You can probably swim as soon as stitches are removed. You can probably bike lightly within 7-14 days of surgery, probably a little longer for harder stuff. Personally, I would train right up to the day before surgery, do surgery now and get right back on training as quickly as recovery/pain tolerates, listening, of course, to doc.

I agree, had meniscus surgery twice (each knee) and was able to swim and cycle within 10 days. Running was soon thereafter. I would second the opinion to do surgery ASAP and then move on....

I may be an outlier here. Read similar responses as above when I had my 6mm tear cleaned up (as well as other small cleaning up around the joint), thought I'd be biking in 10-14 days. Nope, not for me. I was only able to swim until 6 weeks post-op. Just listen to your body (and the surgeon, of course) and don't rush it back. I had surgery in October and was able to recover, lose the 20lbs I had packed on and still have very successful races at Duathlon Nats the following June.

I had some of my meniscus removed a few years ago. I felt better as soon as I walked out of the surgery. The surgeon advised me to get on the stationary bike the next day in order to get blood flow the the affected area, but with no resistance. I did that every day for a couple of weeks and then added a bit of resistance over the next couple of weeks. I think my first run was five weeks later. Everyone is going to have a different recovery contingent on how much material was removed and where it was located. Listen to the doc and be diligent with your prescribed PT.

Everybody's recovery is going to be different. I had a badly torn meniscus and also had to have grinding and bonding work done on my kneecap. (Arthritis had done a job on it. It looked like crushed ice.) The bike was central to my rehab. I think I was on the indoor trainer (no resistance) on the second day after surgery. I was back on the "real" bike outdoors -- doctor's orders -- on the 6th day after surgery. Within a week after that, I was back on my normal bike training schedule.

Like others on the thread, I trained right up to my surgery, and was walking the day after. I think I was on the bike the next week (low resistance), and back to normal after about 6 weeks (on the bike ... I purposely waited longer for running).

drn92

I don’t have a great answer for your question. But I had my ACL repaired and about 1/2 of the meniscus removed from my right knee in my early 20’s. I then spent several YEARS cycling only, before I ran again. In my 40’s now, 6 Ironman’s, lots and lots of running, with ZERO knee issues. I feel strongly that by strengthening my quads through cycling, I have stabilized the joint, and that allowed me to run again with no issues.

First of all the big thing that matters most is will they repair or just clean it up (remove the bad parts)? If they just clean it up you'll walk out of the surgery clinic and be close to fully healed in like two weeks. If they repair it (stitch it up) you'll be on crutches for a while and recovery will be longer. So... assuming it's just a clean up job, I'd do it now. It's really not that big a deal and then your training will be pain and swelling free, which is a big deal. Even if it's a repair I'd probably do it now.


[My relevant experience: I've had 4 meniscus cleanings over the years plus 1 ACL/meniscus. In every case I was back on the bike in 5 days or less (with the blessing of the dr). Running takes a bit longer. Swimming is fine.]

Thank you to everyone who replied! This is all very helpful. When I meet with my doc I am now leaning towards getting the surgery but I also have more info to ask.

Thanks!!

Had the same thing (medial meniscus) at age 48.

Post-op when like this:

On crutches and knee rapped for first 72 hours.

Was swimming post-op on day 7 and off crutches.

Was on the bike (slowly) on day 10. Doc said I could do it on day 7 but it hurt.

No running until day 30 per the Doc

Ran on day 31...hurt like a MF but I could run. Distance was based on how much pain I was willing to suffer. Swim and bike was no problem but still not really pushing on the bike.

Running on day 60 and trying to get back in shape.

Day 150'ish ran a marathon. It was slower than normal.

Today and a few IM's later I don't even know I had surgery.

What would I have done differently if I could go back in time???????

My Doc said that PT wouldn't do much for me because I was an athlete and as he said "you will not listen to me anyway and use the crutches". With no PT I didn't know what the pain was........normal post surgery or was I re-damaging it? Once I realized on my first day 30 run that I couldn't damage something that was removed in the surgery I figure the pain I had felt had to be normal. With PT I would have figure that out on day 1 but I don't think PT would have made my recovery happen and faster for what I had. So if offered PT do the PT but don't expect a lot miracles.

I had a meniscus tear and had it trimmed in June when I was 49. My knee was very inflamed, doc said one of the 3 most inflamed she had seen. I followed Doctors, IM finisher, orders to get back to training and did IMFL 5 months later. I had a normal knee for my age at the time of the scope. Within a year I was bone on bone, and was in pain all the time. 18 months after my scope, I had a HTO (high tibial osteotomy) and TTO surgery which realigned my leg/knee as my medial side was bone on bone but not lateral side. The hopes is I could get back to running and put off knee replacement which didn't work out to well. Two years after my 4th IM, I couldn't keep up walking at college tours with my kids. 7 years after my first knee scope I had my knee replaced.

I'd suggest you ask your Doctor, how your scope will/may effect acceleration of arthritis.

I wish I hadn't pushed to do IM 5 months after my first knee scope and that I had investigated my inflamed knee more before I got back to sport. It was likely due to Lyme Disease.

Wow, that sucks. But thanks for sharing.

Thanks to everyone for the info. I'll be careful but I'm better informed now.