A meniscus tear
Dunkirk NY – I had always heard about menisci from watching sports. It’s a common injury among athletes, especially as they get older. Apparently a meniscus is somewhat easy to tear. Quick lateral movements can easily do the job. It’s also one of the most common knee injuries around. According to WebMD, 40% of people over 65 have a meniscus tear.
The meniscus itself is a small piece of cartilage that acts as a cushion for the knee joint. Superficial tears of the meniscus can heal themselves if they are close to the body’s blood supply, but if the tear is deeper into the joint, then there is no blood supply to repair the tear. In that case surgery is warranted.
I have a feeling the one in my right knee has been around for some time. Since my 20s I’ve always been able to “pop” that knee. No pain was ever involved, but on occasion the knee would feel off. When that happened, a quick snap f the joint usually produced a popping sensation, and the knee would be fine. Physically it was never a problem. But when I took the fall (most meniscus tears are the result of accidents), the left knee became very painful, and the right knee just a little more aggravated. I remember last September being practically unable to walk by the time I had the surgery in October 2018. Today the left knee is fine, and I look forward to getting the right knee repaired as well.
BTW, Opening Night for the opera went off well. I’m still disappointed I didn’t get enough time to polish the staging in the finales for both acts, but I had a problem with people not showing up for rehearsals. Last night – opening night – was the first time everybody who was supposed to be on the stage was there. So it goes with semi-professional productions. Today is a day off for vocal rest for the singers, and tomorrow the matinee. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back. -twl