MRI showed a bunch of junk that needs to be cleaned out and plica syndrome that needs to be addressed, so I’m scheduled for a scope this week.
I had to have a medical exam prior to surgery; blood pressure on my minimal dose was 117/60 (only med I take), EKG was normal, and labs were good (other than low HDL, grrr), so my internal med doc cleared me.
I’ve gone back and forth in my mind about whether or not to do this as I hate the idea of any surgery that’s not absolutely necessary (ironic for an elective plastic surgery OR nurse :D). But I’m limited to riding my bike now for only about 30 minutes because my knee pops and swells if I try to go longer, and this is a bummer since I love to ride and really want to increase my mileage. Also, my bedroom is upstairs, and it’s not pleasant going up and down them (we have an elevator, but I feel like once you start “going there,” you are kind of giving up).
Anyway, my question is what to expect as far as recovery. How long before you were able to ditch the crutches, get around the house easily, manage stairs, and finally, get back to vigorous exercise? I’m thinking day one I will sleep a lot, maybe take a few pain pills, then experience a quick return to sort of normal, then maybe a few weeks of PT before I’m back in the saddle?
Knowing everyone is different, has different medical histories and limitations, pain thresholds, etc., I’m still interested in knowing your experience.
I’ve had this done on both knees and the recovery was pretty easy. Both times I was off the crutches within two days, having iced the knee religiously for the first 48 hours with the leg elevated, and was off serious pain meds (except at night) after 24 hours. Started doing range of motion exercises at home the day after surgery ( I wasn’t home until early evening due to back-up in the OR) and went in for my PT eval on day two. I’d say vigorous exercise took a couple of months to achieve, but I have never regretted the procedure. I had a significant flap tear in my meniscus (although with debris) and I couldn’t bend my knee enough to climb stairs. Now I can kneel without pain, as well as sit cross-legged.
Mr. B had laparoscopic knee surgery to clean out the junk around the meniscus in one of his knees. He was amazed what a difference it made and says he only wished he had done it sooner. His recovery was very quick, and he can now ride his bike for hours without any pain. I think he took the morning after the surgery off and did not need any crutches or any special PT. He had it done at a clinic that specializes in this kind of knee surgery.
I suspect we have all read the odd article on the idea of arthscopes being of questionable benefit, but the question I would ask first is is this dr a sports surgery specialist who looks at you as a potential athlete or someone who looks at you as a middle aged lady? Have you seen a sports physio first? Is your bike properly fitted? Most people come to cycling because it is so good on the knees. Have you got adequate gearing, are you doing it right (LOL, YKWIM) and have you addressed a more holistic biomechanical self assessment? So much joint sourced pain is from a cascade of converging issues IME. Do you cycle with a club, or group, that has recommendations for practitioners especially a physio?
^^When hours of riding are diminished to 30 min of painful pedaling, it is very likely that more is going on than just improper bike adjustment etc. OP also stated that it is hard for her to go up and down the stairs… Is that also due to improper technique?
My doc is a sports centered doctor. He has cared for my girls’ soccer injuries over the years. Pretty much most girls we knew who had sports related knee injuries went to him. Our daughters went to the same schools from pre-school to graduation, though I didn’t know him well socially.
I did have my seat height evaluated and raised a bit. Didn’t help, though maybe it prevented a worse injury.
The MRI revealed Chondromalacia petellae, with obvious damaged cartilage and debris. On top of that and like both daughters, exam strongly suggests plica syndrome. I’ve had several months of PT. The only thing that seems to really calm it down is to stop riding.
No, I don’t ride with a club and have zero desire to do so. For the most part, I view cycling as my alone time. I’m not a competitive type and don’t enjoy interacting with others while I exercise. I listen to books or music, get away from people and think my thoughts, and just enjoy working my heart, lungs, and until recently, my joints and muscles. Aside from the enjoyment I get from it, biking has allowed me to reduce my blood pressure medicine to a very small dose, and eliminated the symptoms of pre-diabetes. If for no other reason, I want to be able to continue to enjoy this activity.
I did think it was worth knowing how the doc views you, as a regular person or as an athletic one. I would want the doc to restore me to a high level of functioning, not just walk around the block functioning.
I have two new hips, but same old knees fwiw. No knee experience, but son’s roommate had his knee scoped just a few weeks ago. He went to a local ortho guy, not a super specialist, despite being a college athlete (D3 tennis). The pain was gone in just a few days and he was walking stairs in maybe two weeks (with crutches).
I think you should do it. You want to be active. It is a very successful and well understood operation. Getting back on your bike will help your overall health.
I want to note that in Mr’s case, the return to zero discomfort was not in a matter of weeks. If you asked him about the surgery 2 months after, he would have said the benefit was questionable… I wonder if the “study” was asking people too soon. 2 years passed, and he seriously could not remember which knee was operated on! I had to look for the tiny traces of the surgical scars and then confirm with the photo I took of him in the pre-op room. I seriously freaked out when I brought him home from the surgery because our bedroom is on the second floor, but he managed to get there on just one leg holding onto me and the handrail. I should also note that this is the guy who went to work the day he was released from the hospital when he had his appendix taken out…
Well, I plan on using that elevator for at least a little while! If I tried to do it like BB’s DH, I’m sure I would end up in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, lol. When we bought our house, we laughed about the elevator and how we wouldn’t need it for a couple of decades. I think DH hurt his back within a month, and I sprained my ankle shortly afterwards (tripped down a couple of stairs), so we ate our words.
D1 said it took longer than she expected to get back into sports. D2 said it was a breeze.
I seriously freaked out when I brought him home from the surgery because our bedroom is on the second floor, but he managed to get there on just one leg holding onto me and the handrail.