When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
After the fascinating thread on torn rotator cuff surgery, how about personal experiences with arthroscopic knee surgery? Torn meniscus repair? Cartilage damage? Recovery time? How soon until you could drive? Left knee v. right knee? Did the problems recur? Anyone ever have a full knee replacement?
I have had three knee surgeries two on the left one on the right, all three were torn meniscus where the torn piece locked the joint. The first surgery (1980) was a full open knee surgery and took 2 months to get back on my knee fully. The second was in 1986 and arthroscopic, up and on it in less than a week. Played in a tennis tourney starting on day 7 (finished 2nd). The last was in 2004 and left the hospital on crutches and walking without them on day 3. Once I realized pain was just part of the process, I just pushed through my prescribed workouts and went on with life. Depending on your threshold for pain, you could be driving in about a week. Actually one of the exercises I was prescribes was very similar to pushing the clutch or brake pedal.
I had surgery on a torn medial meniscus. The torn piece was in the "white zone" and was removed. I was able to drive a manual car right away. The surgeon told me the only gating factor was how much pain I could stand.
If the surgery is an attempt to repair ("red zone" tear) the meniscus versus removing the torn piece, you will probably not be able to use the leg for much for several weeks.
Even though I did stay in a Holiday Express last night, I am not a Doctor. Your surgeon will tell you what you can and can't do.
I've always gone the ACL or ACL/MCL combo meal route. A manual isn't fun, but can be done on the street in about a week. I wouldn't do any on track driving until deep into physical therapy
My wife's father - Hans Rudolph Henche knows a thing or two about this.
From 1970 Henche worked at the Orthopedic Clinic, Department of Surgery at the University of Basel , where he started with the first arthroscopic procedures. [6] Hans Rudolf Henche received his orthopedic trauma training at the University of Basel with the Professors Chapchal, Morscher, Allgöwer, W. Müller and others in 1970 to 77. In 1970, the first knee arthroscopy was performed in the Orthopaedic Clinic Basel and developed the diagnostic and therapeutic system in the following years. In 1973, an award-winning film about the knee arthroscopy. 1974 the first publication about technology and results of arthroscopy. In 1977 Henche department (later Hospital) for Orthopaedics of the district hospital Rheinfelden (Germany)
This should be pretty benign. The science is well advanced, repairs are fine tuned and recovery is swift.
As for me: Oh boy - I have had 5 knee surgeries. First three on the left were arthroscopic. Meniscus damage. Totally painless. I even watched on the monitor. They kept giving me crutches and painkillers (which I never took) before discharging me to a friend to take me home by Taxi. Each time, I got out of the cab, chucked the crutches and walked home.
The aftereffect is the fluid they pump in to open things up so they can work. Your knee will be swollen. Movement helps. The surgeon called the next day and said he want me walking, on my feet and ride an exercise bike for movement. That got the swelling out. I was on the subway and then walking to work the next day after the first one.
Everyone's injury, experience and recovery is different. Rehab is critical. I was running long distance again in less than two weeks. Totally fixed.
I injured myself again from another impact injury, got that fixed, ran lots of distance races, did weights and then injured myself a third time from egregious overuse. Apparently doing very high rep & heavy squats for more than a dozen sets and then going for a ten mile run was a bit much in my late 40's.. Who knew? So I kept breaking up more of the cartilage until there was nothing left. Totally my fault.
After #3 they said they needed to graft in new (in the OR). I said "OK" and they said, "well first we have to find a donor" (e.g.. motorcycle rider). They had to do an allograft to replace the cartilage. A bone graft. That was horrible. Deep bone graft is harsh with big bung holes drilled for the graft. Bone pain is the worse (You won't have any) The recovery from that was lengthy and I was in a lot of pain for weeks. This was major stuff but I was still running again in 6 months.
Anyway, if you are just having some arthroscopic meniscus repair your recovery should be benign. Aggressively do whatever rehab they tell you and your recovery will be fast and easy. You won't even see the scars.
(from someone who gets squeamish having their blood drawn...)
__________________ -Peter Krause www.peterkrause.net www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
Specializing in Professional, Private Driver Performance Evaluation and Optimization
Consultation Available Remotely and at VIRginia International Raceway
Very broad questions by the OP. Totally depends on nature of specific injury, the intervention (debridement, repair, transplant, microfracture, etc.), amount of co-existing arthritis, tissue quality, underlying health and/or medical problems, alignment, fitness, and of course the small, but not zero, risk of surgical complications.
I had a torn achilles on my right foot. For a couple of weeks I was driving manual with my left only. A bit challenging. Especially brake modulation. I learned that building good muscles is a key for preserving your ligaments and avoiding injuries.
06-04-2015, 05:10 PM
Knee surgery?
