Hi,

Found out today my surgeon is going to operate on my knee to fix the torn cartilage I got by doing a drag that went wrong. They are going to do key hole surgery. I was wondering if anyone else here has had it, how long it took to heal, how long to get back on the ice, and how long could you get all your skating skills back esp. jumps? The Dr said I would be off the ice for 6 weeks, but I'm very determined and will be a good patient and do all my physio exercises. Any stories would be good.

Thanks
kiwibabe

I had arthroscopic surgery the beginning of March to help relieve issues I was having with chondromalacia patellae. My orthopod smoothed the cartilage in my knee that had gotten rough because of how the kneecap was tracking and also trimmed a tear he found in my lateral meniscus.

I started physical therapy a week after the surgery, and wasn't cleared by orthopod and physical therapist to return to skating until 2 months after the surgery. This was even with having very good progress in the PT and supplementing it with work with my strength and conditioning coach.

A friend of mine who had a torn meniscus (and who had the same orthopod) was cleared to return to skating about 5-6 weeks after surgery. But trimming a torn meniscus is different than smoothing cartilage.

The post-op itself was relatively easy. I had very little pain and swelling and was able to walk without crutches (albeit with a bit of a limp) by the time the last of the anesthesia wore off. I had the surgery on a Thursday afternoon and returned to work the following Monday. I had regained most of my range of motion within about 3 weeks of the surgery.

I am back to skating occasionally. The occasionally is mostly due to a very busy work schedule. I've also resumed almost all of my normal gym exercises. My trainer started me back working on body weight back squats and functional squat (leg press) a couple weeks ago.
Where I had problems was first I had a set-back at about the 6 week point. My PT had me try to do a 1-foot partial squat on a squishy pad and after the first few reps, I had excruciating pain, to the point that we had to cease and desist. And afterwards I was unable to comfortably walk even small stairs like curbs for about 10 days. Then, the other weekend I overdid things by going up and down the stairs at one of the rinks repeatedly over a weekend (helping with a competition) then trying to compete, and ended up not only withdrawing from the event during the warm-up (due to severe pain and I didn't trust that I would safely make it through the event without falling and injuring some other body part) but again having problems with walking stairs. Talked to orthopod the other day when I was in for checkup and he said that the pain episodes were not atypical and that nothing was wrong.

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I've had several arthroscopic surgeries on my right knee, but rather than tell you stories about them, I'd rather give you something for perspective.

My last (and I mean both "latest" and "LAST") surgery on it requires 12-18 months off the ice during the rehab period. So when you hear something like 6 weeks, drop down on your good knee and say thanks. As long as you follow the doctor's instructions and do your physical therapy as instructed, you'll be good in no time.

I had cartilidge removed & work done to the back of my patella in March. I have been on the ice twice since then. I am only a beginner so do not do any jumps at all. I didn't go near the ice for 6 weeks, and the first 2 times I did it was painful bending into crossovers. However, I've since aggrivated a disc in my back, and haven't been skating because of that.

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