Discussion: Recovery time from arthroscope knee surgery?

I can't remember how long I had to recuperate last time after a cartilage operation. Anyone with any recent experience as an indication for the degree of patience I need to exercise?

Sorry I can't answer your question. However, I am asking the same question. How long is recovery?

I will be going in for surgery on a very old meniscus tear.

For me short term recovery (bieng able to walk normally and do most things) took only about a month. Long term recovery in terms of being able to get back to something like previous activity levels, running orienteering races etc. more like 12 months.

I'm hoping to be able to enjoy Easter. That doesn't sound feasible according to your experience.

This is an old data point (1984) and YMMV, but there once was a woman who won a marathon, just 17 days after arthroscopic knee surgery.

Joanie Benoit!

It really depends on many factors, including the overall health of your knee, the extent of the repair, the skill of the surgeon, your dedication to rehab, etc.

I had a favorable general profile, and I was orienteering (slowly and gingerly) in 3 weeks. I am now about 8 or 9 months out and I haven't even thought about it in five or six months. However, I am well aware that others have had much more difficultly.

I'm headed in for surgery on Dec. 14th (also an old cartilage tear) and the doctor said that if I took it easy I could "run" in a 5K on New Year's Day. His definition of "take it easy" was to plan on moving at slightly more than a fast walk. Of course, that's his prognosis; we'll see what actually happens.

He said that I could orienteer then too, but that he would prefer that I not go on slick surfaces (e.g. icy slopes) for the first few weeks.

I recall being told I could run in a few weeks and trying to do that, then feeling I'd re-injured the knee. Eventually re-starting slowly, I then hurt the other knee by making it carry too much weight. I can't remember how long it took to get to semi-normal, but it was at least a year. I'd recommend taking the recovery very cautiously.

I had arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus at the end of October last year. I was riding a road bike within 2 weeks, cross-country skiing by early December, and running by late December. One thing I think is important is to not skimp on the exercises your physical therapist tells you to do (even though they may seem boring and tedious). Having said all that, my knee still isn't perfect (e.g. I still need to wear a brace when running).

With a physio in the family, I won't be allowed to skimp on the exercise. Thanks for the recounted experiences. There seems to be no normal recovery time.

I had my knee done 2 months before the world champs this year. I was walking normally again after 4 days, on the road bike in 1 week, running (orienteering) in 3 weeks, racing later that week (aus champs). I went overseas after 6 weeks and wasn't able to do anything to ice etc from then on and absolutely no problem at woc.

the orienteering so early probably wasn't ideal - only did it because I had to be ready for woc. I got through it fine, but it was a pretty high risk of bashing the knee (which I did - and f-ing hurt). the main thing to get it better quickly is to get it moving gently asap, and ice lots. at absolutely every possible opportunity. I was icing mine at least 5-6 times a day until I went OS and it made a big difference and let me do enough training to get fit again. definitely the best thing to make it get better quicker!

and make sure you don't limp (you'll just get another injury)- if you can't walk/run normally then don'! (the trick when you start to walk again is to think about 'lifting' your knee, rather than 'bending' it.

good luck!

I had my scope done in June and returned to work on my own without cratches after 10 days. As Charlie said, it all depends on many factors before your doc opens you up. My fist easy run/jog took place 4 weeks later, however my fist O-ing took place 2 months later. I was still feeling some pain but I used causion and wasn't pushing hard.

Definitely start doing all those little excercises that docs tell you to do on third day or so, those help with faster recovery, just don't overdo them. And don't rush back into action untill the joint feels strong enough again.

I met with my surgeon again today for my 3 months post-op meeting. I had a partial medial meniscus removal and micro fracture surgery back in late August due to an injury I suffered in mid April in Sweden last year. The micro fracture is proving to be the stubborn part of my injury as the surgeon re-iterated to me again that I would never run again. So the recuperation time seems to range from 1 week to LIFE!

What was that injury you had in mid April in Sweden? Remind me not to do that to myself, or if necessary, stay out of Sweden...

>What was that injury you had in mid April in Sweden?

Training with Boris. ;-)

Here's a timely article from today's Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic...

I didn't look at the article. It's about training with Boris, no doubt?

Well, I feel blessed after Hammer's comments. The surgery revealed healthy bone with no fractures or arthritis. The anterior cruciate is fine. I had about 25% of my cartilage trimmed and walked out of the hospital (slowly). Not walking as much today though.

I had my Scope last Wed and quite enjoy being off work for a rest! A week later and I still feel very sore and unable to do much at all other than walking with a limp. I realise after reading thee posts how foolish I have been. No rehab exercises until I saw the physio (6 days later), I have not been applying ice or taken any of the pain killers as I was advised - I don't like taking tablets. I will be a good boy now though thanks to your advice.
Oh, I found it strange that I was X Rayed and scanned and I was told that I didn't have arthritus. However, after my op I have now been told that I do have arthritus. Expected time of recovery is about 4 weeks I have been told

Reminds me to make a late update of this post I started. It took 4 weeks from operation to be back running 'normally, so I was lucky. It took 3 months to get a diagnosis, wait to hope it recovered without surgery, get on the surgery list etc.

Here are some extracts from my log and the lessons I learnt about being careful.

Dec 4 Operation

9 Dec
Knee is improving. Spent two days lying on my back continuously icing various parts of the knee and surrounding muscles. Didn't feel like getting off the bed. I have since discovered this was not an effect of the operation, but of the pain killers I was prescribed for post-op pain control. Cunning ploy to convince me to stay on bed rather than testing the knee. Memo.. be very careful with panadeine forte, or anything with codeine phosphate as an active ingredient. By day 3 I was working on some data analysis at the kitchen table. Its a sad state of affairs that i was itching to get back to work. That is the second lesson from this experience... be very careful about retirement.

16th Dec
My Joan Benoit day. Apparently she ran a marathon 12 days after an arthroscopy. A fortnight ago I saw that as an inspiration. Today I just think she was mad.

18 Dec
Things looking up. I jogged 10 metres last night!
Saw surgeon today. Spent 30 seconds on the consultation and then 10 minutes on the issues surrounding the training of medical specialists. I think I may be riding on the weekend. A run will be my Xmas present to myself.

23 Dec
Second Christmas Present!
First post-op run. Only slight knee pain, but it was in the other leg. Main constraint was lack of aerobic fitness.
Tis amazing how good it feels to run again, even for so short a time and so slowly. Reduced back pain! Mood improvement! The post-run glow of self-righteousness in the shower!

24 Dec Second run. Learnt a lesson. Run every second day. Ended up icing the knee.

26 Dec
Faster than two days ago, which is amazement. It felt really slow and was quite hard work. Perhaps the perceived effort score should be 4 or 5. Just underlines how far I have to go to recover fitness. I really am starting again from scratch. I know from past experience that it will take 8 weeks to enjoy running again. Which will correspond with the start of the orienteering season. Thats a good reason not top slack off between now and then. Also a good reason to be very careful and not overdo the running early. Bike tomorrow.

From that stage on I ran every second day slowly, and by 4 January was back into a normal training program for someone with low base fitness.

Took 11 months did it? Bad news.

I have a hole-in-the-leg at the moment (stitches out today) that I'm trying to make recover within the next twelve days before XPD. Any suggestions?

Sorry. Fixed the snafu. One month.