How to Recover After Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

You survived arthroscopic knee surgery! The doctors told you it would be a simple procedure and that it would take about an hour. It was and it is over! For me, it is over for the second time in 5 months. After the arthroscopic procedure, recovery begins.

Recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery is not as difficult as recovering from knee replacement surgery or surgery involving your heart. It is not as simple as you might think, either. Here is what to expect.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• crutches, knee braces, ace bandages, band aids, ice, prescription medication, Tylenol

1. Take your time waking up from anesthesia. Doctors use general anesthesia in arthroscopic knee surgery. The nurses will wake you up but if you are like me, don't rush it. When you are able, the first drink of juice, water, or soda will be like manna from heaven!

2. Knee brace

   Notice that the doctors have put a large brace fastened with Velcro on your leg. Refer to my picture. They do this to stabilize your leg for greater healing. I had to keep it on at all times for two days after the surgery.

   Under the brace is a tightly wrapped ace bandage which is directly on top of more bandages, gauze and surgical tape. Under that, are the stitches.

3. 

   Use the crutches the doctors give you. You will find that if you try to walk on your leg, your knee will buckle. Use the crutches as long as you need to get around comfortably. I used them for about 3 days. Not too bad!

4. Different ice packs

   Ice the knee every hour for about 20 minutes at a time for the first three days if you can. You may not want to put the ice directly on the knee. The nurse told me to put it on the nerve on my thigh above the brace and the ice would radiate down to the knee. After you remove the brace, you can probably handle the ice on your ace bandaged area. It will actually feel good.

   Keep icing two to three times a day after the initial three day period.

5. Get off narcotic pain medication as soon as possible. Narcotics are not only addicting, they have many side effects. I took Percoset and it made me dizzy and nauseated. After the second day, I took Tylenol and it was all I needed.

6. Call your doctor immediately if there is unusual pain, swelling, or bleeding at the arthroscopic sites.

   Call your doctor immediately if you develop a fever or chills. I did run a slight fever for awhile but it passed quickly.

7. Do not get your knee wet for the first four days. You will have an appointment with your doctor and he/she will probably allow you to get it wet then. A shower after sponge baths for 4 days is bliss!

8. Leg lifts with Ankle Weights

   Begin physical therapy about a week after the arthroscopic knee surgery. The doctors want to get you active as soon as possible so the muscles you are not using do not become frozen or damaged further. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to come back! Physical therapy will last one to three months, more or less.

9. Wrapped Knee

   See your doctor about two weeks from the initial surgery to have stitches removed. Before you know it, you will be back to normal. You will be thinking arthroscopic knee surgery was a breeze!

Tips & Warnings

• Follow any instructions the hospital or surgery center may give you.

• Your doctor and/or the hospital or surgery center will call you the next day after the surgery to make sure you are all right.

• Take someone with you to the surgery because you will not be allowed to drive home. You will need someone to take care of you for the first 3-4 days or so.

• You will need to wrap your knee with an ace banadage to minimize swelling for several weeks post-surgery.

Resources

• How to Do Knee Strengthening Exercises After Arthroscopic Surgery at Home
• Reebok Ankle Weights Set of 2 - 4 lbs
• Arthroscopic Surgery of the Knee