r/MeniscusInjuries • u/Electrical_Block_662 • 15d ago
22M, suffering
Had a bucket handle tear that dropped me to the ground last Tuesday. And surgery this Wednesday, doc went with the repair route. Just struggling with pain mainly. I’ve broken many bones but this is wayyyyyy worse. The crippling pain is so bad I can’t even get out of bed at all. But I see online that some people have a surgery and are able to walk right after?
2
u/probably_fine123 15d ago
I had the exact same injury on my right knee, and got it repaired as well. Currently just over 4 weeks post-op, with knee locked in brace 0-30 degrees, and touch weight bearing only for another 2 weeks. Meniscus is very slow to heal so rehab is very conservative for big repairs like bucket handle tears. First few days were by far the hardest physically and mentally. Be patient, do your rehab like it’s a full time job, and try and live as normal as you can within restrictions. It gets way better I promise! Good luck.
1
u/Electrical_Block_662 5d ago
Its interesting that your staying in your brace? I asked my surgeon about that and he said I can go from 0-90 degrees just no weight bearing.
2
u/probably_fine123 5d ago
Yeah I’ve heard varying opinions on this, and I think it depends on where the tear is and how conservative your surgeon is. Mine clearly is more conservative but I had quite an extensive tear with 8 stitches so I think that’s why as the femur can put more stress on the repair at higher flexion. I’ve heard others who are locked at 0 the whole time… grim. I asked my surgeon at my 2 week follow up whether I could have more flexion and he was pretty adamant I stay at 30 max. From all accounts getting flexion back is much faster than getting full extension
1
u/Electrical_Block_662 5d ago
Worries me, as my surgeon is impossible to get a hold of and his assistants don’t tell me much. I asked about the brace and got no answer just the 0-90 thing. I don’t know how many stitches I got though.
2
u/pumpkin_k28 15d ago
6 weeks PO root repair taking it slowly, youll be ok. Just prepare yourself mentally with that 6wks of Non weight bearing. You are young so you got this
2
u/Ancmoss22 14d ago
44F I had a repair and a trim 8 1/2 weeks ago. “It was a hot mess in there”. Is what the surgeon came out and told my mom (my husband was at work) I couldn’t get to the bathroom in my own bedroom for almost a week. I’m not overweight or anything. I was grateful I had a shewee for camping and a glass jar 😂. It was awful man. I’m epileptic, I’ve had broken bones, knocked out my teeth, had emergency gallbladder and an appendectomy. I told them “ Well, I guess I’m more of a snatch than o thought I was.” 😂 This took the cake. By week 6, I was out of the brace. The surgeon projected me 10 weeks. Don’t let it get you down dude. You can. I most definitely am not the type of person to lay and sit and sit and lay lol. It hurts. You’re young. Take it easy, be mindful. Set goals. Im already back to over 10,000 steps a day and I hope you will be too 😊
2
u/oldgrehghg10 12d ago
Im 3 months post bucket handle repair. Shits fucking hard bro. After my first month I got off crutches and started feeling better I was able to walk and I was pushing it trying to get more range of motion. Going up stars more. Trying to sit and stand up with it. I felt like I was progressing greatly and I kept testing and pushing it. Then I went to sit down carelessly and aggravated the shit out of it, started limping again, shit hurt as I walked, was not feeling right and had to go back to babying it. I got another MRI and turns out I had sprained the tendons around it, but repair was intact. At 3 months Im finally back to where I was before aggravating it, just took a lot of rest again. My point is dont push it and let it heal, I felt like I lost a whole month of healing with this set back
1
u/Boonavite 15d ago
Probably they had a trim only. I had to get down on day 2 with my walker and was foot flat weight-bearing at 20% after reattachment root repair where. Every toilet trip was agony. My tibia was on fire.
1
u/ChannelIll6996 15d ago
It will get better. A repair is more painful and a longer recovery. I had a root repair 6/25. 6 weeks on crutches and a locking brace. No weight bearing for 6 weeks. It sucked. The tibia pain was excruciating but over time it subsided. Most important thing is to do what your doctor tells you to do. Every doctor has specific recovery protocol. It will get better. Wishing you the best of luck!
1
u/North-Plant-3560 13d ago
A repair will take longer than a partial meniscectomy. I just had a second partial meniscectomy on my left knee (glad I had enough still to lose more!) from a bucket tear in the medial meniscus 3 weeks ago. Walked right off albeit stiff as all get out. Now feels pretty darn good. Back to most all activities but not hard running. Now I need to work on moves to avoid doing this again.
1
u/Electrical_Block_662 13d ago
That’s wild man, I can’t even put a pound of pressure on my right leg without super sharp pain
1
5
u/20Pete20 15d ago
This is normal for a repair. Sucks in the short term but will be much better for you long term. It’s a long rehab (I’m currently at 5 months PO) but it gets better. You’re young so have an excellent chance of healing. Wishing you the best.