An uncomplicated meniscectomy will resolve most of the pain fairly quickly, but swelling and stiffness take time to resolve. It may take 4-5 months for full healing. The patient should be able to bear weight on the knee while standing or walking, immediately after surgery.
The pain settles usually within two to three weeks, but may take upwards of six weeks. Swelling in the whole knee up to six weeks. Tenderness around the wound sites up to four weeks. Muscle wasting in the thigh, improves as swelling and pain decrease.
Meniscus surgery can fix an injured or torn meniscus, a piece of cartilage in the knee joint. Talk to your healthcare professional if you have knee pain that interferes with your life, work or activities. An arthroscopic procedure can reduce pain, improve mobility and stability, and help you return to activities.
Many patients find the pain is worse than the pain they had before arthroscopy. 10 While the pain eventually settles down, often the only way to find relief is to use crutches for weeks or months after knee arthroscopy.
You should soon start seeing improvement in your knee. 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.
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.
When a true meniscus repair is performed, your surgeon is likely to recommend a period of limited weight-bearing (using crutches or walker for walking) and limited motion. They may also recommend using a knee brace. These measures are taken in order to protect the repair and give it a chance to heal.
Unless otherwise instructed by your doctor, use crutches when walking and bear weight as tolerated on the operated leg. That is, you can bear as much weight as you can, even full weight, as long as there is no knee pain when you put your weight on the limb. Wear the post-operative brace for walking.
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.
Pain and pain management
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.
Meniscus tears can cause severe pain, and they don't heal on their own.
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.
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.
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.
Walking up or down stairs may be particularly painful, and may also cause increased swelling in the knee.
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.
Is the lateral meniscus tear worse than a medial meniscus tear? It is hard to differentiate what type of tear is worse if it is repairable. However, it is well known that if a lateral meniscus is taken out, the consequences are almost always worse than having a medial meniscus resected.
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.
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.
Your body just went through a major surgery and needs time to heal. Most people can resume daily activities with reduced pain approximately three to six weeks after surgery. Full recovery can take anywhere from four months to a year.
Arthroscopic total meniscectomy.
Meniscus repair is low-risk. Complications are rare. They may include injury to skin nerves, infections, and knee stiffness. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help stave off infection.
Many ACL tears we see only have problems ascending stairs, jogging, or walking downhill but can walk up hills and on flat roads without an increase in pain. A meniscus tear, on the other hand, will cause fairly severe pain even just standing on it.
Symptoms of a meniscus tear may be different for each person, but some of the most common symptoms are: Pain in the knee joint: usually on the inside (medial), outside (lateral) or back of the knee. Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint.