WC89

Just wondering, anybody else riding with torn cartilage in 1 or both knees? How's it going for you on the bike? I have meniscus tears in both knees (since 2003/2004) from just years of sports (probably from years of softball, football, etc). Never been any swelling, no need for surgery so far. Just have to wear neoprene braces when doing yardwork, shoveling snow, throwing ball w/ my son, etc. Got back into cycling in 2008. I also jump rope 4,5 days per wk (actually it's light impact); no problems w/ knees doing that, believe it or not (don't even have to wear braces to jump)! Fortunately, no major problems riding for fitness twice a week (usually 30-40 miles per wk) all yr on rolling terrain (a few tough hills). I worry that I might be "pushing my luck" sometimes on tough climbs though! At 50 now, just hoping I can ride another 20 yrs without the dreaded loss of cartilage, then faced with the dreaded bone-on-bone problem

gforeman 

My Dr. told me I would need both knees replaced. I started taking Ostio Bi Flex, stopped jogging, and started biking. That was about 4 years ago.

My knee pain is all but gone. I can't do deep knee bends, but I walk and bike pain free. I still jog now every now and then. The Dr. said the change was incredible.

I only do street riding, no off road. Don't want to push my lick with any pounding force. I am biking 400 miles a month.

Good luck!

bigbadwullf

Got lucky. Tore an ACL. I did NOTHING until it was fixed about a month later. I mean I walked on egg shells so as not to tear a cartilage.

DnvrFox

Lots of folks on this forum have had total knee replacements and are doing fine, continuing bicycling (including my wife). I realize that 50 is young for that, but they are making the appliances so they last longer and longer. There are also partial knee replacements as an option.

Something for the future, but you shoud not "dread" as there are options available.

danlikes

01 or 02 I tour my knee up, blew out the ACL, split the meniscus in half and folded it over on itself. Dislocated the knee out of place and split the tibia bone. Went two weeks before surgery and then another three months on crutches. Finally getting it rehabbed back to squatting 500# a year later.

I blew it out on the vacation up near Seattle playing Basketball. Had to drive home to Texas screwed up. Anyway the first rehab I got was on a stationary bicycle. The went on up to bands, then free weights and finally being cleared for full duty and heavy lifting.

I have been hiking and riding off and on ever since then. Nothing competitive as I have been focusing the time on my kids as they went threw the school years. Now as young adults they have started there lives and I have time to pursue my own goals for a while.

Running does not work out real well with out the borg looking CTI brace I have. But cycling is great and the brace was really more for the contact sports & high impact sports. I used to work corrections, play pick up games of ball, used to teach self defense and restraints. More high impact type stuff where a little extra weight was a good thing.

Don’t like being banged up all the time, so I am more into the occasional bang ups of cycling now, and extra weight is a bad thing. 45 years old

RonH

I learned a few years ago that I had 2 tears in my right knee. The clue was having trouble walking downhill. Not sure how long I rode but riding was not a problem. Arthroscopic surgery fixed the problem.
Had the same thing come up last spring with my left knee. Saw the sports med doc (again) in June and had the same surgery in July. I couldn't walk comfortably before the surgery but I could ride all day.
Both times I was off the bike and on the trainer (for PT) for 3-4 weeks before the doc let me back out on the road.

trek330

Torn acl and miniscus.I bike, weather permitting, about 120 miles a week.I'm 56.

shawshank

I am 59 and rode for 2 years with a torn meniscus without any problems. I did have arthro surgery last March, hiking was getting too painful, and rode 3500 miles between April and October. I spin a high cadence at all times which I think helps my knees a lot. I also do some bike touring with full pack (50 lbs) and don't have any problems.

Yo Spiff

Tore my left meniscus in 2003. Other than a minor cracking noise when I've been kneeling or crouching a long time, it doesn't bother me anymore. At least it doesn't affect my cycling. Had the other kneecap broken into 3 pieces by a car last year. Took some time until I could stand on the pedals again, and it's not nearly as strong as it was, but if I wasn't riding my bike, I doubt it would have improved as much as it has.

I've been taking Glucosamine Chondritin on and off since '03. Not sure if it's really helping or nto, but certainly does not hurt things.

Peter_C

Well, I am a poster boy for knee issues. Nine knee surgeries over the last 30 yrs, with a left TKR with rescission 11/09. ACL and meniscus issues really should be checked over by an Ortho that specializes in knees. "Floaties", or "Flappys" - a cartilage tear - do not repair themselves, or re-attach. By having a 'scope done, 'floaties' can be removed, and 'flappys' can be trimmed. If you have no pain, congrats, but the pain caused by a floatie, or a flappy can be crippling.

The problem with meniscus tears, is they can worsen depending on where, and how large the tear is. I was bone-on-bone since 07, and had no meniscus left. My right knee is only just slightly better, and is in need of a replacement soon. My right hip was replaced this last June, and I was riding my recumbent trike within 5 weeks of the replacement.

Hendricks97

I tore mine back in 89 and never got it fixed. Ive had 4 knee surgeries in 2 1/2 years just to clean up the floating fragments, clip the flaps of tendon, and sand down the bone that keeps getting pitted. When I was 38, the doc told me I have the knees of a 67 year old man and would need replacement within 5 years. Thats what actually got me into biking. I used to be a runner before the surgeries and I cant even walk a mile without pain now, but I can bike forever.

WC89

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR RESPONSES!! It's all a little depressing; nevertheless, I'm compelled to keep plugging away

OKIE_55

I've had both my knees scoped, riding has taken all the pain I had away.

Phil85207

Like others have said and i will concur, I had both mine done and it was a miracle cure. I would have only had one done it I would have had the first one done right away. I waited to long and abused the other knee till I had to get it done too. Good Luck.

Yo Spiff

Ironically, riding the bike is one of the best things for it. Taking Glucosamine-Chondritin supplements is often recommended and may be of some long term help.

Trsnrtr

I've been riding since October with a large tear in the inside meniscus of my left knee. Besides being a large tear, there are numerous smaller tears within the flap. I'm having surgery on 2/21. Anyway, riding doesn't bother it in the slightest which the doctor said that it wouldn't if my cleats are set up properly.

For the record, my tear is in an area that the doc said wouldn't heal on its own and that section of the meniscus needs to be cut away. I have knee locking occasionally during the day when turning sideways and frequently at night when rolling over. Pain goes away in 30-60 seconds. It happened when I slammed the knee against the top tube during a 0 mph fall.