So I got it done! The knee problem that has been plaguing me (for 12 months) has been fixed. Now just a few weeks of rehab and voila! Well thats the plan anyway. Here is a picture of my lovely bandage and compression tight to stop DVT.
The medial plica is the capsule or sheath that surrounds the knee joint. It is not needed in the knee but is left over from birth. Due to my week knee stability and leg shape (knock- kneed), I have placed far too much wear on the inside of my knee, causing it to thicken. The surgeon described a normal plica like a sheet on grease- proof paper. Mine was described as a guitar string! See a deeper analysis of what caused it on http://kingbikefit.blogspot.com/2010/09/fitting-for-younger-rider-my-experience.html
I kept myself entertained with computer games. Man I have forgotten how addictive they are, especially Empire Total War! I am pretty much couch bound for a week, so I will be doing lots of blog work etc. keep looking for updates.
Here is a picture of the guilty race that was the last straw for my deconditioned knee (Junior tour of Wales August 30th 2009). This was the stage up to Llangandyr. God I wish I was there again though, I've come over all nostalgic....
Here's the video, look away if your squeamish!
Medial Plica removal from Sandy King on Vimeo.
Cool blog Sandy, Just found it. I'll pop back. Hope all's well with the knee!
ReplyDeletePaul
(Bill Nickson Cycles RT)
hi Sandy, had my medial plica removed on Tuesday - "very big and inflammed" was the OS's words. Spring marathon still a posibility, I'm hoping. How was your recovery?
ReplyDeletecheers, Nick
I had my medial plica removed a couple of years ago, in addition to repairing 2 tears. It made a difference but the knee still has "issues".
ReplyDeleteWhat was the outcome? How does the knee feel?
ReplyDelete3 months on, the knee is now much better. Still having a few related niggles due to the surrounding muscles being a little weak- tight IT band, achy achilles but nothing major. There is no significant difference in muscle development between the legs- have yet to do a real test comparing r/l power though.
ReplyDeleteBeen very happy with recovery. I have been fairly diligent with off the bike exercises. I am racing back to my previous level if not better. Left leg feels slightly weak compared to right when flat out, but no suprise.
What treatment did you try before the surgery? Did anything help besides the surgery? I'm approaching month 12 of an inflamed plica and I'm really missing my old activities. I don't have pain but I have constant swelling. How's your knee now? Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteHi, I tried everything before surgery. Ultrasound, 6 months of physio doing every exercise known to man. I also tried resting it for 1 month, but nothing worked. I think that mine was 'thickened' rather than 'inflamed', meaning that it was never going to become smaller without surgery.
ReplyDeleteKnee is fine now. I am currently in Spain racing twice a week- so no issues! Left glute is still slightly weaker, but I'm talking about coming into hour 4 of a race, so no big issue.
Good Luck
Wow! That's an encouraging story. Thanks for sharing. I also apparently have a "thickened" plica, so maybe I'm fighting an uphill battle. I tried physical therapy for @ 6+ months, acupuncture, muscle activation therapy, and chiropractic care (x-friction massage, active release)...but I still swell after 30 minutes of walking, biking, or running. Not fun. If you don't mind, could you please let me know which surgeon you used? I've heard of a bunch of unsuccessful plica surgeries and I'd hate to get worse when I'm not even in any pain. Thanks and best luck with your continued recovery!! And enjoy Spain! That's where I seem to have pissed off my plica while biking - but it was so beautiful there!
ReplyDeleteHi, the surgeon I used is excellent. His name is andrew unwin and he works at the windsor knee clinic.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck!
Glad to hear a success story for plica removal! I had mine removed Feb 15th after a year and a half of conservative treatments. I was off the leg for 2 weeks, crutches for a week, then full weight bearing after that.
ReplyDeleteSix weeks out now and I can walk normal, work the elliptical for 30 min a day too.
Hopefully I'll be running again by week 8!
Here's my recovery journal if you're interested:
http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?topic=55265.0
Hey Sandy,
ReplyDeleteI have had the same medial knee pain/quadricep tendon popping sensation you described in my right knee for just over a year now. Like you I've tried all of the conservative treatments I could find (physio, rest, ice, prolotherapy, etc). Although I have all of the symptoms of a thickened plica, my doctors are unsure if that is in fact the cause of my knee pain because I've gotten both x-rays and mri's done and both have come back normal. I am currently on a wait list to see a surgeon for arthroscopic surgery (however the wait times in canada can be extremely long, like 6 months to a year).
Anyway, I was just wondering if you had an mri done on your knee and if it helped at all to make the thickened plica diagnosis, or if it came back negative and the diagnosis was made through process of elimination or physical exam? I've read that mri's are not very helpful in diagnosing plica.
Also, did your surgeon find any cartilage damage caused by your thickened plica during your surgery? I've heard plica can cause cartilage damage, hopefully you were lucky and avoided that however. Fear of cartilage damage is the main reason I am wanting to get the surgery, and my symptoms are very similar to what yours were, so hearing that your cartilage was fine would help ease my worries.
Glad to hear your surgery went great and that your back racing again. Hopefully mine will go just as smoothly.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteDid have an MRI but ultrasound would be more useful and definitive.
I had no cartilage damage in the knee
Good Luck!
Sandy
just had the same procedure done yesterday for the same reason...hope to be back racing soon! Like you I tried every sort of treatment known to man, including a month off the bike. I was able to race and train through it once the weather improved (60+ degrees) but once it got cold again it came right back. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI had plica removed 12 months ago and I am much worse then before.
ReplyDeleteMy old pain was over but the damage made by the surgery with scar tissue
and a sensation of high sensitivity in the area is much worse. Can't walk much, running is impossible, only slowly and less than 5 minutes.
If I were a sport professional my carrer would be over.
I was misdiagnosed with meniscus, nobody mentioned plica. If I was told
was plica I would have done more research and not go to arthroscopy.
Just had mine done. They thought it was a meniscal tear until they got inside. I was told I could start walking on it the same day. After reading all these comments, wonder if that's too aggressive?
ReplyDelete