Wellness

[hondagirl]

Just returned to work after being out 6 weeks for knee surgery... Feeling pretty good but knee still has some soreness.  Doing alot of excersises at home and hoping to walk a lot better soon...Anyone had this surgery and can give me some info.

[Pook]

@hondagirl  I had this surgery last May and went to therapy 3 days a week for 3 weeks and 2 days a week for another 3 plus doing my therapy exercises twice daily. My surgeon recommended all this therapy since I am an active person who wanted to maintain the same level of activity.  I was walking pretty normally after 3 weeks, walking my dog 1 1/2 miles after 4 weeks and now  3 miles daily and to do Zumba and dance workouts after 6 weeks (with a little soreness). I had a lot of stiffnes and swelling (but I'm a sweller after injuries, etc).  I was released after 6 weeks but surgeon told me I was halfway there.  Because of the stiffness due to swelling, I was over zealous in my therapy wanting to get complete movement back.  I still have some stiffness and swelling which is worse after being on my feet a lot but very little soreness which is only when I try to kneel on it.  The only thing I care about is that my knee is stable and feels sturdy so I am able to do nearly anything now.   

I would say walk a lot and use the heel first type of walk and force yourself to walk normally and work on going down steps as that was the last thing I was able to do after about 8 weeks.  The therapist said I couldn't undo anything by pushing myself so I did.

Anything is better than not knowing if your knee could go out on you. Good luck and don't give up. 

[pupwhipped]

Well, this is probably not going to be very helpful, but it is what it is. I had this surgery nine weeks ago and I am ten times worse off then before it. I've tried to remain optimistic but I'm losing most hope now. Started yesterday with a different physical therapy group as I was not that pleased with the original one I was going to. I really don't believe it's going to help. But I will try. I truly wish I had never had this surgery done.

It sounds like you are doing reasonably well. I hope you continue to get better and better!

[sabatini]

I'm in the same boat, @pupwhipped....except that I had my surgery almost 2 years ago.

On the same day as the surgery, when the anesthesia wore off, there was pain...but NOT the same kind.

Before, it'd been pain behind my knee, and now it was the knee-cap itself. I have never recovered, and am far worse off than I was before.

And now, 2 years later, the other leg has started up w/ that same behind the knee pain.

The kicker is that I no longer have health insurance.

Good luck to you, OP. I truly hope you'll have smooth sailing!

[Houstongal2]

I had surgery Sept. 2. It was more intense than I expected as far as recovery..I drive a stick shift and could not bend the knee enough in order to drive for 11 days. I returned to work with a cane on day 12. I am a special ed teacher so surgeon wanted me with a cane for stability. I started physical therapy on day 13 .....i had been doing the recommended exercises from day one as well. I was taken back by the pain at times and I have a hight pain tolerance, but I pushed thru. Was able to normally walk up and down the stairs the end of Nov. I did PT for two months, 2-3xs a wk. when the weather changes I feel it, however I am doing well..can walk the dogs etc. i will say though the first two months were discouraging to me as it was like two steps forward, three backwards. My surgeon said each person recovers differently. Good luck!!! Oh and I am in my 50s but active as far as mikes with the dogs etc.

[Snowpuppy]

I've avoided surgery so far but I have an extruded, not torn meniscus in 1 knee. It's like sticking your tongue out just beyond your lips.

I read a study that said most patients that opted for surgery were no better off than those who had 12 wks of physical therapy. 

I get by with 800 mg ibuprofen for pain during the workday.

[aubnwa01]

I had laparoscopic surgery for a torn meniscus in 1998, & needed a total knee replacement by 2005 at age 55. 

With my meniscus surgery, the surgeon didn't actually repair it, just snipped off & cleaned up the tears & crud.   By 2005, I'd worn off all the cartilage by the time I had TKR & was bone on bone.  I think i must be hard on my joints or just unlucky, because I needed to have revision surgery in 2009 on the same knee.  No one is touching my other knee, even though it hurts a little bit now!

[SchippyLuv]

I tore my meniscus last July while I was exercising on a balance board. I was in terrible shape for about two months; unable to do anything but basic daily self-care and lie around on the couch. I was reduced from 10,000 steps a day to around 1,000. I refused to have surgery because I also had heard of poor surgical results and I was afraid of being totally immobile for 6 weeks. The pain was so bad that every time I went down a step or two I would scream. The pain kept me awake at night. Then I read about a study done with Hyaluronic Acid by the National Institute of Health. I started taking 100 mg of HA twice a day and after a couple of weeks, I started to feel a bit better. As the weeks progressed, I continued on with the HA and now I still have some pain but I'm back to an average of 7,000 steps a day. Now I would say that my knee is still "fragile," but I will take HA forever, continue to exercise and hope for the best. BTW the study says HA only works for people under 70, but I'm 71 and it's working for me.

[PamelaSue72]

I had surgery for a torn meniscus about seven years ago; I was 54 at that time. I was an avid walker (still am) and the pain got so bad I had to do something; the pain would awaken me at night, if I even tried to move my leg. The surgeon went in, cleaned it up and that was that. I had PT 3 times a week for around a month or so. Started walking one mile a day and gradually worked myself back up to about 6 miles, although it took a good six months or so (much longer than I wanted to deal with it).

I think the injury occurred when I was using our Bowflex in the basement. I was using too much weight for an exercise. I'm pretty sure that's when it happened.

My only regret is that I didn't have the surgery done sooner. I think I waited about two months before even going to the doctor, which was stupid on my part. Went to the doctor, had the MRI, doctor scheduled surgery, and life went on. 

I never should have waited as long as I did for surgery. Two months with unnecessary pain.

I'm fine now. No pain around the knee at all. I'm still walking (3 miles on the treadmill, 3 miles outside during my lunch break at work). I don't run (I'd love to run, to be honest, but I'm afraid to try)  and I'm careful of the exercises that I do, especially those that deal with my knees. I love walking.