Meniscus Surgery Recovery: What to Expect & Timeline

A torn knee meniscus can often require surgery to repair. Each knee contains two of these c-shaped cartilages. If rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medications do not relieve the pain of a torn meniscus, surgery may be required.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a torn meniscus are popping in the knee, swelling, stiffness, pain when twisting the knee and pain when walking.

Causes

• The meniscus usually gets torn because of sudden stopping and twisting, causing the knee to quickly rotate in the socket.

Surgery

• Pain from a torn meniscus is caused when torn pieces move in the knee joint. If home treatment does not alleviate the pain, arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus is required.

Recovery Time

• Since the surgery is minimally invasive, recovery time usually only takes two weeks; however, it can take up to one month.

Physical Therapy

• Physical therapy generally starts on the seventh postoperative day and lasts for six weeks. After six weeks, activity restrictions are usually lifted.