Yoga for torn meniscus?

[annabella]

Hi!
I tore my left meniscus this week, went to the doctor today. She says I need to rest for 3 weeks, and massage my knee with warm oil (arnica oil, I'm not sure if it's called arnica in English as well...), and if it doesn't get any better, I need to have surgery.
I wonder if I still can do my yoga. Does anyone have experience with these things? Are there 'healing' yoga poses for torn menisci? Is there anything else I can do to prevent surgery?
I read something about vegan glucosamine, does anyone have experience with it?
Thanks for any response...

[yogaforbliss]

Hi Annabella,

This is a very complex topic and one can go crazy with information overload and varied opinions. One of the best sites for knee problems with personal experiences of people who had surgery (and those who didn't) is KNEEguru - knees, knee pain, knee injury, knee surgery, knee rehabilitation, knee surgeon but as I said the amount of information available there is simply too much to digest. So all I will do is to relate my experience. I want to first say that I could fix my meniscus problem WITHOUT SURGERY after listening exactly to what my Sports medicine doctor and Ortho suggested. These guys know exactly what they are talking about. All you need is some patience and to follow their instructions strictly. Yoga did play a big role in my cure as I an outlining below

I got severe knee pain after I foolishly participated in a competitive tennis tournament. The diagnosis was torn meniscus in my left knee. After an MRI the Ortho (a very senior doctor who did not seem interested in making money off an Arthroscopic surgery) suggested that I do a series of muscle strengthening exercises and if that does not fix the problem, he will do the surgery. I performed these exercises religiousy for around 6 months almost everyday alongwith some asanas (outlined below) and some self Reiki. Now I have NO PAIN in the knee. I can still play tennis after which some little pain re-appears but disappears the next morning.

The focus of exercises for the knee is on STRENGTHENING the quadriceps, inner thigh (adductor), outer thighs (abductor) and hamstrings - basically leg lifts, side lifts, ball press between the legs etc. Your doctor should be able to give you a sheet describing these exercises. Or just search on the internet. These exercises really helped me.

The asanas I did regularly were the folllowing

1) Variation of Janu Sirsaasana without atempting to touch the head to the knee but just grabbing the foot with the opposite hand and pulling back (use a strap if needed)
2) Supta Padangustaasana - this was really beneficial
3) Utthita Trikonaasana
4) Baddha Konasana

In addition I also performed deep ralaxation exercises where I focussed on sending prana to my knee. I also have training in Level 1 Reiki and I used that also on my knee. Everything put together worked for me - I can't say what helped the most but I think Reiki had a major role since it is known that the meniscus had very little blood supply and hence healing there is slow. I believe Reiki helped with the healing of the meniscus injury.

If you have the inclinatation please try the above after consulting with your doctor. Feel free to take pain medication (because we all have a life also we need to live) - I did take them during my therapy.

Best of luck

[yogaforbliss]

... And yes I also took 1000 mg of glucosamine daily for 6 months on the Ortho's suggestion

[Nichole]

Hello Annabella,
Welcome to Yoga Forums. Please use the search function with the keyword, meniscus. You will pull up many posts from Mukunda Stiles, the creator of Structural Yoga Therapy, and the Yoga master for whom this site was originally created. Though it is a different injury than yours, a colleague of mine, Carrie Searles, healed her anterior cruciate injury by addressing the koshas in her treatment. She was able to forgo surgery because of the work that she did. You can find her paper here: Yogatherapycenter.org : : Sharing. I think between Mukunda's advice found here and Carrie's paper, you have a lot to get you started. Please feel free to contact any of us with questions you may have.

I agree that the warm arnica oil massage will be beneficial for your knee. Taking a high-quality glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplement will be beneficial too; start those asap.

Best wishes for your recovery,

[annabella]

Thanks for the replies, they're very usefull! I found the knee guru site very helpfull, as well as the article on the koshas. Are there ayurvedic therapies I can apply myself? I've read the article, but the ACL injury seems to be a pitta/kapha imbalance, while a torn meniscus is more of a vata imbalance (am I right...?)... I'm a vata person myself as well.

I try to rest the knee as much as possible, I massage both knees twice a day with the warming oil, and I started taking the vegan glucosamine / alchemilla as well. I also started visualisation, moving prana to the knee, deep relaxation, pranayama - since I'm not sure which asana's I can or can't do at the moment. I think I'm just a bit scared to try, because I don't want to make it any worse... Which asana's are completly save? Aside from savasana...

[Nichole]

I think what you've listed here sounds great for your healing, especially since it has been just a week since your injury.
I know there are Yoga therapists and Ayurvedic practioners who consider each dhatu to be of a certain dosha, and will treat according to that. I prefer to look at the injury and it's qualities, along with other personal Ayurvedic considerations, when a deciding on care. Is the swelling a concern? then decrease kapha. is there concern over the heat or fever at the point of injury? then decrease pitta. is there trauma or confusion around the injury? then sooth vata. I think it is also important to consider the circumstances of the injury. May I ask how you incurred your injury?

If you feel you are predominately vata, or presently vata provoked, and are also scared to try something out of fear of making your injury worse, then i would try to pacify that vata provocation with more of the same gentle self care and additional rest. Your doc says 3 weeks of rest and you are fearful of causing more damage; I think you have your answer for the time being. No asana is completely safe when done too early or with a rajasic (or vata provoked) mind. I have found that it is best to wait on action while you are still discerning what is beneficial for you. You are doing such wonderful things for your knee and your sweet self already that you really don't need anything more for now.

You didn't mention anything about foods, but our bodies love ojas-building foods such as soaked almonds, dates, honey, kitchari, etc., especially when it is working hard to heal our tissues. Listening to mantra or singing yourself while you make your meal is another way to boost the ojas in your foods.

You are doing a very good job caring for yourself.
Blessings,

[annabella]

Thank you so much for your answers, also for the food-suggestions! I already ate a lot of kitchari, dates, pumkin soup and drank lots and lots of yogi tea. Also, I love kirtan/mantra, so now I sing while preparing my food as well. Are there more food suggestions for injuries?
I tore the meniscus in my left knee a week ago, while I was trying to catch a bus. I was running, think I made a weird move, somehow it felt as if my lower leg was standing still while my upper leg kept running. You could hear a loud pop as well. But I guess the knee was already a bit stressed, because I already felt some pain in it the same week, while in wide-legged standing or sitting poses, as well as in squats. For a few months already I've been running around, trying to manage three jobs, a household and a busy social life at the same time... So I think this is actually a good thing, to learn to slow down, listen to my body...
The swelling has gone already, but it still hurts (especially while walking or bending the knee).
Thanks again...

[justwannabe]

you may use the intention of healing in addition to what you are already doing

stand up and hands by your side. close your eyes and become aware of your breath

after that focus when you breath in and then when you exhale feel the energy go out of your palms, do this for a minute or more

now sit in a comfortable position and lay your hands on your knee, when you breathe out, breathe out through your palms the intention to heal your knee

how well will this work, depends on your faith and concentration, its in your hands

keep the faith and good luck
seeker

[Iamtiredofregistering]

Hey I tore my meniscus last year. bicycling seems to keep the pain away so try cycing. if you stop it will comeback. Pain sucks. You would think everything in the body would heal but that sneaky cartilage is the exception. good luck in healing wheter you get a surgery or heal naturally.

wish me good luck too =D.