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Meniscus tear operation - recovery time?
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Just wondering if anyone on here has ever had a meniscus tear operated on and how long it took them to get riding again and without any discomfort in their day-to-day life?

Its been three weeks for me now and I rode on the indoor trainer for 60mins with minimal power last Wednesday and now it's swollen around the patella tendon and on the side of lateral side where the tear was, so I've knocked it on the head resorting to icing and anti-flams with no luck.

Any advice would be appreciated or do I just need to suck it up and give it time?
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Re: Meniscus tear operation - recovery time? [iron snorks] [ In reply to ]
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I had a simple Meniscus tear trim last January. I was on the trainer 5 days after the operation. 10 minutes easy spinning, very easy twice a day for the first week. Then the second week was 15 minutes twice a day. The purpose of these sessions was to keep the joint moving. Both my surgeon and PT supported this level. It took several weeks before I was generating any kind of power. Sounds to me like starting out with a 1 hour ride was too much, too soon. By early May I was back to riding and competed in IM France in June. My run is still not what I would like it to be but I am not 25 more (58 years old).
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Re: Meniscus tear operation - recovery time? [driver_ian] [ In reply to ]
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driver_ian wrote:
Sounds to me like starting out with a 1 hour ride was too much, too soon.

Thats what I thinking now. Thanks.
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Re: Meniscus tear operation - recovery time? [iron snorks] [ In reply to ]
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I had lateral meniscus surgery in 2014. They took 15% of it. Rest of the knee looked fine.

I started PT before I had the surgery to strengthen the muscles that would could help support me post surgery and continued to ride as well. Post surgery, I was in PT the next day, started easy no tension riding 3 days later with no ill effect. I began swimming one week later with no push off the wall or kicking. I was riding Z2 for an hour within three weeks. Running took me a lot longer to return to, about 1 month and even then it was the usual run 1'/walk 1' for 10' at a crack. Every once in a while I had pain post run and backed off an extra day. It was a year before I ran completely pain free and it took quite a bit of PT and form fixing on my run to get there. My advice don't push it.
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Re: Meniscus tear operation - recovery time? [SSMinnow] [ In reply to ]
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Have had 4-last one when I was 47, PT that night, cleared to play ice hockey 2 weeks later, I waited another week. For me the key was PT right away to get the knee flex back, and more ice than I care to repeat. My Dr is a hockey player, the head surgeon for a pro hockey team, and was the Dr for the US Olympic/national team so has plenty of experience with hockey players who's knees are much more valuable than mine.
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Re: Meniscus tear operation - recovery time? [pots4] [ In reply to ]
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Had one 4 years ago at age 55. Was doing easy cycling on my trainer in 2 weeks. Did a sprint tri after 5 weeks - doing the run slowly. Before the surgery I had no swelling and it only hurt when I ran. No issues with walking or sleeping. After the surgery I did not have any pain or swelling.

Andrew Inkpen
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Re: Meniscus tear operation - recovery time? [iron snorks] [ In reply to ]
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Light spinning on trainer 4 days after, up to an hour after 9 days.
By 22 days post repair, I did a slow 60 miler.
About 6 weeks after I had a cortisone injection and could finally run.
7 months later I had a PR at IMAZ- at age 60. Been doing tris since '81.
I will see doc this week for other knee, now am 61.8

Team Zoot So Cal
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