Rehabilitation after arthroscopy

The cartilage lining that acts as a shock absorber and stabilizer in the knee joint is called the meniscus. With intense physical exertion, there is a possibility of damage to the meniscus. Acute pain in the knee and displacement of the patella is a sign of damage to it. In this case, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist.

Rehabilitation after meniscus arthroscopy

Surgery to remove the torn part of the meniscus is called arthroscopy. An operation to remove the meniscus is prescribed if traditional methods of treatment do not help.

There are several advantages of arthroscopy:

• The minimum size of the seam required for surgical intervention (0.5 - 2 cm);
• In most cases, the patient is discharged the next day after the operation;
• The duration of the surgical intervention is no more than two hours;
• Fast recovery period after meniscus arthroscopy.

The postoperative period after meniscus arthroscopy is usually divided into two stages: early and late recovery.

Early recovery is considered to be a time equal to three weeks after arthroscopy. At this stage of rehabilitation it is necessary to perform the following tasks:

1. Perform procedures to relieve pain;
2. Fix the knee by using a specialized corset (functional orthosis);
3. Take chondroprotectors to restore cartilage;
4. It is necessary to stop the inflammatory process;
5. Restriction of loads on the knee.

Exercise therapy after arthroscopy is allowed in late recovery, under the watchful eye of specialists.

Below is a set of necessary exercises after arthroscopy:

1. After a month after the operation, walking in an orthosis with full support on the operated leg is allowed. At this stage, it is important to correct the correct gait, for this it is necessary to move in small steps without limping on the sore leg.
2. Starting position - sitting or lying down. The operated patient should tense the quadriceps femoris muscle, the toes should look up. In this position, the cup is pulled up. It is necessary to do ten sets of ten seconds.
3. The position of the patient does not change. Tighten the back of the thigh. The number of approaches is similar to the above exercise.
4. Take a sitting position on the edge of the bed, the leg should be extended twenty centimeters forward, raising the heel. The exercise should be repeated ten times.
5. While in a horizontal position, straighten your leg. Then lift it up to a height of up to twenty centimeters and fix it for five seconds. Slowly return the leg to its original position. Repeat the exercise at least eight times. If pain occurs, reduce the number of repetitions.
6. Starting position - lying down. Pull the heel towards you, fixing the maximum position for more than five seconds. If the exercise is not difficult, it is recommended to raise the leg ten centimeters higher using a roller. This lesson should be performed more than thirty times.
7. Without changing the position, you should put the roller under the knee after arthroscopy. You should raise the lower leg, fixing it in this position for five seconds. Try to straighten your leg as much as possible. It is necessary to perform at least thirty approaches.
8. Sitting on the edge of the bed, use the quadriceps femoris to fix the leg in a horizontal position. Slowly bend the leg until the muscle is completely relaxed. Raising the leg after knee arthroscopy should be done with the healthy leg. It is recommended to perform at least five approaches.
9. For the next exercise, you will need a chair with a back or a walker. Starting position - standing, leaning on the back of a chair. Slowly raise the leg, bending it at the knee and hip joints. Also slowly lower your leg back to the starting position. Correct execution implies the parallelism of the foot to the floor. You should perform the exercise at least ten times.

Physiotherapy after knee arthroscopy

The purpose of physiotherapy is to improve blood circulation, increase metabolism in the knee joint, and accelerate the recovery of the damaged area of ​​the body. The most effective methods of physiotherapy are laser therapy, magnetic therapy, electrical stimulation.

Electrical stimulation is the effect on the muscular system with an alternating electric current of low strength and low voltage. This method strengthens the muscles and tones them. An interesting fact is that electrical stimulation has the ability to accelerate the work of the muscular system by one hundred percent. It is also able to relax the muscles during overstrain.

Contraindications for the use of electrical stimulation:

1. Cardiovascular diseases.
2. Pregnancy.
3. Epilepsy.
4. All types of tumors.

Magnetotherapy has beneficial effects on the body, activating the internal reserves of the body. Helps improve blood circulation, which in turn improves the metabolism in the body.

Laser therapy is based on the effect of polarized light on body tissues. The effect of laser therapy is to eliminate pain, swelling in the muscular system and accelerate the regeneration of the whole organism.

Contraindications for the use of laser therapy

• With hernias in the spine, osteochondrosis, sciatica.
• With arthrosis and arthritis.
• Tendon diseases.

To speed up rehabilitation after arthroscopy, it is recommended to visit a massage room. If the meniscus is damaged, lymphatic drainage massage is prescribed. The main task of massage is to improve blood circulation in the knee joint. In addition, massage relieves swelling and improves the regeneration of the body. An important condition for performing a massage is a well-fixed knee joint in an orthosis. It is not recommended to perform massage on your own - it should be performed by a specialist (orthopedist).

Contraindications for massage during recovery after arthroscopy

• With an increase in swelling after surgery, it is necessary to immediately stop the massage.
• With a blood disease.
• It is strictly contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• For skin diseases.
• With diabetes.
• If kidney failure is present.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the main importance in rehabilitation after meniscus arthroscopy is the correct and precise performance of physical exercises. Subject to all the above recommendations, recovery is possible in a very short time. It is not recommended to pull to the last with the appearance of pain in the knees and not to self-medicate. After all, this can exacerbate the situation.