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.
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.
Your doctor might recommend: Rest. Avoid activities that aggravate your knee pain, especially any activity that causes you to twist, rotate or pivot your knee. If your pain is severe, using crutches can take pressure off your knee and promote healing.
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.
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.
Meniscus (cartilage) Repair patients cannot do twisting, pivoting, squatting, deep knee bends or impact activities for four months.
Your doctor may recommend the RICE regimen—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—to treat a meniscus tear. Resting your knee can help relieve your symptoms. Your doctor may suggest using a cane for a few weeks to keep weight off your knee and to stay away from physical activity that may have contributed to the injury.
The athlete with a meniscal tear is often treated with meniscectomy or meniscal repair, depending on the size and location of the tear. Potential sequelae of meniscal injuries include the loss of in-season competition days and diminished career longevity.
A little swelling often develops slowly over a couple of days. Many times, people can walk with only a little pain, although pain increases when you squat, lift, or rise from a seated position. These symptoms usually go away, although you may still have pain when you bend or twist your knee.
Typically, mild meniscus tears heal within two to three weeks. Symptoms of moderate meniscus tears or strains: Pain at the side or center of the knee. Stiffness.
Most of the time, you can still bear weight on your leg if you have a meniscus tear — but that doesn't mean you should.
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.
A tear is usually labeled as severe if the meniscus has a big tear. Loose pieces may cause the knee joint to lock or catch. This level of injury may also keep you from bending or straightening your leg and can make walking difficult. Severe tears usually require surgery to repair.
“You can live with a meniscus tear,” Dr. Parker says. “And it may heal on its own, or just not cause you problems.” However, you'll know pretty quickly when it is a problem.
Russell Westbrook is the other notable player to repair a torn meniscus recently. After a couple setbacks, he's back and better than ever.
If you have knee pain and have been told you have a suspected meniscal tear either from an exam or from MRI, much of the time this can heal on its own with 4-6 weeks of rest, doing some physical therapy that would focus on some range of motion and strengthening exercises and correcting any biomechanical problems that ...
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].
Tears that won't heal
The outside of the meniscus has a rich blood supply and access to blood cells that help regenerate new meniscus tissue and spur healing. The inside of the meniscus, however, is blood-poor and may take a long time to heal on its own, if it ever does.
They're made of cartilage, a tough, rubbery substance. They're basically shock absorbers that keep your thighbone in the upper leg from pounding on the shinbone in the lower leg. If you tear one, your doctor probably will suggest that you rest, apply ice, and take pain relievers at first.
Left untreated, a meniscus tear can limit your daily life and ability to participate in exercise and sports. In serious cases, it can develop into long-term knee problems, like arthritis.
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.
Although knee braces do not heal or treat your meniscus tear directly, they can provide extra support and stability for your knee while your meniscus injury heals. A good brace will protect your knee and take the pressure off your meniscus, allowing it to rest.