Complicated arthroscopic repair of a meniscus tear requires that the patient's knee be completely immobilized for 2 weeks after surgery. Followed by 2 weeks of limited motion before resuming daily activities. Physical therapy starts right after surgery.
How quickly this progress occurs varies by surgeon, but a typical range is 4-8 weeks. Patients are usually out of the brace and walking without crutches around 2-3 months. When a patient is able to return to work depends on many factors.
You may be able to return to most of your regular activities within a few weeks. But it will be several months before you have complete use of your knee. It may take as long as 6 months before your knee is strong enough for hard physical work or certain sports.
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.
The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in the knee, often injured in sports. You can't walk right after surgery. How long recovery takes depends on the type of meniscus surgery and the severity of the injury, but expect two weeks down time, at minimum.
Complicated arthroscopic repair of a meniscus tear requires that the patient's knee be completely immobilized for 2 weeks after surgery. Followed by 2 weeks of limited motion before resuming daily activities.
Answer: Immediately after surgery you will learn to climb stairs safely using crutches. As recovery continues and you work on flexion and extension of the new knee, you will be able to climb without crutches. With the help of physical therapy and building up the quadriceps muscles, stair climbing will be a breeze.
Roll over to the “good leg” side. Sleeping on your back can be an adjustment in and of itself. If you do choose to sleep on your side, roll to the non-surgery side and put a pillow between your knees. Use this position only if you're having no luck getting to sleep on your back, and remember not to bend the knee.
You should not put weight on the surgical leg until otherwise instructed by physical therapy or your physician. Usually this will be 6 weeks of no weight bearing and then 2 weeks of partial weight bearing. Gentle range-of–motion exercises can begin as soon as possible after surgery.
Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (R.I.C.E) are recommended for patients recovering from any kind of surgery, include meniscal repair. Keep these guidelines in mind to make sure you're getting the most out of this approach: Avoid whatever activity caused your injury and rest as often as possible.
If a meniscus tear is considered appropriate for an attempt at repair, a number of techniques can be used. The surgery is primarily arthroscopic (minimally invasive) although additional small incisions, or cuts, may be necessary to perform the repair. A variety of devices or sutures can be used to perform a repair.
Although exercise is the key to healing, you could be backpedaling progress by overworking your knee. Signs of over-exercising include swelling of the entire leg and lingering pain that stretches into the evening or into the next day.
After the first two weeks, you can sleep without the brace if you prefer. In most meniscus repair cases the brace is recommended for the first 6 weeks after surgery.
Most people can walk with crutches soon after meniscus surgery. Many return to normal activities within six to eight weeks. Your healthcare provider may recommend low-impact activities rather than high-impact (such as walking rather than running).
During the first few weeks of your arthroscopic knee surgery recovery, you should be bearing weight as tolerated with crutches. You should be progressing to full weight bearing without the use of crutches. Proprioceptive exercises focus on the ability to sense movement within joints.
With a proper rehabilitation program, you can usually expect to resume sports within four to six weeks after the surgery. Following a repair, you will typically use crutches for at least three weeks to allow the repaired tissue to become attached and to avoid retearing the meniscus.
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.
Avoid using stair-stepper machines, doing deep knee bends and squats. Avoid any exercise that causes crunching, clicking or pain at the kneecap.
Sleep on Your Side
You can, but it's wise not to do so until at least a few weeks after surgery, when you can start bending your knee. Make sure you lay on your non-operative side. Sleeping this way makes sure no pressure falls on the knee you had surgery on.
You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor okays it. When you shower, keep your bandage and incisions dry by taping a sheet of plastic to cover them. If you have a brace, take it off if your doctor says it is okay. It might help to sit on a shower stool.
Knee pain, osteoarthritis, re-injury, inadequate rehabilitation, and spontaneous osteonecrosis are potential long-term problems after meniscus surgery. Talk with your healthcare provider about treatments to help you find relief if you're experiencing pain or other post-surgery problems.
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.
You may shower 48 hours after your surgery and get your incisions wet. Do NOT immerse in a tub or pool for 7 – 10 days to avoid excessive scarring and risk of infection. Keep Ice Packs on at all times exchanging every hour while awake. Icing is very important to decrease swelling and pain and improve mobility.