Rehabilitation time for a meniscus repair is about three months, while a meniscectomy requires approximately three to four weeks.
Meniscus repair is optimally performed within the first two months after meniscus tear to maximize meniscus healing. Walking on a knee that is 'locked' (does not fully straighten) may damage the meniscus further and make a tear unrepairable.
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.
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 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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
After an arthroscopic meniscus operation (partial meniscus removal), weight-bearing up to the pain threshold is possible immediately. As the synovial fluid has to form again after the operation, it is recommended to use forearm crutches for about 1 week to support walking.
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.
What are the benefits? Surgery to repair tears in the meniscus relieves symptoms 85% of the time. That means that of 100 people who have this surgery, 85 have relief from pain and can use their knee normally, while 15 do not. Surgery to repair tears may reduce the risk of long-term joint problems.
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].
The injury won't heal on its own, which means it may continue getting worse without proper care. For example, a partial tear may continue to worsen until it's a complete tear. Continuing to walk on the affected leg can aggravate your symptoms, making pain and stiffness worse in as little as a few days.
Walking up or down stairs may be particularly painful, and may also cause increased swelling in the knee.
You may be able to return to a desk job or your normal routine in a few days. But if you do physical labour, it may be a few weeks to a few months before you can go back to work.
Depending on the type of procedure you received, you may be asked to avoid fully bearing weight on the affected knee for up to six weeks. You may be able to climb stairs a few days after surgery, but it's important to be careful and go slowly. You should use handrails for support and take one step at a time.
In cases the patients undergo meniscus repair or ligament reconstruction, they are given a brace to support the knee in full extension. If the patient is not comfortable walking without an aid, then they are usually provided with axillary crutches.
Activity: You should use cane, crutches or a walker for the first 3 to 5 days following surgery. As your knee feels more comfortable, you may increase the amount of weight you put on the operated leg. You may stop using the cane or crutches/walker once you can walk comfortably without a limp.
Typically, keeping weight off the operated knee is a key goal in the weeks following meniscus repair. Thus, you will likely be instructed to use crutches for at least a month after this procedure. – Physical therapy is another important part of recovery following surgical meniscus repair.
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.
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.
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.