Keyhole knee surgery

Posted , 5 users are following.

Four weeks ago I had right knee arthroscopy with trimming of medial meniscus and debridement, because my cartilage was shot and I had a good amount of arthritis.

After surgery I was given an A4 sheet with physio instructions on. And, although I feel some improvements after 4 weeks, I can't get my leg to go flat to the floor, and I am able to easily slide my fingers under my knee, even when I'm really straining to press it down. I really just want to know if this will improve with time?

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4 Replies

  • Posted

    Mine didn’t. Was doing ok then regressed. Been 4 months now and still very painful. Just had a jab which is supposed to give me 9 months pain free and let nature heal. Don’t hesitate to go back and make a fuss,

    hope it gets better soon.

    • Posted

      Mine was great for a month too till I went back to work.

      Don't know if the op is worth it when there's arthritis in there?

  • Posted

    Hi, I had an arthroscopy & a large chunk of medial meniscus removed back in June. 4 weeks is still pretty early days (I’ve found from my own experience - I’m still not fully recovered now - & from these forums, that knees take way longer than the medics usually tell us) however my surgeon was mega keen for me to get my leg to fully straighten even more so than getting the bend back (though obviously both are important). My leg is still not perfectly straight, but almost there. My surgeon told me to lie front down on a bed with my knee just over the edge, and let gravity do the work of pulling the leg down. My physio added to this saying if I was able to do without it being too painful, use my good leg to push down on the bad one further, to get the lower leg to drop further (so effectively straightening it even more) Start small - just for 30s or a minute, and then build up the time you do it for (I sometimes read a few pages of my book whilst doing it, I sometimes just lie there ‘resting’!) Also my physio pointed out that I really needed to keep an eye on how I stand when I’m stood still. Due to having had an op and all that goes with that, I had got into a bad habit of standing with my bad knee bent. If I was stood chatting to someone, or stood waiting for the kettle to boil, I was slightly bending/softening my bad leg. He encouraged me to be more aware of what I did and told me to stand with it as straight as I could. Basically it meant wherever I was (stood doing my teeth, stood ironing...etc etc) I made sure my leg was as straight as I could get it.  Have you seen the exercise which is the same as what you’re doing I think, but with a small towel rolled up and put under your heel? Sat on floor, leg out straight but with heel raised slightly, so again there’s a bit of gravity dropping your knee down too? You can push down on it as well which is what you’ve mentioned you have done as well, the towel may just give a bit of extra push down on the knee. 

    I do think you’ll see change but if in any doubt go back and ask the docs. I was saying to a friend just the other day how painstakingly slow any changes/improvements have come about for me, but the exercises I mentioned definitely helped. I hope things improve v soon for you.

  • Posted

    Hi ! I had knee arthroscope surgery done 51 days ago. I had my meniscus repaired, released or lateral patella and removed of a big piece of cartilage bone which is broken and running around my kneet that cause acute pains and painful locked knees that lasted for 30mins each time it happens. It is still swollen around the knee but less pain already. Did 12sessions of physiotherapy and 2 sessions of hydrotherapy and i am still going for it at the physio department in that hospital where i did my surgery. Better to go to the same hospital for therapies as the therapies work closely with the doctor’s instruction. I would say that my knee has improved it’s mobility and range of movement. Things to do daily: put pillow below your knees and ankle making sure it is straight, put icebag onto it as often as you can, when u are sitting while eating.. try to put your leg straight on another chair , eat healthy and stay positive.  When you are moving around with your crutches, you will get people staring .. do ignore looking back at them, always carry a backpack as we cannot hold anything while on crutches, put everything you need next to you and avoid going out to public too much as it will make us feel depressed when we are using the crutches. It’s a normal feeling that everyone would go through if they were on crutches or wheelchair. I wish you get well soon! 

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