Recovering From Your Knee Arthroscopy

Your Surgical Day and Pain

• You may receive a nerve block along with general anesthesia to reduce pain after surgery. It typically lasts 12 to 24 hours.
• Take your oral pain medication before the block wears off. It is normal to feel more pain in the middle of the night or the next day as the block fades. That is expected.
• Stay ahead of the pain. Take a pain tablet when you get home and again before bed.

Getting Moving

• You can put full weight on your leg right after surgery, unless Dr. Jazayeri tells you otherwise.
• A brace and crutches are usually not needed after this type of procedure.
• You can start walking right away and begin your exercises on the first day after surgery.

Your Equipment

• A cryo-cuff is placed on your knee in the operating room. Keep it on as much as possible for the first 1 to 2 weeks to reduce swelling and pain. Continuously change the ice water so it stays cold.

• Wear the stockings until your first visit at 2 weeks to help prevent swelling and blood clots. You may remove them to wash, but do not put them in the dryer.
• Pull them all the way up to your thigh. Do not leave them halfway down your calf, which causes swelling.
• Pump your ankles often, rotating and moving both up and down, to keep blood circulating.

Wound Care and Dressings

• Some bleeding and fluid leaking is normal for 24 to 36 hours. Change or reinforce the dressing as needed.
• Change the 4 by 4 gauze every other day, or daily if it gets wet or soiled.
• On day 3 you may remove your dressings and cover each incision with a regular band-aid, just enough to cover the incision itself.
• Do not use ointments, betadine, or peroxide.

Your Medications

• Percocet 10/325 mg Narcotic pain
  Take 1 to 2 pills as needed every 6 hours, usually for the first 2 weeks. After that, if pain continues, a non-narcotic option (Tramadol) plus Tylenol and NSAIDs may be used.
• Mobic 15 mg NSAID, anti-inflammatory
  Take 1 pill every 12 hours for the first 2 weeks.
• Colace 100 mg Stool softener
  Take 1 tablet 2 to 3 times a day while taking pain medication, which often causes constipation.
• Zofran 4 mg Anti-nausea
  Take 1 tablet every 6 hours as needed for nausea, which can follow anesthesia.

Swelling and Elevation

• Expect more swelling on days 1 to 3 than on surgery day. This is normal. It improves with the anti-inflammatory, icing, wearing the stocking, and keeping the leg elevated.
• Swelling makes the knee harder to bend. As it goes down, your motion gets easier.
• Some numbness near the incision is normal and may last 6 to 12 months.
• Keep the leg elevated. In bed, keep it straight with a pillow under the ankle, not under the knee.

Bathing

• Keep your wounds completely dry for the first 7 to 10 days.
• Cover the knee with a waterproof bag to shower. It can be slippery, so be careful.
  Tip: cut a small hole in the bottom of the bag so your foot rests on the shower floor and does not slip.
• No hot tubs or ocean for 4 weeks after surgery.

Range of Motion and Rehab

• Start your home exercise program the day after surgery, progressing as tolerated.
• Do range of motion exercises 3 to 4 times a day to bend and straighten the knee.
• Your goal is full extension and 90 degrees of flexion by 1 week. Fully straightening the knee is the most important motion in the first 2 to 3 weeks.
• Use the MyHealthTrack app to guide your rehab starting the day after surgery.
• In-person physical therapy usually starts about 2 weeks after surgery. Combining the app and in-person PT gets the most out of your recovery.
• Confirm your physical therapy appointment is scheduled by calling the office at (310) 746-5918.

Driving, Rest, and Work

• Driving is usually safe by 2 weeks. Do a test drive in a safe area first to check your comfort, and do not drive while taking any narcotic pain medication.

• Rest is part of recovery. Rest the knee, keep it elevated as much as possible, and do not overdo it.
• Sedentary work or school: return when you feel up to it and your pain medication needs drop, often within a few days and typically 5 to 10 days after surgery.
• Heavy or physical jobs (for example police, fire, construction, or labor): expect a minimum of 6 to 12 weeks off.