You had knee arthroscopy, which is surgery to check for problems in your knee. You may have been checked for:
Most people who have knee arthroscopy will be able to start putting weight on their knee in the first week after surgery. They can do most of their normal activities in the first month after surgery.
Check with your doctor about any activities you should limit. You may also need to be on crutches for a while.
In more complicated knee arthroscopy procedures, you may not be able to walk for several weeks. You may need to use crutches or a knee brace. Full recovery may take several months to a year.
Pain is normal after knee arthroscopy. It should ease up over time.
Your doctor will give you a prescription for pain medicine. Get it filled when you go home so that you have it when you need it. Take your pain medicine when you start having pain. Waiting too long to take it will allow your pain to get more severe than it should.
You may have received a nerve block, so you don't feel pain during and after surgery. Make sure you take your pain medicine. The nerve block will wear off, and pain can return very quickly.
Taking ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory medicine may also help. Ask your doctor what other medicines are safe to take with your pain medicine.
Do NOT drive if you are taking narcotic pain medicine. This medicine may make you too sleepy to drive safely.
Your doctor will ask you to rest when you first go home. Keep your leg propped up on 1 or 2 pillows. Place the pillows under your foot or calf muscle. This helps control swelling in your knee.
For most procedures, you may start to put weight on your leg soon after surgery, unless your doctor or nurse tells you NOT to.
Ask your doctor when you can return to work or drive again.
See also: ACL reconstruction - discharge
You will go home with a dressing and an ace bandage around your knee. Do not remove these until your doctor or nurse says it is okay. Until then, keep them clean and dry.
Place an ice pack on your knee 4 to 6 times a day for the first 2 or 3 days. Be careful not to get the dressing wet. Do NOT use a heating pad.
If you need to change your dressing for any reason, put the ace bandage back on over the new dressing. Keep the ace bandage on until your doctor or nurse tells you it is okay to remove it. Wrap the ace bandage loosely around your knee. Start from the calf and wrap it around your leg and knee. Do NOT wrap it too tightly.
When you shower, wrap your leg in plastic to keep it from getting wet until your stitches or tape (Steri-Strips) have been removed. After that, you may get the incisions wet when you shower. Be sure to dry the area well.
See also: Surgical wound care
Call your doctor or nurse if:
Knee scope - arthroscopic lateral retinacular release - discharge; Synovectomy - discharge; Patellar debridement - discharge; Meniscus repair - discharge; Lateral release - discharge; Collateral ligament repair – discharge; Knee surgery - discharge
Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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