The big question is: What happened to Nick?

Nick has a parameniscal cyst. A lot of us have heard of the meniscus. We have two menisci in each knee – they sit within the joint, between the thigh bone and the two bones in the lower leg. They help to absorb and transmit forces whenever we run, jump and hop, and give us greater stability and movement. Meniscus tears commonly happen when playing sport, usually from a twisting or rotating motion of the knee, direct impact to the knee, or even due to repetitive, degenerative progresses. After a tear forms, particularly a ‘horizontal tear’, fluid from the knee joint can enter the torn meniscus, creating a parameniscal cyst.

Not all parameniscal cysts will affect us, and similarly, not all meniscus tears will affect us. Some of us may even have a tear without even knowing, as you can still do everything you want to, pain-free. However, sometimes these tears can affect our ability to play sports, to participate in our weekend activities, or even to live our daily lives. As most of the meniscus has poor blood supply, recovery can be quite slow. Depending on your goals, physio can help to increase your movement, and build strength in the muscles around you knee, to give greater support. Nick has already attempted to drain the fluid from the cyst, but this hasn’t been effective. He will soon undergo an arthroscopic surgery to remove his cyst and potentially repair his meniscus. Afterwards, he will work with his physio to regain strength and stability in the knee.

Although most of us are not world-famous tennis players, we still need to take care of our bodies. Nick’s situation just shows us how important it is to take action when we have an injury. Although it isn’t always possible to prevent injuries, we can do our best by ensuring we have good flexibility and joint mobility, and our muscles are nice and strong to cope with everything we throw at them.

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Make Time for Exercise

Plan your exercise and can create a routine that is easy to stick to.  You should aim to accumulate higher intensity activity.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity activity, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week, in addition to muscle strengthening activity twice weekly. 

Whether it’s a brisk early morning walk, an after-work jog, or a 30-minute weights session, scheduling exercise will help you stay on track.

Incorporate Movement into your Day

Being sedentary and lack of physical activity is associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes, musculoskeletal problems, cardiovascular disease, and poor mental health.  

Ergoworks recommends that you set a timer and get up to move for 1-2 minutes every 30-60 minutes.  When the timer goes off, it’s time to go for a short walking break or stretch!

Sneak in “incidental” movement.  This simply means getting up to refill a glass of water or walking around the house while on a phone call.

Go Virtual

Your next exercise routine is only a click away and is now more accessible than ever.  YouTube and smartphone apps are offering all types of different workouts from yoga and Pilates to HIIT classes and kickboxing, most of which are free! 

To stay motivated, you can even do a home workout with friends or work colleagues via Zoom or FaceTime chat.  Just pick a date and time, dial in, and start moving.

Use What You Have

No equipment? No problem.  Chose exercises that involve using your own body weight – mountain climbers, planks, sit-ups, push-ups, yoga, or Pilates.  Walking or running also doesn’t require any equipment.  If you want to incorporate some weights, simple household items such as canned food, a backpack stuffed with books, a bottle of laundry detergent, or bag of sugar can be used. 

Be creative and have fun.

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