I had my knee scoped Dec 8, 2010. Partial Lateral Meniscectomy and loose body removal. Small tear of the meniscus. Rehab has been going pretty smooth. Biking and Swimming within 3 days of surgery so fitness has not fallen off dramatically. 40 years old. Plan to try running four weeks post-op.
Question- Any advice or experience from people who have had similar surgery and how they felt starting to run again? What would you do or not do again during the start back period?
Thanks.
medial meniscus surgery at age 58; so it was 6 weeks before running. build slowly and avoid temptation to race early in season though your swim and bike are might be good, don’t let good leg compensate for recovering leg…good time to work on core…
Have had both done on consecutive years in my mid 40’s. I had a very aggressive doc, thank God! I did water running and cycling starting the day after (cycling), and on both he made me promise not to run for 2 weeks. Ran on both 2 weeks to the day afterwards, and built up to 10 miles within a month. That said, I went into surgery in great shape with lots of long water runs to maintain my fitness.
I found with both knees that I did experience pain for almost a year to the day, but when I felt it, the surgeon’s words, “there is structurally nothing wrong” came back and I ran on. Now this was not excruciating pain, just wandering pains. It was funny that it always just disappeared, and I felt no pain after a year or less. This has been many years ago, 10 ironman races, and lots of miles. Be cautious, be aggressive, but know that you may have pangs a bit for a while as things readjust. My knees give me absolutely NO problems whatsoever, so feel good that you will be a s good as new. I have had running mates who were much more conservative, and have never been the same, but that is no real evidence of right or wrong. I just found being crazy active and working it made it good for the next 15 years and hopefully many more!
The two people who would be able to give you the best answer are you and your surgeon. That said, if you were my patient (done thousands of scopes) I wouldn’t make you wait 4 weeks. It would be based on your resolution of post-op pain and swelling assuming your knowledge of your diagnosis is accurate. Best of luck on your recovery and for a successful 2011 season.
John
I had my knee scoped in June.
I had tears in both meniscus medial & lateral, plika removed, snovial tissue removed, and my patella smoothed.
I did water running before and after surgery once incision healed . I was on the trainer within a week. I’m still not back to running pace I was in April. With injury, surgery, I think my running gait changed which has caused me other issues mainly pes anserine bursitis.
I was able to do IMFL. My run volume was to low for IM and run was rough for me. Bike bike FTP is still not back to pre surgery level.
My biggest suggestion is continue PT even after you are discharged from PT. I started PT day after surgery and 7 weeks post op was discharged, but 2 months later had to go back and will go back again in January.
Hope your rehab and getting back to running goes smoothly!
Why is your return to running less than 4 weeks? As a PT that works primarily in sports medicine and see a LOT of middle and high school kids following meniscectomies, I usually don’t let them run for 6 weeks. The ones that go well will look great at 2 weeks or so, but to be honest I’m not comfortable with letting them run early as I question the future damage we may be causing. While their ROM and manual muscle tests generally tend to look fine, their neuromuscular control tends to look like garbage. They have no valgus control, poor lunge and squat patterns, etc. Because of this, I’m hesistant to rush back to running. However, I’m willing to change my mind and am wondering what you’re basing your recommendation on. In fact, I WANT to change my mind, but would like to see something that says “go ahead, run early”. Thanks for the info!
Dirt - excellent questions. First, our athlete has been out of HS for decades and you saw that my answer was based on each individuals findings. Here are a couple of examples , three actually, from my practice:
A) 40 yo arborist a week out from a scope and partial med menis, no other findings. He’s in the office 8 days post op…and filthy! “Whatcha been doing this morning sir?” I asked. “Planting Shrubs,” was the response. Exam showed well healed wounds, little if any effusion, seeming good control of muscular envelope.
B) 30 year old insurance sales woman 10 days out from her scope and debridement of small meniscus tear and small area of articular cartilage wear, still limping a little, mild to moderate effusion.
C) 70+ year old (with a 14 year old daughter in one of my kids classes - yikes!) 3 weeks out from TKR who walked up the stairs and comes into the office with no walker, no crutches, no nothing…because he could! I think that with kids in the same grade he felt something competitive.
The point here that all patients are different, in my mind, and need to be treated differently. The arborist wasn’t a runner, but if (for whatever biologic/genetic reasons he was healing so rapidly and) he had come from a running/cycling background, and wanted to easily work back into that sport, as long as he wasn’t a hazard to himself or others, it would be open for discussion. In my mind, these types of decisions are not based on the calendar, but on the patient.
Lastly, I’d have to look it up, but I think that Joan Benoit Samuelson won the Olympic Trials marathon something like 19 days after a knee scope in 1984 and went on to take the Olympic gold medal.
Make sense to you?
John
as others have stated, simply ease back into the exercise. it shouldn’t take very long to get back into full swing at all if you just work at your own pace. it took me a few weeks after a similar surgery and maybe a month til i was FULLY back into everything but just do what you can handle. i swam as early as i could when I knew the suture were closed and started biking at an easy pace even earlier than that, barely a week post op. it’s a surgery thats recovery really improves greatly from day to day as i’m sure you’re finding out and just ‘listen’ to your knee. if it gets uncomfortable, take a step back and just work on things as your knee will allow.
Thanks to all for the input. All have been great help. Can’t wait to give it a go!
Very much so, and I completely agree. Thank you for your insight!