(Legal) steroid shot experience

[huntMT]

I drew a mountain goat tag this year and went scouting a few weeks ago, doing an over night trip into goat country. The end of the first day I was pretty sore in my knees. The end of the second day when we came out I was hurting pretty bad and was stoved up the following day. My knees have been bugging me for a few years now and last October I finally had an MRI done on my right knee which showed a torn meniscus. My left knee is undiagnosed but I suspect the same problem with it. I elected not to do anything about it last year with hunting season around the corner and not wanting to be laid up during hunting season. After season I kept putting off fixing the problem and now I am regretting it.

The doctor who diagnosed the tear suggested a steroid shot. I declined at the time knowing it's not the best long term solution (and some say it can actually cause more damage). Now I am considering doing a steroid shot in both of my knees as a band aid to get through hunting season. My goal is to be able to hunt for more than a day or two without having to sit and do nothing to recoup for a day or two. I plan to spend several days at a time camping in the back country to hunt for a goat.

Has anyone had a steroid shot before? If so, how long did it last and did you have any complications? Any other thoughts are greatly appreciated. If this is not a route I should be considering, I am open to other suggestions to include just gritting it out and getting through the season dealing with the pain.

Thanks

 

[180ls1]

I would research and try PRP first. I know several people who swear by it.

 

[Poser]

Almost everyone over the age of ~35 who is athletic or doing physical hard work has some kind of tear in their meniscus. Most aren't aware and it doesn't significantly impact what they are doing.

I'd say that the troubling part of this is the pain. Probably what you need are load bearing X Rays (X rays of both knees while you are standing). I would tend to think that the pain is likely due to cartilage degeneration due to the torn meniscus. If you are grinding bone on bone and that is what is causing pain, you need to know that so you can start making long term plans to deal with it.

As mentioned above, PRP may be an option.

Having suffered a pretty significant meniscus tear myself as well as cartilage degeneration in the same knee, I found that had to address the inflammation head on with dietary changes. I also take anti inflammatory supplements such as turmeric and Boswelia in addition to magnesium glycinate, boron, fish oil and Glucosamine/chondroitin. I always keep the option for a steroid shot available should I need it, but, once I cleared up the inflammation and got strength back in my quads, I haven't had any real issues other than being more mindful in steep, nasty terrain that requires lots of twisting.

I'd say the big concern here is that 1 or 2 days is debilitating for you. That is a different category than "sore knees." My advice is to get the load bearing X rays and see what kind of cartilage damage exists and that will put you in a better informed position about the steroid shot. Everyone is going to have a different experience here.

Also, if you can strengthen your quads and posterior chain significantly, you can reduce the stress that is ending up on your knees.

 

[wesfromky]

I have had knee pain for a while, got pretty bad last spring. Dr thought torn meniscus, so had a CT (can't do MRIs now), not enough resolution for a tear, but it did show pretty advanced arthritis and other abuse. Got the steroid shot and three days later it felt as good as it has in years. That was three months ago, and it is starting to act up again. Will probably get another shot in late August for the fall. You can only get them 3-4 times a year, but there is also some fluid they can inject once the steroids stop working.

 

[180ls1]

Almost everyone over the age of ~35 who is athletic or doing physical hard work has some kind of tear in their meniscus. Most aren't aware and it doesn't significantly impact what they are doing.

I'd say that the troubling part of this is the pain. Probably what you need are load bearing X Rays (X rays of both knees while you are standing). I would tend to think that the pain is likely due to cartilage degeneration due to the torn meniscus. If you are grinding bone on bone and that is what is causing pain, you need to know that so you can start making long term plans to deal with it.

As mentioned above, PRP may be an option.

Having suffered a pretty significant meniscus tear myself as well as cartilage degeneration in the same knee, I found that had to address the inflammation head on with dietary changes. I also take anti inflammatory supplements such as turmeric and Boswelia in addition to magnesium glycinate, boron, fish oil and Glucosamine/chondroitin. I always keep the option for a steroid shot available should I need it, but, once I cleared up the inflammation and got strength back in my quads, I haven't had any real issues other than being more mindful in steep, nasty terrain that requires lots of twisting.

I'd say the big concern here is that 1 or 2 days is debilitating for you. That is a different category than "sore knees." My advice is to get the load bearing X rays and see what kind of cartilage damage exists and that will put you in a better informed position about the steroid shot. Everyone is going to have a different experience here.

Also, if you can strengthen your quads and posterior chain significantly, you can reduce the stress that is ending up on your knees.

This is really good advice.

Rather than numb things, at least use the pain as a guide for a while to let you know what you can and cannot do to. Find work-arounds and protocols that help or at least minimize pain.

Numbing things then hammering it because you cant feel the damage occurring is a fast track to more damage.

 

[LostArra]

For the goat hunt I would get the steroid shot just so the knee doesn't affect the hunt.
Then for long term management follow Poser's shotgun anti - inflammatory advice. I take a lot of the same stuff with variable improvement. Daily Meloxicam helps too.

I've had a single steroid shot (shoulder) with amazing 3 month success.

 

[wapitibob]

I've gotten the "juice" in both knees, both shoulders, an elbow, and a hip. If I have a joint acting up between now and Sept I'm not hesitating to get another injection.

 

[go_deep]

Had one in my shoulder about a month ago. Doctor told me it take 2-4 weeks to take full effect, and last a few months. If your getting it for goat hunting, line it up so it's in full effect for the hunt.
My shoulder feels great, we'll see how it feels this winter.

 

[BBob]

I've done the cortisone thing for a shoulder and a knee. Rotator cuff injury and torn meniscus. Like others have said it's short term relief. I'd do it for a hunt. I was able to avoid surgeries with PT and strengthening work. PRP has been hit or miss in my circle and mostly has been a miss.

 

[fmyth]

I get a Kenalog injection in my left knee in April before I start hiking and then again in Sept before my hunts. I also wear a compression sleeve on that knee while hiking/hunting. I've had surgery on that knee twice and my surgeon said he does not believe a third surgery will make it any better. For now the injections and sleeve work. When it gets worse I'll have the meniscus surgically removed.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Just don't over do it for a week or whatever they recommend after.
My doctor apparently didn't dumb down the instructions enough for this redneck.

Got one in my shoulder for a partial labrum tear.
Then when I explained it didn't so anything.
He said over working it a day or 2 later prob pushed it out of the joint.

For me it was entirely a waste.

 

[WBT]

I tore the meniscus in my knee several years ago. I had surgery in early August and went on a goat hunt in October, granted I was a lot younger at the time. Just mentioning it because surgery could be an option if that's what's required.

 

[Poser]

Surgeons have gotten much more conservative with meniscus surgeries in the last couple of years. Unless you are pretty young, repairing the torn meniscus doesn't tend to work very well

Some years back, it was common to just remove the meniscus, but the conclusion was that a person is better off with a damaged meniscus than no meniscus.

With that in mind, unless the knee is locking up on you due to a torn piece of meniscus, surgery isn't so common anymore. I had a pretty good size flap hanging off, though it never locked up on me. I could feel that tissue flapping around with acute movement of the knee, but it eventually just fell off. If they have another reason to go in there, say to repair an ACL or PCL, they might trim up the damaged tissue, but, I'd exercise some hesitancy about a surgeon who is enthusiastic about repairing or trimming up a damaged meniscus as a stand alone surgery unless your knee is locking up on you. -you may not have much to gain from that surgery except a recovery time that is going to further atrophy your leg muscles and set your recovery back even more.

 

[GreyBeck]

Cortisone shot? If so it's temporary and less effective the next time. I've had them in my elbow and shoulder. If they can provide you relief so you can heal great. Depending on the tear it may need repair.

I've also torn my meniscus in each knee to where the flap needed to be surgically repaired - not sewn back together but a portion removed. I couldn’t bear weight anymore and the last one was December and they fixed two tears. I skied by February. I no longer run, I ruck. If your quads and calves are stronger, and you stretch often it will take some of the pressure and pain off your knees. I do a lot more squats and calve raises these says and it has helped. PRP may work to - it did for my brother. Limping sucks. And the cortisone you can only do a few times until it’s no longer effective.

 

[Poser]

Cortisone shot? If so it's temporary and less effective the next time. I've had them in my elbow and shoulder. If they can provide you relief so you can heal great. Depending on the tear it may need repair.

I've also torn my meniscus in each knee to where the flap needed to be surgically repaired - not sewn back together but a portion removed. I couldn’t bear weight anymore and the last one was December and they fixed two tears. I skied by February. I no longer run, I ruck. If your quads and calves are stronger, and you stretch often it will take some of the pressure and pain off your knees. I do a lot more squats and calve raises these says and it has helped. PRP may work to - it did for my brother. Limping sucks. And the cortisone you can only do a few times until it’s no longer effective.

I’ve found that if you need to relieve some stress on the meniscus, but still want to get your squats in, box squats with a 1-3 second pause (the longer you pause, the more the stretch reflex will dissipate) will accomplish just that. With a vertical shin angle and little to no stretch reflex, the stress on the knee tissue is minimal. I’ve started doing them on my light squat day.

Interesting how rucking, despite the heavier total weight on your body, ends up being less stressful on your knees than running. A lot of folks seem to arrive at that conclusion after a torn meniscus. I did a lot of rowing when I was in recovery.

My barber had a bucket handle tear that he was living with for a good while and skiing and hunting on, but it locked up on him one night when he was getting busy with a lady-friend and didn’t unlock until he had surgery a couple of days later.

 

[D S 319]

could help aid with recovery by knocking down inflammation more as well.

 

[fatlander]

A month of daily shots of BPC 157 coupled with a round of ozone in the joint really helped my “dog” with his knee issues that are akin to yours. Ozone

Before Merc decided they want to patent BPC 157 you could get it at any compounding pharmacy. They lobbied the FDA, claiming there isn’t enough safety data so it was pulled for human use coincidentally their studies of their brand name BPC 157 drug are now going on. . . You can still get it for research purposes, which could be used to help your “dog”.


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[mtbraun]

PRP or adipose/marrow stem cell treatments likely won't help you this year, as you're looking at least 8 weeks of no activity while it (hopefully) rebuilds. You'll need imaging to confirm the tear is small enough that an Ortho who does PRP thinks it will even heal. I've had all of the above on both hips and both knees. On the hips it successfully healed a labral tear. It was a very small tear. I have done the initial and booster round of PRP on both knees to provide symptom relief for patellofemoral arthritis.

Steroid shot is just a band aid for symptom relief. It won't heal anything, and actually degrades the cartilage if multiple injections are given.