Sports after meniscus surgery | Surgical options for meniscus tears

Sports after meniscus surgery

The question of how long after meniscus surgery no sports can be done cannot be answered in a generalized way. The duration of the sports leave depends on the treated disease as well as on the healing process. In rare cases, it can even happen that even after a successful meniscus operation, no sport that puts strain on the knee joint may be practiced for a lifetime.

However, if the knee joint injury was detected early, the chances are very good that normal sports activities can be resumed after complete recovery. This is particularly the case if the injury in the meniscus area has not caused any damage to the cartilage surfaces. If, on the other hand, signs of wear in the area of the cartilage surfaces, which are connected to the meniscus injury, can be proven, then no sport may be done over a longer period of time.

The duration of the sports leave then depends less on the success of the meniscus operation or the recovery of the menisci. Rather, the affected cartilage surface should have completely regenerated before sport can be started again. Depending on the condition of the cartilage tissue, regeneration can take several months.

In the case of minor injuries to the meniscus, sport can usually be resumed two to three weeks after meniscus surgery. However, the affected knee should only be moderately strained for the time being. If pain or other complaints occur during sports, training must be stopped immediately.

Patients who resume sports without consulting a physician risk serious damage to the knee joint. If the injured knee is put under excessive strain before the menisci and cartilage have healed completely, this can most likely lead to lifelong problems. Severe knee pain, significant movement restrictions and a low load-bearing capacity of the affected knee are often the result of a too short sports leave.

If the knee joint was already severely affected before the meniscus operation, it may not be possible to resume sports activities at full load under certain circumstances. For this reason, any injury in the meniscus area should be diagnosed and treated by a specialist as soon as possible.If a meniscus operation becomes necessary due to the extent of the injury, the surgical procedure should be performed as soon as possible. In addition, there are some aids that can reduce the duration of sports leave after meniscus surgery under certain circumstances.

Affected persons should participate in a special rehabilitation program immediately after the end of the complete immobilization of the knee joint. In such a program, physiotherapy exercises are performed to help stabilize the knee after meniscus surgery and prepare it for normal loads.