The beauty of performing cartilage surgery through 2 or 3 small puncture holes is that the recovery is infinitely faster than surgery carried out through a long skin incision. If you can be driven to work and if your work is sedentary you can be back at work in three days. If you take a bus or subway or if you must stand on your feet a great deal, 10 days is a more reasonable time to take off. Keep in mind that everyone is different. Resist the temptation to compare yourself to someone else. In some cases, for example, the knee has to be gently twisted during surgery for the surgeon to gain access to the torn cartilage, and this can prolong the recovery.

Physical therapy

I find that approximately 50% of patients need physical therapy. People who, within a few days of surgery, still have trouble straightening the knee or bending it to 90* are good candidates for formal physical therapy. Patients who find their leg to be wobbly and are not good at exercising on their own are also sent for physical therapy.

Can I exercise on my own after surgery?

If you have the discipline, the answer is absolutely yes. You may want one session of physical therapy to verify that you are performing the exercises correctly, but then you can certainly be on your own.

No pain, no gain

This is a common adage. When a joint is stiff it is reasonable to expect some discomfort as it is being stretched. But NO strengthening exercise should be painful. If it is, back off on the weights, or stop altogether.

Is pool therapy recommended?

Absolutely. People with pools barely need physical therapy in this setting. Being buoyant makes it easier to stand on the leg. Moving the leg in the water provides natural resistance. Kicking in the water (any style) is a solid strengthening exercise (ever see swimmers’ legs?). Lakes work well too, although water which is too cold can make you tense up. I do not care for oceans if there are any waves or if there are sudden drop-offs. This is too dangerous. You need a warm, controlled environment (try a trip to the Caribbean. Medicare and HMOs routinely cover that).

When can I get my leg wet after surgery?

Within a few days, the puncture holes are reasonably sealed. Therefore, as soon as the dressing is off, I allow patients to shower. Water might still theoretically seep in if the leg were soaked in water, and, because of this, I do not allow bathing or swimming until 10 days or so after surgery.