Looking for feedback from those with arthroscopic experience. I know everyone is different, but what is the usual recovery time until one can expect to be back to full training? I had surgery two weeks ago, and can get around pretty good. I signed up for Ralph’s a hundred months ago, and it looks shaky that I’ll be ready in sixteen days. Any PT’s out there? Thanks…
I had a lateral meniscus scoped. 1st week, I limted myself to walking mostly due to anesthesia. Next week I was on the stationary bike, 3rd week treadmill at 9mph. I only had sharp pains from lateral movement (partial MCL tear), however TRI’S are north and south.
See if youre PT thinks " Ionto" treatments will be of benefit. Also invest in a knee brace, preferably one with the cartilage U. Think of this as a good tapering session, anti inflammatories and RELIGIOUS ICING are your friends. Good luck, Keau
I’ve had both knees done. Cartlidge tears on the front inside edge of the cartlidge; similar on both sides.
Left went first. I felt a twinge running sideways playing rugby, then a big riipppp crouching down in front of the fridge, later the same day. I left if for 18 months before surgery. I think I has reasonable mobility after three weeks, maybe four. BUt it took a full 18 months to 100% of the movement back into the joint.
Right went a few years later, and was torn as I twisted the joint. 10 days from tear to surgery. I was riding a bike within 5-6 days (although it was slow, and I was bending my knee outwards to accommodate the lack of mobility. Good mobility after 10 days. Exactly 14 days after the operation I was skiing bumps.
So, it all depends. As the pp said, anti-inflams, ice, quad exercises, and not overdoing it are key. I think with the second one i had a much better idea of just how hard I could push during the recovery. The surgeon said that if I overdid it the joint would swell like a balloon, fast. So I waited for that to happen. It never did.
What did they do to you? Arthroscopic only tells us that they didn’t make a big open incision on your knee and that they were able to do whatever needed to be done through a few small ports with arthroscopic equipment. Depending on the arthroscopic procedure done you could be back up to speed in a couple of weeks or you could be permanently hanging up your running shoes. My guess is it wasn’t a major/career ending procedure, usually your surgeon would give you some sort of heads up.
Lieutenant Dan, just re-watched Forest Gump a couple of days ago, and now understand your moniker.
The doctor cleaned up a few tears and shaved some rough spots. My knee looks good now, according to him. Its been 10 days, and I can walk pretty good, I have about 110 deg. flex, but still some swelling. Spinnning feel good. My PT told me today to forget Ralphs. I think I hate her. But seriuosly, it seems the right thing to do. I really want to be back for Wildflower in May, and IMWISC in Sept. Thanks to you and the others for replies.
I had the surgery a few years ago. It was slow going for me, but I think I was being over cautious. The dr took only 12 min. to do my surgery! I had torn cartilage but also a cracked knee cap. It has been 4 years now and I did my first 1/2 im last year. I had my surgery in the month of Jan and did 3 tris late in the summer. My dr. did not recommend pt, but I went against what he had told me and went to a sports dr and he gave me several exercises to do on my own. The best one for me(and I still do it)is quarter squats. I do these faithfully. I can no longer do regular squats or leg extensions. Too much pain. I am very careful of my knees. I am very careful of running down trail hills and doing stairs at work. I want to run as long as I can. I am probably older than you so I am sure you will respond much better than I did. Good Luck.
I think that it really depends on the nature of the orginal injury and the surgery itself. I had my left knee scoped in 1985 for a minor scrape and clean of the back-side of the patella. I was very fit going in and was back cycling a week later and running two weeks later. Then back to full strength within a month.
Fleck
Skipping Ralph’s is probably a good idea. No point in risking the rest of the season. A lot of times people think of pro athletes, ballers, having arthroscopic surgery and then playing in a couple of weeks, and think they should be able to do the same thing. What they fail to realize is that those athletes have 'round the clock medical care and they aren’t being paid millions of dollars to sit on the bench.
Sitting out Ralph’s is a good idea, methinks. Best of luck with the rest of the season.
had the left knee scoped a year ago due to a “complex tear”. i took considerably longer to resume full activity than what the seemingly over enthusiastic knife was telling me to expect. i spent a lot of time treading water.
recovery from stuff like this should be more a “how’s it feel” thing than trying to set hard dates for resuming anything. give it longer than you think you need and my guess would be your recovery will be more complete and longer lasting than slamming it again right away.
i’m going through similar thing now…miniscus “trim” (18%) - debris removal - clean up/smooth up - couple of smallish micro-fracture procedures. surgery was two weeks ago. i was on trainer 6days later and doc has cleared me for bike, elliptical, swimming and leg presses. running in 6weeks due to the micro fracture stuff.
good luck to you and your rehab.