Arthroscopy for torn knee cartiledge -how long off the bike?

Arthroscopy for torn knee cartiledge -how long off the bike?

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Original Poster:

1,173 posts

233 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
As per the title really.
Has anyone had this procedure done? What's the best way of getting back into the saddle? Would have thought short distances at high cadence/low load at first?

I'm booked in for late Feb, and have been planning to do the London-Paris ride in late July - will this be long enough to recover and build up sufficient strength and fitness for distances required for this ride?

996 sps

6,165 posts

223 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
If its just an arthroscopy and nothing done to your lateral or medial meniscal then 6 weeks you should be back to normal function.

Arthroscopy is just a case of having a look within the knee, if your having any cartlidge trimmed looking a bit longer in time scale to full function.

For exercises type in a search engine, but you should start straight after the op with static quad work, tell the physio/surgeon your a keen cyclist and want to get mobile straight away and they should give you some exercises straight away.

Its amazing how many people they just discharge without exercises.

Edited by 996 sps on Thursday 17th January 15:41

agent006

12,058 posts

271 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
For christ's sake don't let them put you in plaster like they did with me.

dougc

8,240 posts

272 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
Six weeks before I could take light exercise with mine. Three months before they allowed me to go back to playing Basketball. I did have some trimming of the cartilage as well as just having a poke around in there though.

deevlash

10,442 posts

244 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
I was back at work 2 weeks after having this done, plus a big cyst removed which they couldnt do with the 'scope. I wasnt able to bend my knee fully for about 6 weeks, but walking around etc. wasnt a problem.
I went for a drive 2 days after the op which wasnt a good idea and it swelled up like a balloon for a day or so!

Thats the left hand side of my left knee


Thats the right hand side scope hole.

agent006

12,058 posts

271 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
I had mine done to removed the back of my broken kneecap. I was in plaster for 6 weeks (FFS) and another 2 months physio to get my muscles back. Couldn't bend my knee at all for 3 weeks after coming out of plaster. If they suggest casting your leg then question them hard for a justificatoin.

996 sps

6,165 posts

223 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
A good arthroscopy should just have 3 small insertion points, should be in for a day. If they plaster or trim its a different matter in time scale to full function as they have found an issue somewhere within the knee.

Make sure you found out exactly what they have done.

deevlash

10,442 posts

244 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
996 sps said:
A good arthroscopy should just have 3 small insertion points, should be in for a day. If they plaster or trim its a different matter in time scale to full function as they have found an issue somewhere within the knee.

Make sure you found out exactly what they have done.
I wok up expecting 3 little holes, then they told me about the cyst and th big hole theyd made. The nurses didnt want to give me crutches either! sadists hehe

996 sps

6,165 posts

223 months

Friday 18th January 2008
quotequote all
deevlash said:
996 sps said:
A good arthroscopy should just have 3 small insertion points, should be in for a day. If they plaster or trim its a different matter in time scale to full function as they have found an issue somewhere within the knee.

Make sure you found out exactly what they have done.
I wok up expecting 3 little holes, then they told me about the cyst and th big hole theyd made. The nurses didnt want to give me crutches either! sadists hehe
Ha ha gutted!

Wacky Racer

38,969 posts

254 months

Friday 18th January 2008
quotequote all
I had this done a couple of years ago.....back at work two days later, walked out of hospital four hours after the op without crutches......perhaps I was lucky???

After three years of pain, never had any trouble since......best thing I've ever done....

Good luck......thumbup


Revs_Addiction

2,090 posts

238 months

Sunday 20th January 2008
quotequote all
Had this done 10 years ago and only had 3 small insertions, each less than 1cm.

Didn't even have stitches, just a bit of tape over each one. Had some cartilidge trimmed while they were in there, as it was clunking like mad when I walked eek

I walked out the hospital a few hours after the op, no crutches, no painkillers, it was a total breeze TBH and the nurses were HOT too, which was a brucie bonus biggrin

IIRC they encouraged cycling as part of my re-hab, so I'd ask them about it. I was doing light training after about 4 wks but could have started sooner I'm sure.

Good luck biggrin