What is the recovery time for a torn knee cartilage?
Recovery time is 6 to 8 weeks with conservative treatment. Physical therapy generally leads to a good outcome. It’s best to see a doctor for diagnosis of knee pain and a treatment plan.
Can you walk with torn knee cartilage?
A torn meniscus usually produces well-localized pain in the knee. The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.
What happens if you don’t repair a torn meniscus in your knee?
If not treated, part of the meniscus may come loose and slip into the joint. You may need surgery to restore full knee function. Untreated meniscus tears can increase in size and lead to complications, such as arthritis.
How serious is a torn cartilage in knee?
The menisci in the knee are specialized cartilage structures that aid stability and act as shock absorbers to cushion the joint and protect the bones from rubbing against each other. If you suffer a torn meniscus, it can cause debilitating knee pain, swelling, stiffness, locking, or loss of function.
How long are you off work for a meniscus surgery?
If you sit at work, you may be able to go back in 1 to 2 weeks. But if you are on your feet at work, it may take 4 to 6 weeks. If you are very physically active in your job, it may take 3 to 6 months.
Can you walk immediately after meniscus surgery?
Most patients can walk without a knee brace and crutches in about 2 to 3 months. Recovery time from a partial meniscectomy (partial removal of the meniscus) is quicker than recovery from a meniscus repair.
Can you walk with a torn meniscus and ACL?
Can you walk with a torn ACL? The short answer is yes. After the pain and swelling subsides and if there is no other injury to your knee, you may be able to walk in straight lines, go up and down stairs and even potentially jog in a straight line.
Will a knee brace help with a meniscus tear?
Wearing a rehabilitative knee brace will help the user recover from a torn meniscus by providing stability to the joint and preventing the wearer from aggravating the injury even further. Knee braces with hinges on either side of the knee offer protection and prevent that wobbly feeling you may get after a knee injury.
How long does it take for a torn meniscus to heal with surgery?
If you have a partial or total meniscectomy, you can expect your recovery to take about a month. If your meniscus was repaired, it may take as long as 3 months.
Why is my knee so tight after meniscus surgery?
The fluid in your knee often remains there for at least 4-6 weeks after surgery until your body can reabsorb it. This fluid will make your knee feel tight or stiff, especially with deep knee bending or squatting.
How long should your knee hurt after arthroscopic surgery?
Pain is quite common, most often in the area where you had pain before surgery, in the soft tissues below the knee cap, over the athroscopy wounds and occasionally the whole knee. The pain settles usually within two to three weeks, but may take upwards of six weeks. Swelling in the whole knee up to six weeks.
What is worse ACL or meniscus tear?
Many ACL tears we see only have problems ascending stairs, jogging, or walking downhill but can walk up hills and on flat roads without an increase in pain. A meniscus tear, on the other hand, will cause fairly severe pain even just standing on it.
Can you make a meniscus tear worse?
If you have a mild ache during the run, or a mildly sore knee after a run then you can often continue running. There is very little risk that running will worsen the tear. Meniscus tears can always worsen… remember, this is a process of degeneration.
Where does your knee hurt with a torn meniscus?
A moderate tear can cause pain at the side or center of your knee. Swelling slowly gets worse over 2 or 3 days. This may make your knee feel stiff and limit how you can bend your knee, but walking is usually possible. You might feel a sharp pain when you twist your knee or squat.
What is the fastest way to recover from meniscus surgery?
Instead, doctors often prescribe “R.I.C.E.” That stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.
- Rest the knee often.
- Put ice or a cold pack on your knee several times a day for 20 minutes at a time.
- Apply compression by wearing a bandage or brace.
- Elevate the knee while you’re resting or when you’re icing it.
Is walking good after meniscus surgery?
You can’t walk right after surgery. How long recovery takes depends on the type of meniscus surgery and the severity of the injury, but expect two weeks down time, at minimum. The meniscus is a crescent-shaped pad of cartilage located in the knee that helps stabilize and cushion the joint.
Why does the back of my knee hurt after arthroscopic surgery?
Excessive pain in the knee following arthroscopic surgery is usually due to overactivity or spending too much time on your feet before the thigh muscles have been adequately strengthened. Excessive swelling can also cause pain in the knee. It is normal for the knee to be sore and swollen following arthroscopy.
