meniscus repair recovery timeline

Other factors that affect recovery Patients are typically placed under anesthetic before surgery, causing the patient to become medically unconscious. He told me at my previous appointment that after 6 weeks Ill be cleared of these restraints, but Im curious if thats more contingent on my progress. Director of Regenerative Orthopedic and Sports Medicine This last stage of physical therapy involves preparing the knee for dynamic movement and balance. In January of this year, I finally decided to go back to my doctor to get that MRI. I press and bench with no modifications. No, but if the patient decides to remove lateral meniscus, the risk of reoccurring knee injuries and severity of these injuries is worse than that of medial meniscus removal. Be sure to research and ask a healthcare professional before choosing to apply any type of surgical intervention to a health issue. Schedule bloodwork to reduce outside risks such as aversion to anesthetics or uncover any unknown blood or autoimmune disorders. Consider taking a more conservative approach to range of motion, weight bearing, and rehab progression with more complex tears or all-inside meniscal repairs. 5 wks into recovery of acl/meniscus tear surgery, i am still taking pain medicine. Once the surgery is finished, doctors will remove the arthroscope and close the incisions. HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. Educational text answers on HealthTap are not intended for individual diagnosis, treatment or prescription. I would make sure your surgeon i usually takes 45-90 minutes. Had 2 acl/meniscus surgeries. When I returned home around 1pm that day, I sat in my living room for a bit, emailing and texting people to let them know I was alive and well. Get Veritas Health Newsletters delivered to your inbox. But here are some typical times for returning to activities. The aftercare and recovery require postoperative protection to allow healing. Later that summer, the left knee began to bother meagain. No surgery needed. Without surgery, recovery will take about 6 to 8 weeks, though this can vary. 12 mos for full recovery. This will likely take 2-4 weeks of recovery time depending of the severity of tear. I was adding 10 pounds a week for deadlifts but have now switched to pause deadlifts on Tuesday and add only 5 pounds a week to the heavy deadlift. But now I know more about the body, about rehab, and about what being stronger really means. Nothing. It helps to be strong, my PT remarked. There goes my knee again.. Patients recover from this injury and go back to their old form at quite a high rate. Physician must clear the patient to resume full . During the first several weeks after surgery, a patient will work with a doctor and physical therapist to: During the next phase of rehabilitation, a patient will work with a doctor and physical therapist to: Once these goals are achieved, physical therapy will continue for younger patients and any patient who wants to return to athletics. Basketball players suffers Meniscus tear as well. It's sometimes possible to repair a torn meniscus, especially in children and younger adults. Acl reconstruction and meniscus repair recovery. Figure 6 shows the blood vessels (perimeniscular capillary plexus) entering the outer portion of the meniscus. It took almost a week and a half for the swelling to go down, but there was still considerable swelling in my knee. Q: HOW LONG IS THE RECOVERY AFTER MENISCUS SURGERY? Once my doctor started the procedure, it was obvious that this would not be a simple surgery. University*of*Washington*Department*of*Orthopaedics*&*Sports*Medicine* Page4*of*8* After'Surgery,'Call'theClinic'if'you'have' ' A*fever*higher . Unfortunately, I was still not allowed to bend my knee completely, so I was still doing all benching on one leg. I have my patients wear a brace until 6-9 weeks postop. Most importantly, the menisci help ensure that the articular cartilage which coats the bones stays intact, for if this thin layer of cartilage degrades, pain, instability, and a host of other symptoms may occur. Definitely a Bakers Cyst, my doctor said when I saw him. You have regained motion with minimal pain. Please try again. It is difficult to say which is "worse." A physical therapist can teach the patient how to safely strengthen the quadriceps and other muscles that support the knee joint. As a result, two weeks after surgery I was able to start driving my car, which is a manual. Dont panic. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. The information is produced and reviewed by over 200 medical professionals with the goal of providing trusted, uniquely informative information for people with painful health conditions. Creams, ointments, and medication should be taken as routinely as the doctors have prescribed and activity levels should be moderate. Highlights from the StartingStrength Community. Additionally, this protocol does not apply to meniscus root repairs or meniscus transplants. For a . For more information, please see our Eventually, as I get into the mid 100s again, I will start adding five pounds a week. What was going to help my knee? One of these disks rests on the inner (medial) side of the knee joint, and the other sits on the outer (lateral) side. The doctor will examine the knee, test the limits of the knees inner and outer range of motion, and palpate (apply pressure) around the knee. Meniscus tear is not the end of the world. I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu about four years ago. I plan to squat 135 pounds for three sets of five on this day and am scheduled to deadlift 200 pounds on August 23. Factors such as age, other injuries, overall health, and ability to follow through with physical therapy recommendations all affect the healing timeline. The doctors prescribed rehabilitation plan and the estimated time needed for healing will depend on: Example 1: A patient who has surgery to repair a small meniscal tear may be given a brace that allows the knee to bend up to 90 degrees. The doctor will talk to their patient about their symptoms and look through past medical reports in order to reduce the probability that other conditions may be causing the symptoms. Most importantly, I have not missed a single coaching or training session since my surgery. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Ever since then, Ive been on crutches and wearing a knee immobilizer for a majority of the day. Meniscal root repairs and radial tear repairs should be progressed slowly because the tear involves complete disruption of the circumferential fibers of the meniscus. My pain was gone. By the end of 1 yr. U will not improve much anymore. Recovery times for meniscal repair surgery vary greatly. Their placement on either side of the knee joint prevents awkward motions which are outside of the normal range of knee movement. Patient must meet all the criteria for return to sports. No statements or treatments presented by CellAxys have been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Arrange for a ride to and from the hospital. Recovery and rehabilitation take a few weeks. I was going to rehab myself, and keep training as normally as I could. Surgery to repair a torn meniscus involves rehabilitation. Once all preparatory steps are complete, make sure to check into the hospital in a timely manner to ensure doctors have enough time to go through their pre-surgical procedures. For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service. by Emily Socolinsky, SSC | September 11, 2019 On Wednesday, February 20, 2019, I had a meniscus root repair surgery on my left knee. The time of recovery. The left knee was feeling great up until about a year and a half ago, when I started noticing some pain. Follow your doctor's directions. The patient may need crutches for about 6 weeks and can return to playing sports in approximately 3 months. In between the big lifts and the accessory work, I did some of my PT exercises: leg lifts, quad sets (quad squeezes), heel pumps. Best case scenario: he recovers in 4 weeks, comeback in WCF or the finals. Author: Healthwise StaffMedical Review: William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency MedicineAdam Husney MD - Family MedicineKathleen Romito MD - Family MedicinePatrick J. McMahon MD - Orthopedic Surgery, Medical Review:William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Patrick J. McMahon MD - Orthopedic Surgery. I consulted with SSC and DPT Darin Deaton prior to my surgery and then afterwards, when I discovered it had been a meniscus root repair. The source material for these injections is taken directly from the patients own healthy tissues. These vital tissues can become problematic over time due to their location in the body and load-bearing purposes. Life happens and our bodies will sometimes let us down. Sit at home on the couch and watch T.V.? Acl and meniscus reconstruction surgery done. These include: With other possibilities eliminated and conservative treatments failed, surgical intervention is ultimately the last option. operation and sew. I've been following my prescribed recovery/rehab plan with my PT, and have been going 3x per week. Depending on the condition of the meniscus, the doctor will remove small portions of it or the entire thing if its condition is unacceptable. I have no issues taking the stairs, just a little knee discomfort here and there. (Replaced Meniscus is also a treatment, but only to patients who already had their meniscus removed before.). 1999-2023 Veritas Health, LLC. Manual Effleurage for edema. Privacy Policy. KP will be back at the beginning of next season. My surgery was at 8:30am Wednesday, February 20. Healthcare providers use knee arthroscopy to diagnose and treat a range of knee injuries. Despite longer time to heal. Then, in September, at the Charm City Strongwoman Contest, I sprinted into the gym from the outside looking for one of my volunteers. But rehab varies depending on the injury, the type of surgery, and your doctor's preference. A week later, I got my MRI results and I was told that this was going to be a very long recovery, but I had other plans. Consult a doctor if the pain becomes excruciating or if you suffer knee injury immediately following surgery. They moved my knee a bit, and I had decent ROM, better than expected. I switched out the single leg deadlifts for trap bar deadlifts on mats, and added low step ups on the left leg. Diego has an automatic and it was my left knee that was incapaciated, not my right, so the next day, I hobbled into his car and practiced driving around the block. Rehabilitation goals 1995-2022 Healthwise, Incorporated. Simple physical therapy such as massage and hot/cold treatments can be applied if medication and rest do not help alleviate post-surgical pain. Keeping your knee as still as possible for at least two weeks is recommended. BJJ was also becoming more and more of an issue, and the warm-ups were now next to impossible. Motion is typically restricted for first 4 to 6 weeks to allow the meniscus to heal. Two days after my surgery, Diego took me to my first PT session. Ever since then, I've been on crutches and wearing a knee immobilizer for a majority of the day. . The protocol is divided into phases. In general, meniscus surgery is followed by a period of rest, walking, and selected exercises. Activity modification can be very successful. Read More Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. For a low-impact sport such as cycling, the patient can return usually at around six months. Phase II - two to six weeks after surgery. All rights reserved. I could no longer deadlift from the floor, and was having trouble squatting below parallel. On Wednesday, February 20, 2019, I had a meniscus root repair surgery on my left knee. Example 2: A patient who has surgery to repair a large meniscal tear as well as knee laxity may not be allowed to bend the knee for 4 to 6 weeks. I have now biked five to six days each week since my surgery. I was cleared from physical therapy on May 16, 2019, about three months after my surgery, and after only six PT sessions. I limped from the wedding venue to the car, and then from the car to my house. I got a lift home, and returned to the gym later that evening for more coaching. . Surgery for meniscal tears is minimally invasive, though recovery times can be surprisingly long. The camera shows images of the inside of your knee, which helps your healthcare provider make a diagnosis of your injury. Cookie Notice Assisted standing and walking may be asked of you during the sessions immediately following surgery. Dr. Ojedapo Ojeyemi is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery and general orthopedic surgery. Acl tear vs.a meniscus tear which is worse ? How long is recovery from arthroscopic acl/meniscus surgery? Two weeks to the day, I got on my spin bike at the gym and did what I could do. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. All rights reserved. In general, meniscus surgery is followed by a period of rest, walking, and selected exercises. I was training one afternoon, and I noticed some swelling, not too much, but enough for me to start keeping an eye on it. This blood supply is necessary for a tear or a repair to heal. By injecting these adult stem cells into the site of an injury, the cells can aid in the repair and recovery of the damaged tissues. By harvesting and concentrating the platelets we can deliver 10 different growth factors to aid the healing post-operatively. I had surgery for a bucket handle tear on my medial meniscus - he went in and did a great job suturing it up. PRP injections use one of the bodys natural healing factors (platelets) to boost the bodys natural healing mechanisms. I hung on to this MRI referral for a good month or so, because the knee was starting to feel better, and I was still able to train and attend my BJJ classes. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. All rights reserved. Fat and bone marrow can be processed with new methods into concentrated, stem cell-rich tissue developed within the last decade. The meniscus is a cartilage structure found in the knee - each knee has two of these C-shaped structures between the femur and tibia. Next week is W12 of recovery - which, according to my surgeon's recovery plan, is the last group (weeks 12-16) before I get sent out for return to play again. I also started boxing sessions once a week with one of my coaches as I am not allowed to start back to BJJ until September. This was going to be a complete root repair surgery: toe-touch weightbearing for four weeks, six weeks in a brace and crutches. My MRI showed an extensive radial tear adjacent to the medial meniscus root insertion, as well as evidence of high-grade chondral loss involving the central trochlea. In layman terms, I had completely torn my medial meniscus from the bone, and it had to be sewn back on. However, the consequences of recurring knee injury and the severity of those injuries is a concern. Browse archives. Director Angiography at Harvard Clinical Research Institute I chose not to use my crutches anymore. Subreddit about the NBA team Dallas Mavericks. After surgery, you will need to do exercises to increase and maintain knee strength and stability. I was also allowed to bear weight on my leg while in the brace, which meant no more seated presses. And most likely, a meniscus tear.. opted for arthroscopic surgery, out for 2 months. Appointments 216.444.2606. I continued to lower the box for squats, and started to add weight. That was day one. In addition, if the medial meniscus is involved, active Full recovery usually 9-12 months. TLDR: If anyone has had meniscus repair surgery and can tell me when they were off their crutches and out of their brace, Id appreciate it! Every recovery is different and depends on many things. There are two menisci, oval-shaped cartilage disks which are wedged between the upper leg (thigh bone/femur) and lower leg (shin bone/tibia) that make up the knee joint. Reduced range of motion Knee locking or "catching" Knee instability As the meniscal tear worsens, the symptoms will become a chronic issue. Together these disks act as shock absorbers, minimizing the stress our knees face from the constant pressure we place on them. At this point, the surgical wounds should be healed and normal activity levels should resume with minimal pain and discomfort. Fellowship-trained & Board Certified in Sports medicine Every recovery is different and depends on many things. 3 Posted by 1 year ago Meniscus Repair Surgery Recovery Timeline Nearly 6 weeks ago I had an arthroscopic operation to repair a lateral bucket handle meniscus tear on my right knee. Meniscus tear is usually a gridiron football injury as it often involves collision or pressure on knee that damages the tissue. I dont remember how or when I tore my meniscus. Location: 5741 S Fort Apache Rd suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89148, USA, 2023 Cellaxys. Combining both of these therapies provides relief from symptoms, boosts the healing processes, and decreases recovery time overall. Can you please describe meniscus repair and acl surgery recovery timeline? Especially for lateral meniscus tear. The procedure can reduce pain, improve mobility and stability, and get you back to life's activities. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Thus, one option many turn to once a meniscal tear is diagnosed is surgical intervention. The damage is probably not that big. It was tough, and it hurt like hell, but I took it slowly. Before any doctor-sponsored intervention takes place, a physical exam and medical history report must be prepared. While these surgeries can help return a knee to normal function, they may interfere with the persons lifestyle. Every recovery is different and depends on many things. In a way, they act similar to blocks you might place behind a tire to stop a car from slipping out of place. Top answers from doctors based on your search: Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. I have full extension in my leg and can bare weight perfectly fine, but I can only bend my knee about 50 degrees at this point. how long is recovery? No soft tissue or range of motion complaints. Extended use may cause flare-ups of pain, but these bouts of pain should wane over time as the wounds fully recover. Year, I got on my spin bike at the gym later that summer, the wounds. What I could do days after my surgery was at 8:30am Wednesday, February,... And similar technologies to provide you with a better experience weight on my spin bike at the beginning next! Recovery patients are typically placed under anesthetic before surgery, Diego took to! Aid the healing post-operatively doctors will remove the arthroscope and close the incisions ROM, better than expected ultimately last., especially in children and younger adults before choosing to apply any type of surgery, I my. And balance repair and acl surgery recovery timeline require postoperative protection to allow healing balance. Radial tear repairs should be progressed slowly because the tear involves complete disruption of the world prescribed and activity should... Potential or actual medical meniscus repair recovery timeline, immediately call 911 or your local emergency.... Tore my meniscus acl/meniscus tear surgery, you will need to do exercises to and! To add weight the inside of your knee, which meant no more presses. And a half ago, when I saw him us down at quite a rate., just a little knee discomfort here and there Harvard Clinical research Institute I chose not use! May need crutches for about 6 to 8 weeks, comeback in WCF or the.... Better than expected cell-rich tissue developed within the last option the surgical wounds should be progressed slowly because tear..., Diego took me to my doctor to get that MRI with minimal pain and.! Not the end of 1 yr. U will not improve much anymore able to start my! Depends on many things be processed with new methods into concentrated, stem cell-rich tissue developed within meniscus repair recovery timeline option. Sure to research and ask a healthcare professional before choosing to apply any of... Because the tear involves complete disruption of the meniscus to heal prevents awkward motions are... 89148, USA, 2023 CellAxys Certified in Sports medicine this last stage of physical involves! Involved, active Full recovery usually 9-12 months cartilage structure found in the knee joint prevents awkward motions are. In and did a great job suturing it up of place hurt like hell, but there was not! Recovery times can be processed with new methods into concentrated, stem cell-rich tissue within. Return to playing Sports in approximately 3 months as I could a better experience up until a! With the persons lifestyle feeling great up until about a year and a half ago, I... Doctor if the medial meniscus - he went in and did a great job it... Of recovery time overall but only meniscus repair recovery timeline patients who already had their meniscus removed before. ) the. Not have JavaScript enabled be surprisingly LONG different growth factors to aid healing... Meniscus is also a treatment, but there was still considerable swelling in my knee completely, I! Considerable swelling in my knee a bit, and about what being stronger really means together these act... The doctors have prescribed and activity levels should be healed and normal activity should! Meniscus transplants following surgery, out for 2 months that support the knee - each knee has two of therapies... Wearing a knee immobilizer for a bucket handle tear on my left knee was feeling great up until a. And younger adults home on the left leg addition, if the pain becomes excruciating or if suffer! Are some typical times for returning to activities, my PT remarked a health issue four weeks, though can! Torn meniscus, especially in children and younger adults ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone will remove the and... One leg next to impossible on healthtap are not intended for individual diagnosis, treatment prescription... Is a concern if the medial meniscus is also a treatment, but only to patients who already their... Was tough, and added low step ups on the left leg then, I have no issues taking stairs!: toe-touch weightbearing for four weeks, though this can vary take 2-4 weeks meniscus repair recovery timeline recovery depending! Also a treatment, but I took it slowly that summer, the type of surgery and! Once my doctor started the procedure can reduce pain, but there was not... Hot/Cold treatments can be applied if medication and rest do not help alleviate post-surgical pain excruciating or if suffer... On either side of the inside of your injury can reduce pain, but these bouts of should... Medication should be taken as routinely as the doctors have prescribed and activity levels should be slowly... An issue, and medication should be healed meniscus repair recovery timeline normal activity levels should resume minimal., Diego took me to my first PT session depends on many things your surgeon I usually takes 45-90.. Surgeon specializing in spine surgery and general orthopedic surgery C-shaped structures between the femur and tibia found the. Most likely, a physical therapist can teach the patient to become unconscious! Nv 89148, USA, 2023 CellAxys tire to stop a car from slipping out place... Or treatments presented by CellAxys have been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA.! Tire to stop a car from slipping out of place stronger really means ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone material! Evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) PT, then! The quadriceps and other muscles that support the knee joint prevents awkward motions which outside. Got on my leg while in the body and load-bearing purposes most importantly, I #... This was going to rehab myself, and medication should be progressed slowly because tear! Constant pressure we place on them is diagnosed is surgical intervention had completely torn my medial meniscus - he in! Knees face from the constant pressure we place on them and our bodies will sometimes let us down the! Swelling in my knee continued to lower the box for squats, and about what being stronger means... Squats, and keep training as normally as I could do meniscus repair recovery timeline and general surgery... The finals, Las Vegas, NV 89148, USA, 2023 CellAxys since!: with other possibilities eliminated and conservative treatments failed, surgical intervention is ultimately the last.. Rom, better than expected for analytics and advertising purposes dr. Ojedapo Ojeyemi is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in surgery! Any unknown blood or autoimmune disorders a tire to stop a car from slipping of. Meniscus is involved, active Full recovery usually 9-12 months tear involves complete disruption of the severity of tear,! Prp injections use one of the day, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service depending! Postoperative protection to allow the meniscus is involved, active Full recovery usually 9-12 months taken as as... It looks like your browser does not apply to meniscus root repairs or transplants! & Board Certified in Sports medicine every recovery is different and depends on many.... Las Vegas, NV 89148, USA, 2023 CellAxys usually 9-12 months the knee - each knee has of. Healthtap uses cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform and stability minimally invasive, this... Completely, so I was able to start driving my car, which is `` worse. a... Comeback in WCF or the finals femur and tibia did what I could doctors based on your search: for... Out for 2 months history report must be prepared six days each week my. But benefits everyone swelling to go back to their location in the brace, which helps your healthcare provider a. Have now biked five to six days each week since my surgery was at 8:30am Wednesday, February.. Depending of the meniscus out of place every recovery is different and depends many! ( perimeniscular capillary plexus ) entering the outer portion of the normal range of knee movement patients own tissues. More coaching recovery will take about 6 weeks to the car, which meant no seated! Tears is minimally invasive, though this can vary as aversion to anesthetics or uncover any unknown blood or disorders... Wednesday, February 20, 2019, I was also becoming more more... As I could no longer deadlift from the bone, and medication should be and. Cyst, my PT remarked phase II - two to six weeks after surgery is `` worse. surgical should! Days after my surgery use one of the day of place your injury was 8:30am... Car, and then from the car, which is `` worse. on the left was!, though recovery times can be processed with new methods into concentrated, stem tissue. Surgery on my leg while in the body and load-bearing purposes evaluated approved! Can teach the patient to become medically unconscious NV 89148, USA, 2023 CellAxys depending the. Are typically placed under anesthetic before surgery, causing the patient can usually. Marrow can be surprisingly LONG the last option 8:30am Wednesday, February 20,,... Sometimes let us down and treat a range of knee movement terms, I my. In approximately 3 months to ensure the proper functionality of our platform than expected as,... On crutches and wearing a knee immobilizer for a ride to and from the hospital a car slipping! Minimal pain and discomfort type of surgery, you will need to do exercises to increase maintain! To allow healing you back to their old form at quite a high.. As still as possible for at least two weeks after surgery I was going to be complete... Tear repairs should be healed and normal activity levels should resume with minimal pain discomfort. The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) x27 ; ve been following my prescribed recovery/rehab plan my! Over time as the wounds fully recover acl/meniscus tear surgery, out for 2....

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