[pct-l] knee injured, a little advice?

[Reinhold Metzger]

It really sounds like a torn meniscus. Even the soccer injury you 
described results in a torn meniscus. Good news first : doctors are 
reluctant to operate on those now unless the patient complains a lot. No 
physical therapy is even required. So healing will be cheap for your 
injury. Now for the bad news: It will take at least 6 months to heal or 
longer. I would forget about hiking unless a late section hike. If your 
meniscus tore on the outside, it will heal faster as it has access to 
more blood supply. A tear to the inside has very little blood to help it 
heal. Oblique or horizontal tears can slice off a piece... I am assuming 
you are poor... the reason a meniscus takes so long to heal is cuz it 
doesn't have a good blood supply. A broken leg is generally a more 
serious injury but it heals faster. Be grateful that a meniscus is 
generally cheaper to heal and does not require medical intervention. You 
would need to pay for an MRI to find out for sure. A doctor will only be 
able to tell you that you have a torn meniscus. I would like you to see 
a doctor but I know what it's like to be poor. To rehab: ride a 
stationary cycle and work up to a regular bike in a month or when the 
acute pain phase is over. Swimming is your only other option. If you are 
young, relax and plan a hike next year. The trail will still be there. 
If you are old, it will take a much longer time to heal. A torn meniscus 
is one of the most common knee injuries. So swim n cycle, 6 months at 
least. Good luck Toga