After a meniscal repair you may need to be on crutches “touch weight-bearing” for up to 6 weeks depending on the type of tear repaired. That means you are not meant to walk on it and must use the crutches all the time.
Crutches will be necessary for 2-7 days after surgery. Rehabilitation to gain full ROM should occur within 1-2 weeks. Heavy work or sports may be restricted for the first 4-6 weeks. Complicated arthroscopic repair of a meniscus tear requires that the patient's knee be completely immobilized for 2 weeks after surgery.
Most patients are off crutches at or around the time of the first follow-up visit after surgery (2 weeks), but some may still require them at that time. Don't worry if you need crutches longer than 2 weeks- remember that everyone's recovery is different.
Brace locked, crutches • Partial weight bearing • When going up the stairs, make sure you are leading with the non-surgical side, when going down the stairs, make sure you are leading with the crutches and surgical side.
Wound Care:Leave the big surgical bandage on and do not shower for 48 hours after surgery. After 48 hrs, remove bandages, and apply waterproof bandaids to thencision(s) prior to showering (available at Walgreens or CVS). To see bloody soaked fluids on bandages is normal. Leave the steri stips (white tape) on.
Meniscus (cartilage) Repair patients cannot do twisting, pivoting, squatting, deep knee bends or impact activities for four months. It is vital that meniscus repair patients do not squat for at least four months after the repair.
To drive you must no longer be taking narcotic pain pills (plain Tylenol is allowed). Also, you must feel strong and alert. Most people are able to start driving 1-2 weeks after surgery, but use your judgment as to when you feel ready and safe to drive. Crutches are required following surgery.
Arthroscopic meniscus repair is moderately painful. Because more soft tissue surgery is performed, it is more painful than a standard arthroscopy, but less painful than a ligament reconstruction or another procedure that requires drilling holes through the bone.
You will be sent home from the surgery center with prescriptions for pain medication. Take the pain medication as prescribed. you take the medication and taper off as you feel comfortable, but keep in mind that many people have an increase in pain around day 3 or 4 after surgery.
If you are sleeping a bit extra after surgery, good! That means your body needs it. After meniscus surgery, just having energy enough to care for yourself throughout the day will be challenging at first. But your body also needs adequate rest to heal the surgery site and rebuild damaged tissues.
You will also start physical therapy soon after your surgery, often within the first week or two depending on your surgeon's approach.
Walking up or down stairs may be particularly painful, and may also cause increased swelling in the knee.
This helps in reducing swelling, pain, throbbing and the risk of infection. KNEE WALKERS/KNEE SCOOTERS ARE PROHIBITED UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST POST OPERATIVE APPOINTMENT. You should use crutches, a walker or a wheelchair during the first two weeks post operatively.
To avoid placing stress on the meniscus repair, do not bend your knee beyond 90 degrees (bent to a right angle). Brace and Crutches: Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, use crutches when walking and bear weight as tolerated on the operated leg. Wear the post-operative brace for walking.
So unfortunately, having a meniscal tear which requires surgery may raise your risk of getting arthritis later in life. It has also been shown that a knee that has undergone meniscus surgery has weaker thigh muscles and poorer quality of cartilage 4 years after the surgery [3].
Sleeping positions
Generally, learning how to sleep after meniscus surgery means sleeping on your back with your leg slightly elevated.
You may need to be on crutches for a while depending on your procedure. If you have a more complicated knee arthroscopy procedure, you may not be able to walk for several weeks. You may also need to use crutches or a knee brace. Full recovery may take several months to a year.
Can you be awake during meniscus surgery? Dr Don Wallace explains that while it is possible to have meniscus surgery under local anaesthetic, it is more common to be put under a general anaesthetic.
Ordinarily, your doctor or physical therapist will ask you to reduce your sports activities while your meniscus tear heals. Healing could take between four and eight weeks. However, the time depends on the severity and position of the tear.
Following meniscus surgery, a person may develop new knee pain. This can occur for several reasons, including reinjury or problems with postsurgical rehabilitation. It may also develop due to postsurgical complications, such as arthritis. The treatment for new knee pain may vary depending on the underlying cause.
A torn meniscus usually produces well-localized pain in the knee. The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.