Training & Nutrition - Getting knee scoped...

Waiting to get approval from workers comp for my knee to get scoped. My question is: Has anyone here ever had that done? Also, how long before I can get back on the bike? Sure, the doctor will probably have the final say but I was just curious as to how long it has taken other people. Thanks.

yeah a few times, 3 on the right, 1 on the left. I guess I am a veteran.

Arthoscopy usually involves general anaesthetic and they go in with small incisions and a fiber optic camera. For basic cleanup they usually smoothen any rough arthritic surfaces of the joints/cartilage and make sure everything is smooth again, kinda like scraping off the rust. They may need to trim cartilage if it torn too badly and cannot be smoothened easily.

For basic arthoscopy you are encouraged to start walking on the knee soon so that the muscles don't shrink. I was able to hobble around the next day. The main issue is the swelling, the swelling has to do down before you will be able to bend your knee and do exercises. If there is still swelling the knee won't bend fully.

In my cases it would be like:

week 1 - pain subsides and can move around, knee still swollen so can't bend much
week 2 - swelling starting to go down can drive, stitches removed
week 3 - can walk around except stairs, back to work
week 4 - 85%
week 5 - can do most things
week 6 - can do almost everything and exert the knee

I was able to play soccer 8 weeks later.

I know some people whose swelling went down in the first week, so it may vary depending on the procedure and your body.

If they need to reconstruct ligaments then that is a different kettle of fish.
you can ask them to save anything they remove from you knee, I have a piece of cartilage they took out of my knee in a little bottle.


Waiting to get approval from workers comp for my knee to get scoped. My question is: Has anyone here ever had that done? Also, how long before I can get back on the bike? Sure, the doctor will probably have the final say but I was just curious as to how long it has taken other people. Thanks.

The bottom line is that it depends on the type and extent of injury/age issue they are going to be dealing with. A younger person with minor problems is going to recover faster than an older person with more extensive issues.

I have had both knees worked on, the most recent being the left knee in 2002. The first job took three holes but this one was only two puncture holes. The first
time I was encouraged to stay off the knee for two weeks ( this was a long time ago ), but for my most recent operation I was given crutches after the Tuesday operation and told to use them as little as possible. On Thursday....two days
later....I saw the PT and was doing some exercises. The next week I was doing supervised leg squats with over 100 lbs.

In my case, both were operations to repair a torn medial meniscus(sp), which basically meant deburring, or smoothing, the cartiledge(sp).

I was not a biker then but if my experience is relevant.....and it may not be....you might be biking relatively soon, but not at an agressive level. I say this because one of the exercises the PT had me do was spinning, and she didn't hesitate to crank up the resistance. FWIW, the PT went to Greece to help with the US Olympic team so she presumably knows her stuff.

Personally I would listen carefully to any and all instructions and would not exceed what they reccomend. You can always train more later.

Clearly my case must have been less severe than 'lennyk' because I was moved along much more agressively. I am a cameraman and was toting my 25lb camera and my 22lb tripod and heavy junk/audio bag as soon as I came back to work.

Good luck.

might I add, you should do some gym work if possible before the op, so the rehab will be quicker. Assuming you don't have any serious degenerative problems it is truly a great
feeling to have a smooth cleaned out knee again.

Thanks for the replies...sounds like I can be back to normal or at least close to it within a reasonable amount of time. Thanks again guys.

FWIW: 2 local ladies had scopes. One was back on the bike in 1-2wks after the first, in 5 days after the second and doing heavy hill climbing centuries within 2-3mo. Other lady off the bike ever since, in rehab for 6 months and slow progression thereafter. Now 2.5yrs and she is still not back on the bike. This is a lady that toured Austria and Germany for 3wks the year before on a tandem. Experiences vary but individual pain thresholds and tolerances have a significant contribution in addition to the amount of tissue removed and the underlying problems in the knees.

just don't do squats, they are the most potentially damaging exercise to your knees

G4TeamG,

lennyk raises an interesting issue. A co-worker had to go to the therapist before her knee surgery. You might ask the doctor if this would help the recovery process.

Also, I sought out doctors that performed surgery on members of the local college football team, thinking they would be better surgeons.

Lastly, since there is the ocasional 'bad doctor', I went to the state web site and looked for the board that regulates doctors. Every state probably has one, and ours shows any complaints and/or restrictions a physician might have. My doctor thought that was a hoot, especially when I said I was glad he went to Harvard. He said that just meant that he had more student loans.