Recovery time after meniscus surgery

• The recovery time required after knee arthroscopy varies depending on the type of meniscus injury involved.
• Although rehabilitation treatment will be necessary, it is important to strengthen the knee from the very beginning.
• Rehabilitation is the most important step in restoring muscle tone and strength to the joint.

The recovery time after meniscus surgery is 1 month. However, this may vary depending on the type of injury.

In the case of a parameniscal injury, with a lower intensity and tear, it is even possible to treat it with rest and rehabilitation. However, if it is a meniscal tear, surgery is unavoidable. Therefore, the type of surgical treatment will have a direct influence on how long it will take you to recover.

In the case of a parameniscal injury, with minor intensity and tear, it is even possible to treat it with rest and rehabilitation. However, if it is a meniscal tear, surgery is unavoidable. Therefore, the type of surgery you have will have a direct influence on how long it will take you to recover.

In this case, recovery after meniscus arthroscopy is much faster than after open surgery.

This surgery allows the meniscus to be repaired without the need to open the joint. In addition, you can return to rehabilitation almost immediately, as it is performed with 3 - 4 mini incisions, the surgical wound is minimal and there is no risk of the stitches opening up.

Do you need meniscus repair surgery?

Request a free appointment with our specialists in Traumatology and get a surgery date

Make an appointment

As your doctor will tell you, you should start rehabilitation as soon as possible. In fact, it is usual to start knee exercises 24 hours after the procedure.

Therefore, some of the habits you should adopt after knee arthroscopy to help reduce swelling in the area are as follows:

• Keep your knee raised
• Use crutches to have a point of support and avoid leaving all your weight on your leg.
• Avoid standing for long periods of time or overexerting yourself until authorised by the doctor.
• Put ice on the operated area.
• Take painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to alleviate pain.

As this is a minimally invasive procedure, the recovery time after knee arthroscopy for meniscus injuries will be short.

Therefore, you will be able to return to your daily routine and sporting activities in a short period of time. In addition, the time off work for meniscus surgery is usually 1 month.

Rehabilitation is perhaps the most important part of recovery from meniscus surgery. 

The main reason for this stage is to recover the functionality of the joint and, in the case of sportsmen and women, to return to sport as soon as possible.

But what is the aim of rehabilitation?

• To prevent the loss of muscle mass in the leg.
• Strengthen the knee to prevent and relieve muscle stiffness as a result of immobilisation.
• Prevent atrophy and weakening of muscles affected by inactivity.

After knee arthroscopy surgery, it will normally take 1 month before you can resume your daily routine.

Although you will be able to put your foot on your feet within 1 - 3 weeks after surgery, rehabilitation treatment will be necessary.

In addition, it is also important to do exercises on your own to strengthen the joint right from the start.

Exercises to do at home

• Sitting on a surface, and putting pressure on the knee, contract the quadriceps for 2 seconds and relax it for another 2 seconds.
• Standing, place your foot in 4 different directions.
• Balance on one leg for 5 seconds.
• Make sweeping movements with your feet, as if you were cleaning or polishing the floor, for 30 - 40 seconds.

The exercises are repeated 10 times. It is important to perform them with a support point nearby to be safer when doing them.

Although it is up to the doctor to determine the exercises, it is important to know that doing them in the correct way and with the right intensity will have a positive influence on the recovery time after meniscus surgery.

Normally, if the rehabilitation is carried out correctly, you will be able to return to practise sport in a matter of 3 or 4 months. However, this will depend on each individual case and, in any case, will be determined by the doctor.

Rehabilitation is the most decisive phase for patients who want to return to sporting activity.

The time it takes to return to sport will depend on factors such as, for example, the type of surgery performed. In the case of meniscal repair, the postoperative period is longer, although the results are excellent in any case.

Before rehabilitation begins, you will be able to move around with caution, get up and take short walks, which will help the rehabilitation of the joint.

If you want to know more about the surgery and the stages involved in the whole process, you can click on the links throughout the text. 

If, on the other hand, you have a confirmed diagnosis on your meniscus problem and want to know the surgical assessment of a specialist to find out if your case requires surgery, click on the following image and our patient care team will arrange it for you:

Do you need meniscus repair surgery?

Request a free and immediate appointment with our specialists in Traumatology

Make an appointment

• Instituto Cordobés de Traumatología. (2003, octubre). Protocolo de rehabilitación de la sutura de menisco. http://institutocordobestraumatologia.com/pdf/Rehabilitacion%20sutura%20menisco.pdf
• Jaques Pérez, A., & Morales Santías, D. (2002). Programa de readaptación funcional deportiva tras sutura meniscal. Centro fisioterapia especializado Francisco Lledó Vistahermosa (V76). https://medicostraumatologos.com/documents/files/rehabilitacion_tras_sutura_meniscal.pdf