people live with herniations and have no idea until they become even more stable. I'm speculating, so is everyone else, which is why I'm suggesting you see a specialist that can evaluate you. Even just once to know where your issues are is enough.

Just wanted to add to my previous post now that I'm not on my phone.

I doubt the two injuries are related, the pain in my right knee started in my early teens and didn't get addressed by surgery with the full-on meniscus tear until I was 19. It was most likely caused by overuse when I was in year-round swimming since elementary and then varsity swimming in high school.

Back surgery probably related to poor posture, the scoliosis and MX dirt bikes in my early 20s. That chart is very helpful thank you! My current right knee weakness could be related to the scoliosis too...but I don't think it would directly be related to the L5 S1 herniation since that was unilateral down my left leg.

But as you said it is all speculation. However I do think this thread is helpful, I've been mis-diagnosed to the point of having a useless surgery and missing one breast. So I am quite jaded when it comes to health and doctors and want to be very prepared before I step foot in a doctor's office. Not that I don't believe in it though, I've had great success with acupuncture and chiropractic. PT not so much and I go through primary care physicians like water. Though both my knee and back surgery increased my quality of life so I am thankful for that.

The knee weakness I decided to make this thread about is a recent occurrence though. Most likely because I just started running buoys and getting serious about my riding. I appreciate the input and welcome more before I figure out what medical direction to go.

 

[Vumad]

Just wanted to add to my previous post now that I'm not on my phone.

I doubt the two injuries are related, the pain in my right knee started in my early teens and didn't get addressed by surgery with the full-on meniscus tear until I was 19. It was most likely caused by overuse when I was in year-round swimming since elementary and then varsity swimming in high school.

Back surgery probably related to poor posture, the scoliosis and MX dirt bikes in my early 20s. That chart is very helpful thank you! My current right knee weakness could be related to the scoliosis too...but I don't think it would directly be related to the L5 S1 herniation since that was unilateral down my left leg.

But as you said it is all speculation. However I do think this thread is helpful, I've been mis-diagnosed to the point of having a useless surgery and missing one breast. So I am quite jaded when it comes to health and doctors and want to be very prepared before I step foot in a doctor's office. Not that I don't believe in it though, I've had great success with acupuncture and chiropractic. PT not so much and I go through primary care physicians like water. Though both my knee and back surgery increased my quality of life so I am thankful for that.

The knee weakness I decided to make this thread about is a recent occurrence though. Most likely because I just started running buoys and getting serious about my riding. I appreciate the input and welcome more before I figure out what medical direction to go.

Unilateral pain or weakness does not rule out spinal issues. You could very likely be having neurological issues affecting your legs. People will tell you that you are the master of your own body but that is not completely true especially when discussing neurological complaints.

My personal experience started with pain in my lateral left knee. I thought it was it band syndrome and spent a while working on that. Then I ventured down the piriformis route. I worked on my hip flexors and etc. I have a pretty good medical background and ability to decider research.

All of my problems have been unilateral. I have other contributing old injuries as you do.

Stand ups are extremely harsh on the back. Especially when racing. My true injury occurred when I was practicing 3 days a week. I thought it was my leg etc and kept pushing through, only to find out it was my L5. It's been 2 years and I'm not 100% but am improving.

Sorry to hear about your negative experiences. Shop doctors like you shop for a car. Evaluate if they are knowledgable or bull poop. I've been involved with about 5 until I found one I trust to do a good assessment.

 

[chixwithtrix]

Well I have been to two appointments in the last week for Airrosti spine care and I have to say not impressed for how much it costs.

To be fair it does work, but not for long enough and not for $300 out of pocket with insurance.

I had a race last Sunday and my knee did fine. I have been doing squats and lunges in addition to riding at least once a week. I'm seeing inprovement and that is promising.

Sadly I'm dealing with new (old) issues and I think I may have a few buldging disks in my upper back. Right arm is starting to go numb and be weak at times. Airrosti has been focusing on that, but all the PT is making it flare up. Time to go see an actual chiropractor I guess.

Thanks for the input thus far, at least strengthening my knee area and legs has been fairly successful.

 

[Quinc]

Best body work I have had done was by a rolfer. Might take you a couple to find a good one though. Went from not being able to lift my arm above my head to benching 405 again after a month. Doctor wanted to give me shoulder surgery even after a cortisone shot to the shoulder did nothing for me. Rolfer figured out after 5 minutes of looking at me that my scapular and lat was the cause of the pain and fixed it.


https://memberleap.com/members/directory/search_rolf_FAR.php

 

[chixwithtrix]

That looks promising, I will do some more research. It looks very similar to what they've been doing at Airrosti. A lot of soft tissue manipulation and some PT. The roller ball has been amazing. I regained a ton of motion in my 'locked' shoulder, but at $100 ish an appointment...eh I've had better luck with a chiropractor.

 

[Quinc]

That looks promising, I will do some more research. It looks very similar to what they've been doing at Airrosti. A lot of soft tissue manipulation and some PT. The roller ball has been amazing. I regained a ton of motion in my 'locked' shoulder, but at $100 ish an appointment...eh I've had better luck with a chiropractor.

Like I said keep looking until you find the right person. Rather you have back or shoulder pain they should be evaluating you as whole and starting at your feet and working there way up. making sure that your toes are pointed straight, your knees are straight, your hips are aligned, your shoulders are aligned, your joints have full range of motion etc etc.

 

[chixwithtrix]

Yes, that would be nice...I had a chiropractor that kind of did that. I have scoliosis so my everything is crooked and tweaked.