Meniscus Transplant Patient Story - Gymnast 1-year post-op
I was a competitive gymnast for 15 years in high school. I was doing a floor routine and doing a tumbling pass, and I landed a little funny, and tore my ACL and my meniscus. Had a surgery after that and had my meniscus repaired. Had since then had several meniscus repairs ... I think four and counting now.
The doctors told me that I would have this ongoing history of having knee issues, and that it was always going to be a problem, and that I should probably plan to have a knee replacement early in life. That didn't really sit very well with me. I had several surgeries afterwards to see if I could make my knee a little bit better, but they were all just scratching the surface and really didn't make a big dent in allowing me to do the activities that I wanted to.
I would love to stay active for the rest of my life. Playing sports, and biking, and rock climbing are really things that energize me. It was just a little depressing to think that I wouldn't be able to do those things, and I didn't want to settle for the fact that I have a couch potato lifestyle.
I thought I was too young for a knee replacement at 27 years-old, so started doing some research. Heard about meniscus transplants. Went to a couple of doctors. They made me feel like I was going to be kind of a guinea pig for the procedure. Came here to the Stone Clinic and talked with Dr. Stone, and he told me that if I went through with the procedure of the meniscus transplant that I would be able to do all the activities that I wanted to do, and it would preserve my knee for the future and any activities that I wanted to do with that. I went ahead and did the meniscus transplant.
I'm a year post-op now. Since then, everything's been really good. I've picked up rock climbing. Just in my first bike race about two weeks ago. I haven't been able to bike in the last 10 years prior to my meniscus transplant. With the meniscus transplant, it felt great. I never even once thought about my knee. I never iced it. It's been several months since I've iced my knee, which is something that I used to do on a daily basis after any type of activity. It's like I have a brand new knee.
The doctors and the integrated system that the Stone Clinic has here has been really tremendous. Top-notch compared to all the other physical therapy and surgical centers that I've been to in the past. The Stone Clinic is amazing. They've been there for me 100% of the time. I had a small hiccup right after my surgery, and they were there with me the day before Thanksgiving going into surgery, and helping me get through kind of some of the bumps in the road. Just nothing but great things here at the Stone Clinic.
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Our patient was a competitive gymnast for 15 years and unfortunately tore her ACL and meniscus during a floor routine. Since then, she has had a multiple surgeries to repair her meniscus. Doctors told her it would be an ongoing issue and she should plan to have a total knee replacement early in life.
She wanted to stay active playing sports, hiking, and rock climbing and it was depressing for her to think about a life without these activities. After reading about meniscus transplants she went to talk to various doctors who made her feel as though she would be a guinea pig for the procedure. After finding The Stone Clinic, Dr. Stone reassured her that the transplant would allow her to return to her active life. One year later she was back rock climbing and participated in her first bike race (after not being able to bike for 10 years prior to the procedure). She says, "It's like I have a brand new knee."
