Back on the Slopes: A Patient’s Return to Outdoor Activities After a Meniscus Tear

Kevin is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys kayaking, hiking and skiing. He estimates he’s doing one of the three activities every other day. Last year, he slipped and fell on a wet rock while getting out of a kayak, injuring his left knee.

“This knee was already compromised after multiple cartilage surgeries, so I was nervous because I was in a lot of pain and experienced a lot of swelling,” recalled Kevin who was already familiar with ONS from past injuries.

“One of the great things about ONS is that they have top doctors for every orthopedic injury,” said Kevin. Through his previous doctor, Kevin was referred to Demetris Delos, MD, sports medicine surgeon at ONS.

Dr. Delos and Kevin planned to let the knee rest for a month while incorporating some strengthening and physical therapy to see if that would help ease the pain. When the pain persisted and the MRI showed it was a large meniscus tear that likely wouldn’t heal naturally due to its location, they decided to move forward with surgery.

On the day of his surgery, Kevin appreciated how Dr. Delos told him exactly what he was going to do in the operating room. “The facility was great, the people were welcoming, and I felt comfortable going into the operating room,” said Kevin.

“When Dr. Delos visited me in recovery, he said not only was it a success, but also that he was so glad he operated due to the nature of the tear,” said Kevin, who experienced less swelling within 24 hours post-surgery than he had after the incident.