Conditions + Treatments
Knee Injury/Condition
Meniscus Tear
On my third day of police academy in 2011, I experienced a terrible pain in my leg. I went to my local doctor and he said I had a torn ACL. There’s not too much you can do about a torn ACL (other than surgically repairing), so I put a brace on it and kept rocking with my police academy training.
Unfortunately, one week before graduation I tore my meniscus and ended up having to have surgery. About 3-4 years went by and I stayed in pretty good shape with it, until I tore it again. I also had a cyst on my meniscus that needed to be removed. That was when my local doctor referred me to Dr. Lyle Cain at Andrews Sports Medicine.
At my initial appointment with Dr. Cain and he said I had scar tissue that needed to be removed and that there was arthritis setting up in my knee. I knew a little bit about my options coming in to the appointment. After discussing my various options with Dr. Cain, we decided I was too young for a knee replacement, so I opted for a meniscal transplant.
During a follow-up appointment with Dr. Cain, he took my measurements and his surgical coordinator scheduled my surgery for a few weeks later so I could be back to good health in time for sniper school.
After my surgery, Dr. Cain referred me to Mike Ellis, a physical therapist in Montgomery, who helped me with my recovery. My therapy this time was a lot like the ACL rehab I had in the past, not like my previous experiences with meniscus therapy. With the help of Dr. Cain and Mike, I was able to get back to where I wanted to be in time for sniper school.
Now I’m able to run, jump, and carry my gear on a daily basis. Dr. Cain and his staff were awesome. They were great with helping me manage my pain while waiting for the right transplant. They really did anything they needed to make sure I was taken care of.
As gratitude, I gave Dr. Cain a SWAT patch and a challenge coin to show how much I appreciate what he’s done for me.
