Meniscus surgery rehab, any tips?

[Dubbington]

I’ll be 3 weeks since surgery this Wednesday. I was walking without a crutch I think day 3. Did 20 min on spin bike yesterday. Walking no problem, little slower that’s all. I’m doing my ice and odd range of motion exercises where I have to flex my quad and do some movements.

Only thing I’m struggling with is bending. Pt and Ortho said I was ahead of schedule, bending around 124 degrees.

Any tips to speed the recovery up and/or tips for after recovery to increase flexibility?

Plan on my swimming more. Doing steam room or sauna too. Might try hot yoga once a week too.

 

[m_asim]

Don't try to get ahead of the schedule. It is not a race and if you get injured, you will lose more meniscus.

 

[Caddywumpus]

Don't try to get ahead of the schedule. It is not a race and if you get injured, you will lose more meniscus.

+50,000

pushing to get better faster can lead you to reinjuring yourself. take it easy.

 

[tzrider]

Water based exercise should be helpful, as it will decrease load on the joint but encourage range of motion and blood flow.

I've had two of these and both times the surgeons gave me the green light to do whatever I could stand to do without pain killers. That said, the problem I was trying to solve persists (the knee locks), so either the surgery didn't really address the issue or something about my rehab wasn't helpful.

 

[Eye Heart Pasta]

Any tips to speed the recovery up and/or tips for after recovery to increase flexibility?

Here's what my ortho told me after my tibial plateau fracture surgery in 2014.

"Gravity is your friend."

I laid on my back with my thigh vertical and just let the weight of my lower leg slowly work its way down. I didn't try to force more movement. I believe I got full RoM back in less than 2 weeks, but can't remember for sure. Strength took a long time, though.

 

[Dubbington]

I can't get into the pool for probably another 1.5 weeks. I think that's going to be my saving grace, that and biking.

I'm surprised the bruising is still there deep down. No size difference from other knee but holy hell does it still hurt to kneel on. Can't do that yet. Tough too cuz I'm used to going down to knee for my dogs and in the garage working on stuff.

 

[tzrider]

Swimming and biking won’t get range of motion back. They will promote circulation.

Post 5 has a good tip for ROM.

 

[Dubbington]

Swimming and biking won’t get range of motion back. They will promote circulation.

Post 5 has a good tip for ROM.

Here's what my ortho told me after my tibial plateau fracture surgery in 2014.

"Gravity is your friend."

I laid on my back with my thigh vertical and just let the weight of my lower leg slowly work its way down. I didn't try to force more movement. I believe I got full RoM back in less than 2 weeks, but can't remember for sure. Strength took a long time, though.

I can do that no problem already. It's bending my leg back is where it's tight and painful.

Like this, I can do about half that distance. Ortho said it was good though and my PT on Friday will take measurements and I'll see where I'm at.

Definitely not trying to push things as I can't have a set back. I need I'm hoping mid May I'll be able to ramp my biking and begin my regimen to get into wedding shape for October.

 

[Climber]

I've had 3 meniscus surgeries in my right knee.

Use your fingers to massage around where the incisions were, that will help break down the scar tissue in your knee.

I did 3 sets of bicycle/elipticycle a day, followed by icing. The name of the game is to get oxygen to all parts of your knee by pumping blood through. You can also alternate 15 minutes of icing with 15 minutes of heat at this point. The icing right after exercising and the heat after that.

 

[afm199]

I’ll be 3 weeks since surgery this Wednesday. I was walking without a crutch I think day 3. Did 20 min on spin bike yesterday. Walking no problem, little slower that’s all. I’m doing my ice and odd range of motion exercises where I have to flex my quad and do some movements.

Only thing I’m struggling with is bending. Pt and Ortho said I was ahead of schedule, bending around 124 degrees.

Any tips to speed the recovery up and/or tips for after recovery to increase flexibility?

Plan on my swimming more. Doing steam room or sauna too. Might try hot yoga once a week too.

Don't speed up recovery. Spend time doing the rehab exercises. I had surgery 7 years ago (meniscus) and still do them. It helps keep what is left.

It's fine to walk on it as soon as you can.

You need to do the exercises that flex the knee. That means both the sitting and lying exercise where you pull your lower leg as far as you can toward your thigh. You should be able to almost touch or touch the foot to your thing. You won't be able to initially.

The last 20 degrees will be occluded. Keep working on that, every day. It's not a problem, but it will take weeks to months to get full flexibility.

That pic you posted is exactly what you need to work on. Pull the lower leg toward the thigh and hold for several seconds. yes, it hurts.

 

[Shaggy]

I had my left medial meniscus repaired in 2010 and it took me about 2 years to get full range of motion back where I could go into a catcher's squat equal to my right knee. I could run, climb, squat, kick, etc... but that final 10* of bending took forever for me.

Like others said, take your time.

 

[m_asim]

yes, it hurts.

But know the difference between hurt and pain. If you don't then you will be in more pain. Take things to the edge, as prescribed by your doctor/PT, but don't take it too far. Take it from others who tried the "I heal faster than everyone else" thing and it came back to bite them.

You are in it for the long haul so don't rush through it. Like it or not, you will now have to be forever careful when doing anything physically taxing with your legs.

 

[msethhunter]

I've had it fixed on both knees, one of them twice. DON'T OVER DO IT! That's the reason for the second time in my right knee.

Your PT will push you as hard as needed. I still have problems with both knees though. I can't sit for long periods otherwise my knees start hurting really bad. When I sit in back of an airplane is when it's the worst.

 

[tzrider]

When I sit in back of an airplane is when it's the worst.

You'd be more comfortable in the airplane.

 

[mercurial]

joint tissue has minimal blood flow. The idea that you can or should speed recovery is laughable.

 

[lefty]

I had it done after a m/c crash in Mexico (DAMN Honda m/c!!!)

Take your time, otherwise you will have to start over. Listen to the great advice you have received.

 

[msethhunter]

You'd be more comfortable in the airplane.

HA! I usually sit in the pointy end. Those seats are better for napping anyways. (I kid, I kid)

 

[DTM74]

I tore my meniscus badly about 6 years ago. Medial and lateral tears. Doc said it was one of the worst he's seen. I was on crutches for a month with no weight to be put on the leg, then another month gradually increasing the weight I could apply. But, I took my time and did all the rehab/icing. Muscle loss was bad and that took some time to get back to normal. Range of motion is normal today and I can run a few times a week without any discomfort...just take your time and don't rush it.

 

[Owl]

Water based exercise should be helpful, as it will decrease load on the joint but encourage range of motion and blood flow...

I can't get into the pool for probably another 1.5 weeks. I think that's going to be my saving grace, that and biking...

broke my ankle couple years ago, getting into the pool was definitely helpful and kept my recovery on track. good info in other posts, just wanted to add my two cents for when you're cleared to get in the water:

- i did all these exercises in water no deeper than my chest/stomach, mostly only up to my waist/crotch (3-4' maybe 5' part of the pool)
- started off with just walking up and down stairs (maybe you can put a workout box/step in the pool and do some high knee step-ups-step-downs)
- "running" across the pool, really just walking at first but this definitely helped because eventually i was running through the shallow end pumping my knees up out of the water. i started off doing really silly, exaggerated walking where i'd pick up my knees really high, extend my feet/calves, and take these biiiiiiig steps just to work range of motion and muscle memory
- side-steps with squats and then squat jumps eventually
- walking backwards
- balance exercises like standing on one foot and rotating my opposite leg at the hip

the way my PT described it to me, an important and overlooked part of rehab is regaining muscle memory, water therapy like this helps get your muscle memory and strength back in a very forgiving environment (less weight/gravity, soothing temps and light pressure to reduce swelling)

you could basically take whatever rehab exercises your PT has you do on dry land and do them underwater.

psychologically, it FEELS like you're getting ahead of schedule because you're thinking "wow i can walk up steps/run/jump/etc already" but really, since you're doing it underwater, you're just taking baby steps so it's less likely for you to over-do it and set your recovery back (just remember this when you're back on dry land! haha)

GL with your rehab and congrats on the upcoming wedding

ps, just remembered, if you like swimming then definitely do that too! (and if you don't, start doing it anyway) it's a full body work out and that increases natural testosterone production which aids your body's natural healing ability.