Does it get better!! Knee Arthroscopy (Chondroplasty/medial meniscectomy)

Hi Amanda, this reply is probably far too late to help you as I'd say you are probably back at work by now! The coldness you described could indicate circulation and the need to move it around more, although persistent coldness could mean something else. I hope you're okay?

 had chondroplasty, partial meniscus removal and shaved bones three weeks ago. Had little bruising, and took my own stitches out in 7 days as they were too tight. I tried to balance moving and elevating in the first few days, then moved onto the walking machine, slowly building the pace and time plus doing the excercises. I can drive now, although it locks up whenever it feels like it and I get a strong, sharp pain down the inner part which is increasing...maybe healing? It's also very, very unstable and will go sideways a lot which worries me because I work with children! I have another three weeks off work so hopefully it will get better. I do hope you are alright now??

hi tracey

no im still not at work been off for 7 weeks this friday , ive only juat started to walk up my stairs in the house before i was crawling kind off i am still not able to go down using both legs as i dont have strength in my left leg at all , still gives way sometimes depending how far a sttep i take, im not driving yet as my PT was adamant i need to have control of my quads , am making little progress i can lift my quad a slight bit nothing that has me thinking i will be resuming my jogging anytime soon lol but its a start.

you took your own stiches out WOW i nearly fainted getting mine in and out ,  sharp pain is that when you bent ? i get shooting pains occasinaly if i bent to far like my leg is warning anough is anough leave it at that , keep me posted on how you get on x

Well it doesn't surprise me that you are still off, as I hear so there is so greatly with the recovery so in a way it's probably not helpful for us to compare. The stitches were cutting into the flesh so I thought I'd better get them out because they hurt when they're stuck. With the knee pain, I tend to push through it but not the sharp pain. I don't have physio but I just do what I think is best. I drove in the second week as it only required small bends in the knee and wasn't as bad as I expected. I find I'm better pottering around at home but when I go out it's unstable and it feels a lot worse so thinking about work bothers me. My right knee is playing up as well as my hip. This is what happens when you do lots of sports and hard play in your young years I guess but I'd rather an Arthroscopy than a replacement at this stage! Hope you go okay. Keep me updated as well! It's nice to hear about others so I don't feel it's just me! x

Update! I was due to return to work this week but thought I'd hold off till I spoke to specialist. Saw him yesterday and he said he'd had to do a lot more chopping of bone and other repairs than normal so I will need physiotherapy, hydrotherapy  and some gentle swimming. He thinks it will be a few more weeks before I can safely return to work. This explains the bone pain and the hugely swollen joint. I thought it was just me! I feel somewhat relieved now though not looking forwrad to physio - people say it's very painful. How are you going now, Amanda? 

Hi deb yes I am 59, had torn medial meniscus and had op 4 months ago, knee still partially swollen, sometimes locks, disappointed as was told by surgeon 2-3 weeks recovery but knee still not right...getting to see surgeon again tomorrow, wondering if he can help as I'm not back at work yet, very frustrated with my outcome, but everyone's different, good luck.

Hi Deb, I'm over fifty and had an arthroscopy 7 weeks ago, (repaired meniscus, cut arthritis away from femur, repaired damaged cartilage, removed fragments etc). Procedure was simple. I walked to car few hours after surgery. Able to carefully walk upstairs and could walk carefully around house. Did excercises and used treadmill for gentle walking for few mins daily and given sick note for 6 weeks. At 6 wk check I told consultant I felt progress slow and sharp pain after walking more than a few metres. He said they cut lots of bone away. He is sending me to physio plus given me a further 3 weeks off work (plus I have 2wks for Easter). I can potter around at home, can drive short distances and do small outings but it is still very sore and worse afterwards. The pain is not severe, but tiring. (I do not like to take painkillers.) My knee locks a lot and hte joint is very very unstable. Sometimes I wish I had not had it done, but if I hadn't, eventually I wouldn't be able to walk. This is what you have to realise.

Hi I had arthroscopic surgery 3 weeks ago on my left knee for torn meniscus and to remove a loose piece of cartilage. Everything went well and I was back at work in a week. But now, experiencing pain in knee and leg with slight swelling. I called doctor and have an appointment for tomorrow. I was not given any PT. Has anyone else gone from little pain to pain weeks after surgery ? Also knee is making clicking sounds which it never did before. Thanks and best wishes everyone.

Thanks for replying Traceyleeh. Bloomin knees! I've been for a walk this evening with my dogs, probably a mile. My knee is now quite swollen and burning sensation in both knees. I used to be able to walk for miles up until October last year when I tore the Meniscus. That's with significant arthritis. So I'm assuming it is the tear that is causing the swelling and not the arthritis. If only we had a crystal ball to see how we would fair after the surgery?

Thanks for reply Janice. My surgeon said I would be on crutches for a week and would need a week off of work! That's not what I'm reading here. I wonder how many people have had success with their arthroscopic surgery? Especially us older people. I suppose we don't read the success stories because people just don't post them. I have read that the success rate of arthroscopy in people over 50 is limited. That's what's worrying me. 

A week off? That might be a huge underestimation. Even young, fit people seem to have at least 3-4 weeks off though it depends where you work.

What I don't understand is that they remove debris and repair, cut bone etc but they don't replace cartilage so it's almost bone on bone which equals pain ams sometimes increases instability.

Hi all, I will be having surgery in 2 weeks for a medial meniscus tear. My sister had hers a year ago and she was walking a couple of days later and she says it feel great now, she drove a week later.. My doctor did inform me I will be going for therapy after. He will clean of some arthritis that I also have but when he gets in is when he knows what he has to do work with. He is a specialist for knee and shoulders for sports meds well known. He did mention to me of a new procedure he works with which is not scrapping the tear but instead stitching it back together but recovery time is 4 weeks in crutches and 4 monthe PT but he will not be sure if this can be done until he goes in. I have been with this issue for 4 years and now it's getting worst. My husband had the scrapping for a meniscus tear about 25 years ago and never had an issue and walked a couple of days after. I really hope it gets better tired of being bothered by the knee. Hope also all you guys feel better too! Surgery will be on the right knee

You can usually walk out of the hospital without crutches but in the first week once it all starts to heal it does require care. A Meniscus repair will depend on where it's torn as to whether they will stitch or cut away. If they are shaving arthritis off the bones as well, it will increase the healing time needed. Every surgery is different and every healing time differs. I heal quickly and despite being fully mobile from day 1, and being able to use stairs then a little driving the week after, am now into my tenth week off work. The consultant said he had a lot of shaving, repairing and cleaning up to do. Mine is unstable, and it catches and locks and pains suddenly sometimes and I can't walk for as long as I need to, in order to go back to work. It takes a while to heal but you should feel the difference eventually. Just go with it whatever happens! Good luck.

How are you now, Coralsue3? I was feeling great the first week after (I suspect they inject quite a lot of anaesthetic...). I too experienced the pain which developed in the second week and worsened. It is getting better now but is a slow process and the more I do the sorer it becomes. I'm being sent for PT now but am not back at work for another 3 weeks.

Hi Tracey

I am better thanks. I think I just worked too much. Saw the doctor of course i felt better by then. He said it was all normal plus I have arthritis in that knee which I knew. Sent me to PT. I had my first session yesterday they gave me new exercises and said both legs were week. I had TKR in other knee 7 months ago plus I have MS. So I feel better now and with these leg strengthening exercises I feel hopeful. Good luck to you I think people get better at different rates. I do recommend physical therapy.

Thank you Tracey!!! Will keep you guys posted. 😊

Hi there, got something positive to post! well I am glad to say 15 days after I posted about my disappointment in my recovery from medial meniscus surgery that I am walking normally with only a slight ache in the area which is now probably to do with the arthritis, but it's not that noticeable, main thing for me is I'm walking normally again! Can still be a bit cranky as I call it, in the morning when I'm first up, but it soon loosens up, so I know now I'm recovering, and im on a phased return to work next week, so there is light at the end of the tunnel, as they say, after almost 4 months in my case, so I hope this gives hope to yourself and others, all the best.

Thanks Janice. Hope it keeps feeling better. Surgery is next week keeping my fingers crossed. I also heard Bioflex pills is a good supplement for the cartilage.

Good news Janice, nearly there!

Can I ask how bad your knee was prior to surgery? I am due for arthroscopy and Meniscus repair next week after 6 months of a real struggle however, over the past couple of weeks my knee has improved quite a bit. It's still not right, I still can't walk without limping but I can walk a fair distance now before discomfort, not even real pain sets in. I always used to be able to walk for miles however can manage about .75 of a mile now. I'm wondering if it might just get better on its own or if I want my knee to be how it was, to suck it up and continue with surgery as planned. It feels as though it's a lump of wood at the moment if that makes sense and is still swollen.

Remember that if there is OA present, it is degenerative - so even though you can do things to help pain and movement, it will continue to deteriorate, and if the arthroscopy isn't done, the damage might be worse and you could be looking at a knee replacement. It can take several weeks to heal but the healing is progressive - not degenerative and should give you several more years before looking at a replacement joint, and they probably won't be doing full replacements for too much longer with all the alternatives emerging :-)

Thanks Traceyleeh, I'm due in tomorrow so am going to see what The surgeon says. It's quite swollen tonight but there isn't much discomfort. Hate getting old! 

Hi Deb thanks, and good luck with your op! Well mine started with extreme shocks of pain over a 2 week period, then just locked and stayed that way from June until Nov and the op, it was swollen constantly so for me it was a case of I can't wait until I have the surgery and get back to normal, even if it never totally improves then the fact I can actually walk, and dance again socially then I'm happy with that! Everyone's rate of recovery is different, all the best 😊

Thanks Morest, wish you all the best 😊, I'l look into those pills, take things easy after the op and follow all advice given, take care.

HI 

YES IM 56 I had a meniscus arthroscopic 16 days ago.. I was doing great.went went. For follow up told I could walk do stairsmy only restriction was no running. So I walked drove and stairs all in same day. Since the terrible pain and swelling. Nurse said ready ice elevation.  Not to good right now compared to before.   My advice is take it slow. Maybe for six to eight weeks. Don't do stairs.   I'm a former runner and basketball player in college teach physical Education (35) years and I know better. The itch to get going got me don't let it get you. 

Hi Deb. I'm 55 and just had a meniscectomy. I injured my left knee playing netball in February this year. I tore my lateral and medial meniscus and ruptured my ACL. Did physio for 5 months as ortho wanted to see how I'd go without surgery. It seems at 55 they don't like to reconstruct the ACL as it's a big operation and not needed if you aren't returning to sport. I had the meniscectomy one week ago. Im doing ok. Not in terrible pain and didn't take any pain killers after first night. I walked with crutches for one day and can walk unaided but very very slowly. I'm still wearing the compression stockings and icing occasionally. Doing the physio exercises they gave me and I think they are getting easier. My range of motion is getting better day by day. I'll see the ortho again next week so I'll see what he says. I remember when I did this terrible injury thinking I'd never be able to walk properly again but after the 5 months of physio I felt ok and was actually debating whether to have the operation. Time will tell if I made the right decision but I trust my ortho and believe it will be ok. Get a good physio as that helps a lot. Hope you get better.

Hello Mary

good luck with your recovery. I'm just over 3 months post op. I have good days and not so good days so,judge my activity lives on a daily basis. I'm managing the bike and cross trainer at the gym and have bought a cycle to try and build my quads further. I am not expecting my knee to ever get back to how it was but am learning to live with it now. My physio was great but I've stopped now as there is only so much they can show you.  I hope you have a quick and full recovery.

deb

I had left knee arthroscopy 3 weeks ago and swelling starting to go down after starting water aerobics last week. I am now experiencing catching in knee with walking or ball rolling. I sure hope this is just scar tissue releasing as it’s very scary and worry I will fall. Pain is manageBle but I think I am doing too much? I return to part time Work next week. How are you doing now?

Hi

It takes 12 weeks to fully heal ,inside of knee has been traumatised by procedure it takes time to heal so don't worry about anything just yet far to early x

HI Janice......your post inspired me. I am 2 months post chondroplasty on left knee and while my ROM is getting better, I still have pain. Are you back to a normal knee at this point? My PT told me to give it 4 months! I will lose my mind for sure. I am almost 59, thin and athletic. Went back to work at 4 weeks......ugh. Any words of advice......do you walk much? That seems to be best for me as well as stationary bike. Take care, Inga