Anyone ever had plica syndrome? (Update in OP)

[Deleted]

I was diagnosed with this almost a week ago. The general treatment is just rest. He recommended 3-4 weeks of rest in addition to the 1 week of rest I had done prior to my appointment. I've been resting, icing twice per day and taking anti-inflammatory meds religiously and for over 2 weeks now and have seen 0 improvement in my knee pain.

I also had pain in my knee when cycling, which the doctor said I generally shouldn't be experiencing with this.

I am wondering if plica syndrome is what's really wrong with my knee. I saw an orthopedic surgeon, my xray was clean and he said my knee felt very stable. I'm not doubting him but he made it sound like the recovery was pretty quick.

If you've had it, how long did it take to go away? Did you do PT?

*****Update******

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

I followed up with an ortho today about my knee. This doctor is not the same one I saw before but is in the same practice (my first ortho is out of the office until next week and I didn't want to wait that long). I have officially been resting, icing and taking NSAIDs for 3 weeks with no improvement.

New ortho said he thought it was likely that this was a Plica issue but recommended an MRI since rest has not helped. He did echo what the first doctor said that rest is usually the course of treatment. Since that hasn't helped at all, he's thinks something else could be going on. I won't get my MRI results until next week, though.

[sadlebred]

Have you truly taken the time off? If not, do it. If it's irritated, it will never get better unless you rest it. Resting is just exercising less; it's not exercising at all.

If you have not worked out in two weeks (that is not worked out at all!), I'd go back and press for an MRI.

[Deleted]

Sept 9, 2014 14:15:55 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

Have you truly taken the time off? If not, do it. If it's irritated, it will never get better unless you rest it. Resting is just exercising less; it's not exercising at all.

If you have not worked out in two weeks (that is not worked out at all!), I'd go back and press for an MRI.

I've done absolutely nothing, not even walk. I tried complete rest for a week before I even made the appointment, but the pain persisted. Even at work, I've been taking the elevator and making it a point to see all of my patients at one time so I'm not walking around as much.

I wasn't expecting to be completely pain-free by now but I thought there would be some improvement. The ortho made it sound like plica issues are NBD and it should resolve quickly, which is why I'm now wondering if something else is going on.

[sadlebred]

I'd go back. I had knee pain last year that I was insistent the ortho be more aggressive about because I was in so much pain I couldn't walk. It led to two surgeries in a week and 5 days in the hospital (anyone remember that? It was so much fun!). Yours probably isn't that bad, but asking for an MRI or more tests can't hurt. If not, I'd get a second opinion. Is there a sports ortho in your area?

[Deleted]

Sept 9, 2014 20:32:59 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

I'd go back. I had knee pain last year that I was insistent the ortho be more aggressive about because I was in so much pain I couldn't walk. It led to two surgeries in a week and 5 days in the hospital (anyone remember that? It was so much fun!). Yours probably isn't that bad, but asking for an MRI or more tests can't hurt. If not, I'd get a second opinion. Is there a sports ortho in your area?

He is a sports ortho. I will follow up with him, though. Thanks for the suggestion.

[emilyinchile]

I'd go back too. An x-ray really doesn't show much, so an ultrasound or MRI may be what you need now. Good luck!

[elcjet]

I wasn't aware that rest was really a solution to plica.  It's embryonic tissue in the knee joint, really.  I'd ask for an MRI -- you are in pain, not responding to rest and ice, and clearly something is going wrong.

I had symptoms of a meniscus tear and it even looked like a torn meniscus on MRI.  I went in for knee surgery and when I came out, the knee wasn't splinted and I was *so* confused.  I asked how my meniscus was and they said it was plica!

They snipped the plica, cleaned up the joint by shaving away the parts of the femur that were worn by the plica, and I had a fairly easy recovery.  Was back to cycling in a month and running in 6 weeks.  

Anyway, it's one instance where I do recommend the surgery.  It's not going anywhere, and when it breaks free and is just flopping around in there, it's just making things much much worse.

So just some info there in case that's what you have, but MRI first.  GL!  

[Deleted]

Sept 10, 2014 11:09:39 GMT -5 elcjet said:

I wasn't aware that rest was really a solution to plica.  It's embryonic tissue in the knee joint, really.  I'd ask for an MRI -- you are in pain, not responding to rest and ice, and clearly something is going wrong.

I had symptoms of a meniscus tear and it even looked like a torn meniscus on MRI.  I went in for knee surgery and when I came out, the knee wasn't splinted and I was *so* confused.  I asked how my meniscus was and they said it was plica!

They snipped the plica, cleaned up the joint by shaving away the parts of the femur that were worn by the plica, and I had a fairly easy recovery.  Was back to cycling in a month and running in 6 weeks.  

Anyway, it's one instance where I do recommend the surgery.  It's not going anywhere, and when it breaks free and is just flopping around in there, it's just making things much much worse.

So just some info there in case that's what you have, but MRI first.  GL!  

Thanks for sharing your experience. My understanding is that rest is the primary treatment, a cortisone injection and/or PT is the next step and surgery is the last resort. The pain comes from the plica being inflamed. I am planing on following up with the doctor and asking for an MRI... just have to fit it into my work schedule!

[emilyj]

Sept 10, 2014 11:09:39 GMT -5 elcjet said:

I wasn't aware that rest was really a solution to plica.  It's embryonic tissue in the knee joint, really.  I'd ask for an MRI -- you are in pain, not responding to rest and ice, and clearly something is going wrong.

I was kind of surprised to read this as well.  I have plica syndrome in both my knees, and my PT went after it with an aggressive stretch and strengthening program.  Not once did my PT or my ortho ever tell me to rest for plica.  

I ended up with surgery for a torn meniscus and torn cartilage in one knee, so they cleaned up the plica in that one while they were in there anyway, but my plica did get better in the non-surgery knee with the stretching and strengthening.  

[Deleted]

update in OP