Swollen Knee after Arthroscopy

[Muntjack]

I have just had an Arthroscopy (one month ago) to cure a torn knee cartilage (miniscus). Unfortunately the symptoms now seem very similar to before the op.

The swelling took 3 weeks to go down with the help of Ibuprofen and the knee was OK for about a week. I then did some prolonged driving and the joint flared up again (filled with fluid).

The history is that 6 months ago I had a pain in the joint out of nowhere and then massive swelling. With regular pain killers and knee-stocking it would go back more-or-less to normal for a few days and then blow up again. The MRI scan and surgery confirmed a tear and some degeneration of the miniscus.

I am 60 and very active (at least i was) Dog walking, gardening, Taiji, swimming, carpentry etc. My life has gone on hold (depressed or what?).

Do people think this is just a typical arthritis case? The other knee is fine BTW.

I will be seeing the consultant in a week or so but I am losing faith in these guys as I was promised a fully active life again within 2 weeks of the op.

M

[kazzie72]

I had arthroscopy 2½ years ago now, at the age of 33. I had a tear in the meniscus and the lateral collateral ligament needed releasing. I think promising you a fully active life within 2 weeks was a bit of a fib. After 2 weeks I was just about able to walk normally. Any surgery has a 4-6 week recovery time - minimum. The driving wouldn't have helped too much, I found that being in the car for more than about 15 minutes set it off again in the first 2 months.

For me, I was fully fit within 2½ months, with good rehab. I hope you've been given some exercises and are doing them religiously. The only think I can't do now is kneel - causes a bit of pain through the patella. There should be no reason why you cannot go back to all your activities. I just think that you are still in early recovery and perhaps have been lead to expect a bit more than is realistic.

Kazzie

[Muntjack]

Wow Kazzie,

Many many many thanks for these encouraging words. You've really no idea how they have lifted my hopes and spirits. I will get back to the task of recovery with renewed vigour and an optimistic attitude now.

M

[Muntjack]

Just to update my original thread. As my friend here ascerted the swelling did in the end go down. It took just about 2 months before I had my knobbly knee back again. Walking was a difficult business for a couple of months after that too and I had to keep to quite short walks with the poor old dog.
I'm reasonably content now although some days the affected leg is quite stiff and aches giving me a definite limp. Hopefully this will improve a bit more but I guess age and wear and tear are catching up on me now. It's depressing that just 5 years ago in my mid 50's I could cheerfully go 5 sets of tennis.
Best to all,
M

[Crystal]

Hi, I have read some of your very helpful posts in Tai Chi and so I wanted to send my good wishes and lots of chi for a continued recovery. Please try not to get depressed, easy to say I know but getting old happens to us all, oh akkk, not me lol I hear myself saying

Many blessings

[Muntjack]

Grateful love by return Crystal. The kindness of strangers is the greatest blessing.
M

[Kitty321]

Hi Everyone,

I am in desperate need of advice. I had a knee arthroscopy just over two weeks ago at the age of 24 in my right knee for the repairing/removal of a nasty tear from playing sports two years ago.

My knee cap looks so abnormal the swelling has not gone down and I can't come down the stairs without putting my bad leg down first - going up I can alternate between the both legs.

Everything I read states that you can be walking and driving after 48 hours but I could not walk without the aid of my crutches for over a week. Don't need them now so I guess this is progress. I just feel like the surgeon done something wrong should it really be taking this long to heal. My uncle had key hole surgery a week after me and only had one day of rest and was walking and drive after 48 hours I feel fed up and lacking patience.

Am I ever going to be normal again? I regret having it done now. I can't bend my knee all the way back and walk like a bit of a peg-legged pirate.

Did you all feel like this? Feel like the surgeon had did something wrong?

Kitty xx

[myarka]

Originally Posted by Kitty321

Did you all feel like this? Feel like the surgeon had did something wrong?

I had an Arthroscopy last August with no treatment, i.e. just a look and see and I had no problems with swelling at all. But in January this year I had a full ACL reconstruction and the swelling lasted a couple of months. Every time stopped taking the taking anti-inflammatories it would come up again. I think the swelling is more related to the amount of work carried out during the op and the length of time you're taking anti-inflammatories.

If you are concerned about the amount of swelling and your post-op consultation is still some time away, go and see your GP and they will advise what's best to do, or will perscribe more anti-inflammatories.

I don't think you've got too much to worry about and everyone heals at a different rate, but if it is very swollen a quick trip to the GP will put your mind at rest.

Don't forget to elevate the leg when you're relaxing because that will help in reducing the swelling.

HTH,
Myarka.

[Davidmh]

Originally Posted by myarka

(much cut...)
I don't think you've got too much to worry about and everyone heals at a different rate, but if it is very swollen a quick trip to the GP will put your mind at rest.

Don't forget to elevate the leg when you're relaxing because that will help in reducing the swelling.

As Myarka says, everyone heals at their own rate....
Advice about the swelling going down after a couple of days is general, and whilst it is true for many people it is not the case for everyone. The procedure, your lower limb mechanics (even your weight) can all affect the return to normal.

David

[meganhunter]

hey
im a sports therapist but also a very sympathetic fellow menicus sufferer.

Everyone heals at their own rate! sleep and proper nutrition is vital! With regards the swelling give your body some help........ so ice as much as you can just keep it on 15mins or so and remove let knee return to normal temp and reapply ice! getting rid of swelling now will help! Also gentle movements help push fluid away so try flex low leg up behind you and extend it down. You need to Rest, ice, Compress and Elevate leg and just some gentle movements ! Seriously your knee will improve try keep your walking as normal as possible and do not adopt a limp!

Good luck!!!!! maybe with docs permission get a sports massage to help healing strength and to get rid of excess swelling!

[Foffer]

After having increasing sleepless nights due to an old right knee injury (30yrs ago) I had a medial meniscus tear (cartilage) repair carried out Apr 2010. The knee was better for a couple of months then got worse than it was before. A steroid injection helped a bit for a short while, then things got bad again. A second operation on this knee five months after the first was needed to sort out a medial patella plica and synovial chondramatosis.
Then my previously healthy left knee started swelling and getting painful. An arthroscopy on this found a medial meniscus tear and widespread grade 3 degeneration (arthritus). The knee made an 80% recovery then started getting worse again. I had a steroid injection which worked wonders for about six weeks, felt like nothing wrong at all in this knee. Then symptoms came back again, another steroid injection had little effect so another arthroscopy was carried out. This time Chondroplasty (reshaping) and Microfracture (making little holes in the bone ends) of the medial femoral condyle was carried out as well as clearing out some debris. This was two days ago.
I would say that the after effects of these four ops were all quite different. After this last op I needed no pain killers at all and still haven't taken any, but walking is more difficult, I can't go up or down stairs normally yet. After my third op the pain was so bad that I got a bad stomach through taking too many pain killers. After my second op I could walk and use stairs normally within a day. I have found it takes about six to eight weeks to get back to normal and in my case the swelling always takes ages to go down, about a month or so. I'm 59 years old, 6' 3" and weigh about 19 stone so I know that I need to loose weight to give my knees a chance, so now I'm on a diet. Its a vicious circle once your knees get bad though, you become less active and easier to put on the pounds!

[Alex Nielsen]

Is there any clicking in the knee? This will determine whether it is a meniscus problem.

I there isnt clinking it might likely be artritis, but a blood test can confirm this.