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Arthroscope rehab – how long?

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  • November 18, 2016 at 6:00 pm #26503
    HalfWheeler

    Wee bit of background;

    Had to give up the bike for a whole year due to lateral knee pain. Tried everything; massage, physio, chiro, etc. All to no avail. The thinking was that I had IT band syndrome. Went to an ortho’ consultant, he wasn’t convinced. He said the best thing to do was have a look inside the knee because xrays and scans were inconclusive.

    But by the time I had waited for the op’ the pain had disappeared, even managed to get out on the bike for an hour or so. I told the surgeon this before the op. “We’ll still have a looksee”. Came out of anaesthetic and was told “nothing to fix, your scope was negative”.

    Fair enough. But I’m still feeling the effects of the op’ 8 months on. Can still only cycle a max’ of three days a week, always resting in between, and for no more than a 100 miles a week. An improvement, for sure, but not where I thought I’d be 8 months on.

    The pain comes from the scar tissue where the scope went in. So my questions are to those who’ve had the same op’; what was your recovery like? did your scar tissue soften up? when were you ‘back to normal’?

    Thanks

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  • November 23, 2016 at 12:01 am #882151
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    nadsta

     Can they correct scar tissue

     Can they correct scar tissue that has grown more than it should? Massage in particular and Physio may help, try finding a cycling specific physio.

    Also using your glutes helps in numerous ways. Afaik it reduces ITB, helps knee tracking & quad imbalance,  and switching muscle groups to the biggest muscle in the body gives your quads a rest. It’s basically something for nothing. You just have do work out how to fire them which can be tricky after years of riding with the quads -going long and low like a TT position on the bike helps me  

    FYI I had a meniscal tear excised a year ago (c.15%). Day surgery, on turbo 2 days later and no surgery related pain

    good Iuck. 

    November 22, 2016 at 9:01 pm #882149
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    HalfWheeler

    Had an appointment with a NHS

    Had an appointment with a NHS physio today as part of the Ortho’ dept (these folks are the gate keepers to the consultant who are usually too busy repairing footballers knees for Bupa).

    Told him where the pain was; the hard lump of internal scar tissue where the scope went in. Told him I’m still no where near back to normal, in fact it’s flared up the last few weeks and I’m back to doing 40 miles a week. 

    He reckons the scar tissue is impinging on the fat pad. I’m quad dominant (I’m a cyclist, fair enough observation) and I need to sort out the muscular imbalance by going to the gym. And that was that.

    I’m beginning to think physiotherapy is a quack science. I’ve seen so many who have such widely different views on almost every aspect of their field, I can’t imagine any other branch of medicine works like this.

    Anyhoo, coz I’v no other choice I’ll take his advice; get out on the bike just once a week for moderate miles but hit the gym to strengthen glutes/ham’s/calfs/hips etc several times a week. 

    At least it will be quiet in the run up to xmas, hah!

    Thanks again folks 

    November 22, 2016 at 4:40 pm #882147
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    Bikebikebike

    I’ve had a couple of these. 

    I’ve had a couple of these.  Can’t remember exactly, but the recovery was pretty quick.  Days or maybe a week or two.  I was back on my bike cycling to work in a couple of days (although had been cycling in one-legged for about a year anyway, so I wasn’t necessarily using the recovering leg that much).

    I actually noticed my scar the other day: had forgotten all about it.  It’s tiny and I never really felt it was painful or restrictive at all.

    So knee-wise I was back to normal in a 2-3 weeks max I’d say.

    November 22, 2016 at 7:01 am #882145
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    tritecommentbot

    Sorry to hear it.. thought

    Sorry to hear it.. thought you were looking on the up last you mentioned it 

    November 22, 2016 at 12:47 am #882143
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    dottigirl

    One thing I would recommend

    One thing I would recommend is getting hold of your copy of the operation notes.

    When you’re wasted on morphine, it’s easy to forget to ask the right question, or to miss something they thought they had said, but forgot ‘cos they were knackered and had been operating all day.

    IF you can find someone who does AFS-type physio or osteo, I’d recommend it.

    November 21, 2016 at 11:57 pm #882141
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    madcarew

    Definitely badger your GP or

    Definitely badger your GP or specialist. I had multiple arthroscopes on my hips and they took a couple weeks to get over. In fact after the double hip operation I had (which was done arthroscopically) and I was riding 120 miles within 6 months, and that had a relatively long recuperation. Granted Knees are a different kettle of fish to knees, but that seems far too long. 

    November 21, 2016 at 6:11 pm #882139
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    HalfWheeler

    Thanks folks 

    Thanks folks 

    November 21, 2016 at 4:43 pm #882137
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    keef66

    I’ve had three knee

    I’ve had three knee arthroscopies (I only have 2 knees, the right one’s been done twice). In each case there was quite a lot of trimming of meniscal cartilage and in the latest, a bit of fettling of the back of the kneecap and a bit of articular cartilage.  The first time I was about 40 and had both knees done at once.  More or less back to normal after a fortnight and no sign at all of the incisions after 6 weeks.  The second op on the right knee was maybe 10 years later, and was a bit more aggressive in terms of trimming, so recovery took a bit longer.  Still back to normal after 2 months, so I’d say something’s not right with yours, so go back.

    My left knee is now painful more often than not, so I’m thinking it needs a second bout of fettling to bring it up to the standard of the right.  The cheery orthopod told me I’d need new knees before I’m 60; If I make them last another 10 months I’ll have proved him wrong!

     

     

    November 21, 2016 at 8:29 am #882135
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    Grahamd

    Had surgery to remove damaged

    Had surgery to remove damaged cartilage and check how bad the tears in my ACL were a few years ago. Whilst my knee will never be “normal” and I will never run again, scar tissue has not been an issue or prevented me cycling in any way. 

    I would encourage you to badger your GP or consultant to get the matter checked.

    November 20, 2016 at 10:52 am #882133
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    dottigirl

    My knees are fine (touch wood
    My knees are fine (touch wood) but I’ve had several hip arthroscopies. After the last, I was out doing a 50-miler three weeks later.
    It sounds like there could be a muscle imbalance. Were you referred for physio? You should have been, but sometimes it’s forgotten.

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