Re: [RC] Knee Surgery/Recovery -- Human - Mike Lewis
I have been a runner for 15+ years and never
suffered an injury from running.
A few years ago I played softball on my squadron's
team... and tore my meniscus. Could barely walk the next day.
My knee surgery went very well. Take the time
to attend your physical therapy sessions and work hard during those
sessions. A week after my surgery, I was riding the bicycle in PT and
lifting legs weights. I continued with PT for several months and got
stronger and stronger. Four months after surgery, the doctor allowed me to
start running again--just in time for that weekend's half marathon. I ran
that race at an easy pace and finished 1 place out of the awards for my age
group with only very minor knee pain. By the next year, I was running
pain-free and as fast as I ever did before the injury. Last year I logged
some of my fastest times ever, including a 5-k win. Averaged 25 miles a
week of running for the entire year and still racing endurance horses, so you
can see that I'm fully recovered.
Only little issue I have is an occasional "pop"
first thing in the morning if I squat down on that knee slightly. It isn't
bothersome, and it seems to reduce some stress on that iliotibial tendon when it
pops.
Also, my mother (70 years old) had hip replacement
surgery a few years ago and is foxhunting nowdays. Modern surgery is
amazing, so don't worry about going on and getting your knee taken care
of. You'll probably be riding again within 4-6 months, and back to normal
within a year.
I will say that I disagree with your doctor's
advice NOT to have physical therapy. You HAVE to strengthen that knee
after the surgery, so why he would not proscribe rehab is beyond me. I'd
question him on that and see if he will change his mind.
I'm going in
for arthroscopic knee surgery in less than 2 weeks and am curious how others
have recovered and time frame of such. I am in my middle 50s with a
horizontal and a vertical tear in the meniscus on the outside of my knee (is
that posterior?). I know it locks when I'm on my hands and knees
and I can usually undo it within 5-15 minutes by 'working' my knee
around. The other day I swung out of bed wrong and boy did that knee
pull a nasty...could not undo it at all for awhile, more painful feeling,
swelling below and to the inside of my knee (now what?!??) and took about 2
days before it felt more normal and I know it still isn't quite 'right'.
Doctor doesn't want me returning to work for 3 weeks as I work on the
second level without an elevator (2 flights of stairs). He doesn't
propose to prescribe any physical therapy either...I'll push for this if
needed though...we'll see how things go.
Is there anything I can do
while off that will enhance my ability to get back to riding again?
Feel free to reply privately since this is off topic
at vnicoson at gmail dot
com
