recovery time after knee surgery ?

[cyberknight]

As discussed in the knee pain thread i am havign an mri next week for suspected meniscus tear.
Has anyone had this operation and what is the recovery time like for general mobility and return to cycling ?

 

[vickster]

If lucky, based on previous personal experience, you should be able to start to cycle with low resistance in 4-6 weeks IF they have to do nothing else than trim the meniscus and you get your range of motion back quickly. If they try to stitch the meniscus, have to try to patch up cartilage holes with microfracture, etc then likely much longer. Indeed, you may be on crutches for a number of weeks. A meniscus repair can be 6 weeks non weight bearing (although this is unlikely if you’re over 30ish as the menisus is likely degenerate and non stitchable).

Problem is, even with MRI, they can never be sure what they’ll find and therefore what they’ll do!
Not all meniscus tears need surgery, if no major swelling, locking, giving way and as removing meniscus increases the development of arthritis (plus the risks of surgery), it can be best to leave well alone and get good physio if pain the only symptom

 

[raleighnut]

If lucky, based on previous personal experience, you should be able to start to cycle with low resistance in 4-6 weeks IF they have to do nothing else than trim the meniscus and you get your range of motion back quickly. If they try to stitch the meniscus, have to try to patch up cartilage holes with microfracture, etc then likely much longer. Indeed, you may be on crutches for a number of weeks. A meniscus repair can be 6 weeks non weight bearing (although this is unlikely if you’re over 30ish as the menisus is likely degenerate and non stitchable).

Problem is, even with MRI, they can never be sure what they’ll find and therefore what they’ll do!
Not all meniscus tears need surgery, if no major swelling, locking, giving way and as removing meniscus increases the development of arthritis (plus the risks of surgery), it can be best to leave well alone and get good physio if pain the only symptom

Yep, been there with having 'keyhole' surgery on my knee to trim the tear down. The surgeon said "I'll see you in about 15 years to have a 'false joint' fitted but then I snapped the Femur on that leg into 3 pieces so cannot now have a 'false joint'.
But really having the joint 'trimmed' didn't really impede movement and I was walking normally in a couple of days,

 

[PK99]

My not particularly helpful response must be:

Follow your doctor's advice that will be specific to YOUR injury and YOUR surgery

In our family we have since 2016 had one knee surgery each:
3 ACL reconstructions and one Meniscus clear-out

On the basis of our very different post-op experiences, I can give no better advice - and neither can anyone else here!

 

[cyberknight]

My not particularly helpful response must be:

Follow your doctor's advice that will be specific to YOUR injury and YOUR surgery

In our family we have since 2016 had one knee surgery each:
3 ACL reconstructions and one Meniscus clear-out

On the basis of our very different post-op experiences, I can give no better advice - and neither can anyone else here!

yes thats pretty obvious , i was after personal experience to give me an idea as most doctors tend to be very conservative .