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

Wish you a speedy recovery. Positive attitude is the best, that's how I recovered from a shoulder labrum surgery. 😊👍

Thanks Morest, I wasn't quite prepared for the pain last night, I'm hoping tonight will be a bit better. Hope you've fully recovered and can move on.

Deb

Hi.Had my knee surgery and Thank God it's been going great. No pain, feel just a little pressure but have been walking since the 2nd day. Had my surgery on Thursday 4/13. My Doctor and PT told me I can walk until I feel pressure. He cleaned the calcium build up and smoothed down the medial meniscus tear.

Hi Morest, that's good news. I'm 1 week post op, still needing crutches and In quite a bit of pain. I suppose I'm going to be one of the ones who is going to take some time to recover. Today, I really regret having it done and it's starting to get me down. I'm making sure I do physio ice elevate etc but it's still the size of a melon!

My knee is still swollen as I was unable to take the anti-inflammatories, and decided not to take painkillers also after the second week. I can squat more than I could before the operation now, and I don't get the crunching. You'll feel yours loosen up a bit once the swelling goes down. Ice, then heat packs, elevate (watch TV...) and then some walking. Soon you should be able to evenly balance the walking with the resting, though you will still get tightness and pains and might be off work for a while yet. They told me I wasn't allowed to use crutches unless I was going out. It's been almost 12 weeks since my surgery, and it's 13 days before I'm able to. I'm hoping I can manage full days! You'll should feel a lot better in yourself soon. Hang in there. 

Thanks Traceyleeh

I see the physio tomorrow. There is no way at the moment I could manage without crutches. I'm due back at work next week but that won't be happening. I too can't take anti inflammatory meds and trying only to take pain killers as a last resort. I hate taking meds. It's good to hear your knee is improving. It gives me hope.

Thanks

Deb

If you have to use the crutches then use them. You'll know at which point to reduce their use. Each person's knee operation is different and there are so many factors that come into play which make the healing process different for each of us. I think it also depends on what they do in the surgery. I had a lot of strong, localised pain on one side and everyone was saying, push through the pain it's just healling but I asked the surgeon at 6 week check up and he said oh yes, I had to cut a lot of bone away from there you need to let it heal!! You will probably need a lot more time off work depending on what your job is. I was supposed to be having 4-6 weeks off but am at the 12 week mark, although am stronger every week. Keep positive and remember that every day it heals more!

Thanks again Traceyleeh, you've made me feel more positive. I'm off to meet with the Physio tomorrow so am hoping for some tips. I see the surgeon next week so will find out then the state of my knee and what was done. I just want to walk better and further without pain. I know I'm being impatient, I always am so will try and calm down and accept it is how it is for the time being. Wish you well in your ongoing recovery.

deb

Hi Deb, how are you? Is it about 4 weeks since your surgery? I am still off work and it is my 13th week! Sometimes I feel it's better but then when I go and walk it locks up and is painful and is sore for a few hours. At home I can potter around doing light housework. Work don't want me to go back until I get checked by hte Occ Health at end of May.

HI Traceyleeh, wow you are having a rough time. Yes I'm back at work, had 3 weeks off but not sure if I should be back, although I do have a desk job. I'm 3.5 weeks post op and on crutches intermittently. Nights are quite uncomfortable still, I take Codeine to see me through and even then the discomfort wakes me. Mornings my knee is stiff and sore, it eases once I'm up and moving. It's still quite swollen still; twice the size of my other knee. I'm icing as often as I can but it's difficult as I'm at work. Sometimes my knee feels as if it's going to give way hence I'm not confident re giving up the crutches completely yet. Like you I am doing light houswork. I'm also going to the gym a few times a week: Physio has said do just 5 mins on static bike and same on cross trainer. I'm also going in the pool and moving my legs in the water as though I'm cycling. My groin feels achy recently too and my hip! That's so sore it's hard to lay on that side. But I do feel it is getting a teeny tiny bit better each day. The physio did say to me don't expect full use of my knee again for another 5 to 6 months. I'm sitting here now with frozen peas on my knee, then after about 30 mins I'll ice my hip and then my groin. Oh the joys! Please let me know how you progress. Hopefully in a few months time we'll both post that we are up and about again. I love walking so am finding my decreased mobility quite difficult to manage. Have you had the groin ache or discomforts? Just trying to work out if it is related to my knee of my hip!

Hi Deb, I have read your posts with great interest as you sound just like me before your op. I have very similar concerns. I've been put on waiting list for an arthroscopy for a meniscus tear which I've been suffering from for 6 months or so. Like you it has got better but is obviously not right. Like you too, I've also got some arthritis in the knee (I had a replacement of the other knee nearly 3 years ago). I am just afraid that I'll be worse off after the op. I'll probably have to wait a few months so would be really grateful to hear how you progress. I've also got arthritis in my hip on the same side so my specialist wants me to have an injection in the hip prior to the knee op to see if that alleviates any pain caused by that. Could you have arthritis in your hip, causing the groin discomfort? As you say, this old age is such a pain (literally). I'm older than you, mind - 67. I hope, for both our sakes, that you make good progress and would love to hear how you get on over the next few weeks.

Jen 

Hello Jennifer

I'm 4 weeks post op today and must say I'm glad I've had it done now. I'm making small but definite progress each day. My physio said if I hadn't had it done it would just take a twist or turn the wrong way and I would be back to square one so that also made me feel I'd made the right decision. Yes I've definitely got hip arthritis and I think you are correct re this being the cause of the groin pain. Just about to go in to

Physio now but I'll keep you posted on

My progress and good luck. I did 5 mins on stationary bike this morning and 10

Mins on cross trainer so I'm

Pleased with that.

Deb

I work in school so lots of physical stuff otherwise I would have gone back a few weeks ago. I always go back after injuries etc way too early and always struggle so am determined this time to listen to my body. YES I too have groin pain. I think it's my hip even though I've tried my best to walk evenly. At times is worse than the knee and hurts when walking a lot.

Like you, I think each day is a slight improvement and I believe in time it will heal fully. I just hope the groin pain goes away!!!!!

Thanks so much, Deb. It's reassuring to hear you're progressing well. I feel some days that it's not so bad then the pain will return for a day or so. Probably, as you say, from twisting or turning. I'm not expecting to be totally comfortable as I know there 's arthritis there but hopefully it'll be better than now & I can avoid another knee replacement, at least for a while. 

Good luck with your recovery and, thanks, it'd be great to hear  about how you progress.

Jen 

Hello Jen

It's hard to know what to do. I thought the consultant wouldn't go ahead with it as it really wasn't bad when I saw him but then he said no, got to do it to prevent ongoing problems. Even today it's a tiny bit better than yesterday. Just small but definite progress. Yes I'll keep in touch re progress and good luck.

Deb

Hello Traceyleah

Well good luck on your ongoing recovery. You wait, we'll both be posting in the not too distant future on the hip replacement forum! Oh I hope not. I hate this not so much pain but sheer discomfort of it all: knee hip and groin. Oh to be young again.

Deb