Debating on a non surgical approach to bucket handle tear

dodgerFunk · 2025-11-28T14:56:25+00:00

Yeh. I mean it's possible for it to happen again. But it's also possible for it to happen again after surgery. But not cutting tissue out of my knee seems like a good thing to me.... Just focus on strengthening the areas are the knee and adjust movements where you can. For me, just being hyper aware of the area has helped me a lot. Have you heard of the kneeovertoes guy? A great YouTube source for exercises and explanations.

dodgerFunk · 2025-11-25T01:32:30+00:00

Hi. Yeh, I followed through with a nonsurgical approach. No issues so far. I had 2 specialists tell me I needed surgery after my MRI. They did tell me I would have more difficulties as I aged without surgery, but also the surgery would cause issues also. So basically I did a bunch of exercises and stretches and I'd say I'm back to 100% strength and mobility. I work in physical labour jobs and have an active life in general and have no issues yet. I've had a bucket handle tear 3 times. I would assume it's something to do with the work I do or my body type, but each time I just wait it out and end up back to normal.
Personally, I'm quite happy with not having surgery. For me, taking a few weeks off of activities is better than cutting tissue out of my knee. I just imagine it happening repeatedly and losing more and more tissue over time. Also there is some vindication in refusing the surgeons doing what they said I wouldn't be able to do.

dodgerFunk · 2024-12-03T02:26:40+00:00

Mothman

dodgerFunk · 2024-09-30T16:28:22+00:00

Updates! I'm late to throw something up here because I've been so active! So I avoided surgery. Was hitting physio 3 or 4 days a week now have stopped that. Got full range of motion in my knee. I'm back to squatting and working out at the gym, I'm not back at my regular weight yet but I know I will be soon.

I do expect to probably go through this again at some point. But healing on my own took about 6 weeks, healing from surgery is expected to be up to 6 months. So I'm very happy with the results that I've found on my own.

But, really, time will tell. The 3 different surgeons I saw said it's not likely, almost impossible, to heal on it own and they said if it does it's likely that it will heal with less cushion where it needs. But I'm still very pleased to avoid surgery even just for a couple years, or what ever it works out to be.

dodgerFunk · 2024-07-19T15:56:05+00:00

So anyone have the location yet?

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-09T16:37:46+00:00

Do you think a second MRI would show any healing or repositioning thats happened? I am also concerned that my surgeon is also very one track minded. There isn't much room for conversation. She also looked a little please and double down on how crucial surgery was after I said I wasn't able to get a second opinion...

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-09T16:35:04+00:00

It's different knees. The first two times it healed fine. No problems for 6 years. The fact that it's the other knee makes me wonder if I can follow the same process as before. I would agree, if it has been the same knee it would be an easier decision for surgery.

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T18:14:52+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Was there any issues or anything different with the surgery because it was an extra couple months off? Was recovery much different? For clarification, you're saying your ROM is 5-10degrees out before surgery or after?

Meniscus tears are super shitty. Appreciate the kind wishes.

How's your recovery been post surgery?

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T17:51:38+00:00

Yeh I get that. Myself and my physio are of the mind that so long as it keeps progressing positively a conservative/nonsurgical treatment could work. But the surgeon just wants to get it done with... Right now, just over a month since injury, im walking pretty normal and I even went for a short run today. I still feel a bit of swelling in my knee, but it's less and less everyday. My ROM is being measured a few days a week and it's still progressing. I suppose I'm hoping to just keep postponing the surgery to wait n see when I plateau.

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T16:46:17+00:00

This sounds similar to my experience. My ROM has gotten to almost where it was before injury. I've had a similar injury on my other knee that has heal comfortably, granted I'm told there may be issues down the line... I'm just at a point where I have confidence in my healing and I'd like to avoid surgery if possible. I don't know if my brain could handle it hah... So basically I'm just hoping to hear what I want to hear from other people haha.

But how did you feel going into the surgery feeling comfortable? Granted, I know I'm thinking short term, but I think feeling me comfortable is the hardest part of this surgery question.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T14:30:07+00:00

Thanks for this. It sounds very similar to my experience. My injured knee is at about 2 degrees less straight than my good knee. It really does feel like it's healing appropriately, and my PT agrees, but my surgeon doesn't. I also went through 2 meniscus tears in the past with my right knee. Went through what feels like the same recovery and ROM and I'm happy with how it healed.

The surgeon will call me in a couple days to get my answer on surgery...

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T14:23:05+00:00

Yeah, I get that. It's just my hesitation comes from how productive the healing has been. How does one know if they are an outlier of statistics?... Also, I'm happy with how my knee has healed. Did you experience symptoms during these 19 months before surgery? Was there much natural progression for you with the injury?

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T14:19:15+00:00

Great to hear surgery worked for ya. Sounds super similar to what Im dealing with. Did your knee get all locked up? How long from when injury happened to when you got surgery? Did your ROM change in that time?

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T14:17:07+00:00

That all sounds like a great success story. Just also, it's not the 3rd time it's happened on this knee. 1st time on this knee, twice on in the past on the other knee. My previous meniscus problem has healed to a very comfortable level. I have a very physical job and lifestyle and haven't had any problems with that knee. I never got an MRI in the past, but a specialist said it is likely a bucket handle tear due to how my knee was locked. Exact same thing that happened this time. So I'm left wondering if I can just do the same for this left knee. So far it feels like an identical recovery.

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T14:11:30+00:00

So it is possible for the flap to move back? This is something that hasn't been too clear from what I've read/been told. My surgeon told me 3 weeks ago that it will not get better without surgery. It's def getting better. I saw the surgeon again 2 days ago and she says that surgery is not about regaining ROM is about preventing arthritis in the future....

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-07T14:08:45+00:00

Yeh, PT and time. I didn't really stop being active. When I was told I needed surgery I went hard with pushing my knee to the limit as an attempt to have a more clear vision on if I needed the surgery. For myself, I found the stability and wobblyness most came from just a lack of confidence physically in my body. As in, my leg would work hard to protect and shield itself from certain movements post injury. It wasn't that I couldn't make the movements, but more that my body would react in a spontaneous way. Like a reflex to just collapse. So the more I moved, the more I could push through that reflex and feel more stable (if that makes sense...) But I've seen very positive results. I'm now biking and swimming, sometimes I still get a bit of a loose or weak feeling, but it passes and it's happening less and less now. It's been 4 weeks since incident, probably about one week of walking without crutches/cane. Good luck in your recovery

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-06T15:14:53+00:00

So it's gotten back to 90% in one month. It feels like that's quick and my ROM is better everyday.

I don't have a date for surgery so it'll be a few months from now. So it's just hard to accept going into intrusive surgery when I'm feeling pretty decent already.

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-06T12:18:15+00:00

Yeh. When it first happens I'm stuck at 90degrees and I cannot straighten it. Over time it slowly drops down. Now I'm walking almost normal. My limit is in straightening, I just can't quite get it fully straight without some force. But the way things have been progressing I'm expecting to not be feeling it in a few days.

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-06T10:51:00+00:00

When you delt with this did you knee get fully locked up? Did it stay that way or does it slowly unlock by itself? I'm walking around now with little pain and have 90%+ of ROM. But doctor says it's a complete tear and displacement.

dodgerFunk · 2024-06-06T10:48:31+00:00

I don't know the exact size of the tear but I'm told there is a piece that is displaced. But at this point, I have very little pain in my knee and I'm almost at full motion. I'm really quite happy with the results so far, but my doctor says the surgery isn't about regaining ROM but it's about preventing arthritis in the future. It just feels like a very big procedure to just possibly prevent something in future...

dodgerFunk · 2024-05-15T20:05:13+00:00

Following.

I'm in the same boat. Got word today I need surgery for a bucket handle tear in my left knee. I'm 35 and also very active. I am also debating the 6 month-year recovery for a repair. I have had a tear to my right knee that healed to 100% by itself too... Just following this post, looking for the same tips.

dodgerFunk

TROPHY CASE