The meniscus is a C shaped piece of cartilage and its main function is to maintain the stability of the joint. The meniscus can be damaged in a number of circumstances and professional athletes are at most risk of suffering from a torn meniscus. A tear on the cartilage can significantly impact the ability of an individual to move the knee and this is when knee meniscus repair is attempted. Two of the most common causes of a meniscus tear include a sudden traumatic injury or a degenerative process affecting the health of the cartilage over a lengthy period of time. Knee meniscus repair surgery is more likely to be effective in the former than in the latter.
Knee meniscus repair surgery is not always mandatory and you can allow the area to heal with time. The less serious injuries also can be adequately dealt with by the administration of anti inflammatory medication that should necessarily be prescribed by your doctor so as to avoid any major side effects. Knee pain after meniscus repair will also depend on other factors such as how much rest the affected area is allowed as well as the kind of lifestyle led by the patient. Rest is of absolute importance and the person rests the faster the affected cartilage would heal. Besides this a longer rest period would also ensure that the area is healed more effectively leaving lesser chances for the injury to reappear. In the event that knee arthroscopy is performed, the rehabilitation process allows for the balance of healing as well as swelling. Once the swelling has subsided, the goal of knee meniscus repair rehab is to ensure that the muscles around the knee are strengthened, thereby promoting the stability of the knee joint. Knee pain after meniscus repair is only natural and can be dealt with by the administration of anti inflammatory drugs as well as pain killers. However, it is imperative that you consult your rehab therapist for the best advice on this. You could also ask your therapist if there are any light exercises to help you in the treatment of the condition. It is very important that you follow the directions of the therapist as failure to do so could aggravate the injury leading to a longer recovery period. All in all, athletes could return to light training within a couple of weeks, if everything goes well.