Knee Microfracture - When Does Swelling Go Down?

[Mr_Nadeau]

The Dr sat down with me and went over everything he did including showing me pictures of the inside of my knee. I'm not good at explaining things in medical terms but he basically said alot of work was done inside the knee .. there are no signs of infection which would have been causing the pain and swelling .. and wrapped up the visit by finally scheduling me for PT which I start in 2 days. Still no weightbearing for another 2 weeks but he said that I'm on the right for recovery.

I made the appointment more for my peace of mind just to know if my concerns were valid and I'm glad I did. Like I said before .. I guess I just have to be patient and trust in the process.

How's your rehab coming? You had said you returned to work with shortened hours .. hows that working?

[Nettan]

Hi !

I had microfracture a couple of years ago. But I have a bit different situation as I'm in wheelchair 24/7.
But it took my almost 6 months to feel pretty normal, but I had issues for up to 2 years before it finally felt like the knee before my injury.
Still have days that my knee bothers me, but with the other problems I have I know this surgery would be a big chance. But I am glad I took it cause my quality of life is better. Before the surgery I had to put up my leg so many times during the day so when I was out I had to take a break both now and then cause I needed to elevate because of pain and swelling.
You hang in there and follow your doc's advice and you will get a good outcome. But if you have setbacks don't give in, start over slow again with the easiest and move on forward.
Ice was my best friend during this time and I had icepackages wherever I went.
Wish you the best !
If I can give you any feed back or so, don't hesitate to ask.
/ Cheers Nettan

[Miss Beams]

I am really glad all went well with your os appointment.  Its reassuring to know that you are headed in the right direction and I feel slightly reassured too that this post opp pain is normal as we both are 5weeks post opp.  I just wish i had been informed pre and post opp that there may well be discomfort for quite a long period of time during the microfracture healing process so that i would have been more prepared.  I knew the time line for it to work (having researched it on the net) would be quite lengthy, but to be honest, just thought i was going to have lavarge, debridement(chrondoplasty) in which case my recovery would have been so much quicker.  Still, like you, i have now to be patient and hope as time goes on things get better. i seem to have good days, then i guess like today overdo it and have a bad day   I was pleased to get back to work, I only work 2 days but have just shortened my working days as i have a long commute.  It was nice to be back in the real world, takes your mind of the knee   At least you will now start P/T and soon be able to start WB and getting about a bit better.

To Nettan, thanks for posting, i wish there were more posts as it helps to know how other people are coping and coped with getting through the long rehab.

[Nettan]

I don't think even the docs know how long time it takes. My OS told me if it had been only meniscus I would be fine in a month, but with microfracture 3 months. Heck he was out wrong in both.
So the keyfactor is that we are all individuals and the rehab takes as long it needs to take.

Beams, I hope that work goes alright for you. The real world is nice !

[Mr_Nadeau]

@ Nettan: I was told my procedure was going to be a lateral cleavage miniscus repair and that I'd be a month maximum recovering. Nothing was ever mentioned about Microfracture .. in fact the first time it ever came out of my Dr's mouth was when he spoke to me briefly in the recovery room. I think my biggest gripe is that a MFX possibility was never brought up during my pre-op visits. The Dr has obviously done them before .. he definately should have mentioned it prior to my op. His explination for not mentioning it prior to the procedure is that an MRI is for diagnosing a problem and can point out obvious abnormalities but that it's not the "end all, be all". And I understand he couldn't be 100% positive untill he was able to dig around in my knee .. but he should have at least brought the subject up.

@ Miss Beams: I'm glad you're doing better every day .. I wish soooo bad I could get back to work. I work for the largest retailer in the world (not to keen on mentioning their name) as a mechanic. I work on the 53' trailers that bring the groceries, merchandise, frozen food, etc to their super duper centers. Because this wasn't an on-the-job accident I can't return untill my Dr signs off that I'm 100% recovered and at this point .. I'd probably pass out from pain if I were to try to climb up into the back of a trailer .. let alone jump back out of one.

[Miss Beams]

i have to agree with you, I didnt hear the word microfracture mentioned in my first consultation, i found out after the visit but thought it was only going to be in a small deficit on MFC(which it was), didnt realise about the other one till i got a reply from the email that i sent the OS and thats the one causing me the most grief .  I have managed to gain 99% of my ROM back to pre-injury by pushing  downon my knee and  it feels a lot more comfortable with regard to stiffness, although i am still enjoying the burning pain sensation of the trochear mfx   As regards to work, i work as a secretary so am lucky im not on my feet too much otherwise i probably would not have been ready to go back, and also, i am only part-time so i can rest when im not there, so i guess i am  very lucky. I do have my horses to care for, so am now mucking them out and stuff, but yes i dont think i would be up to leaping about on trailers etc either.
 
All i can say, is you are not alone, mind you it feels like it when you are stuck indoors on your own all day limited in what you can do.
 

[jksrogers]

Just read these posts trying to figure out if what is happening to me is normal or not..Had Microfacture 2 weeks ago along with Meniscus repair, and cleaned out knee cap .  Have had to have fluids drained off 1 week out and now 2 weeks out from surgery. There is lots of swelling, hard to extend knee and lots of popping when attempting leg raises. Had planned on 4 weeks of NWB but now it's up to 6 weeks. This is a lot harder than I thought, but am fortunate to have pain medication, which I've used regularly.  After 3 falls, one which twisted the knee, even with a brace, I've opted to use a wheelchair in the house and crutches to get around outside for the next few weeks. Surgery was March 17 and was told by PT yesterday that by July 4th I'll be riding my bike, walking and exercising as if nothing had happened.  really?  I thought I'd be doing this in 2 months. 

[Miss Beams]

hi there, just thought i would reply to your post, just to say, dont be too ambitious with regard to getting back on your bike, unfortunately its a long hard road

However, after your intial set backs, you may be lucky keep the knee moving as best you can, with regard to your SLRs.  You are NWB which means you will be able to let the microfracure form, but again, once you go to pwb you need to take care.  Fortunately you have PT for support.

I, unfortunately was nwb from the start and am nearly 12weeks post surgery and having big issues with one of my microfractures and am seeing my OS Monday regarding this. 

Its a long and hard rehab, keep taking the pain meds, dont over do it and hopefully you will be back on your bike soon

[Miss Beams]

oops, sorry, i should have said i was fully weight bearing from the start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!with no P/T and OS F/UP!

[collette]

Hello all,

I would like to say thank you for posting everything that you are going thru. I am approved for surgery in two weeks.  Took a fall at work February 2010 and have been putting off surgery for over a year due to lack of coverage at work (2 coworkers out on medical leaves.) My turn to get fixed! 
According to the Dr. interpretation of the MRI (2nd opinion) he says " 8mm medial femoral condylar lesion, medial meniscus torn, patellar chondromalacia and osteophytosis of the patellofemaoral joint."  I am approved for microfracture and debridement, possbily OATS depending on what he sees when he gets in there. 
It sounds like I am in for a long road of rehab ahead, but I am READY!  So glad I have found this site, I love to research and now I know what I am up against.   

[KHoward73]

Hi everyone. I am glad to have found others who have had this procedure done.

I had a micro fracture surgery on 11/12/12. 2 weeks post surgery, I was instructed to weight bare and not use crutches. The night of my surgery, I walked a few steps and had this hard buckling feeling in my knee.( feels like when someone walks up behind you and knees you in the back of the knee and you lurch forward) I began using my crutches on my own and limiting the weight i put on the left leg. My post op appt the PA i saw gave me a new knee brace w hinges on the sides and said things should get better once i strenghten my knee. Tonight i had a episode of the buckling, and now there is sharp stabbing pains in my knee that feels like someone is driving a steak knife thru it. Has anyone experienced this buckling problem and if so how did you get rid of it so to speak.

[chickenlady]

To the post above me (I'm new to this and not quite sure how to do it):
I'm 13 months post microfracture surgery on my right knee.  I had episodes of buckling before the surgery.   After the surgery I had a lot of anticipated buckling where I felt like I could not trust the knee (steps, etc.).  So I guess I would have to say no to the actual buckling and a definite "yes" to the painful stabs.  My surgery was complicated by a pulmonary embolism treated with blood thinners which resulted in a bleed into the knee joint, so I didn't exactly have a normal recovery period.  I was in a walker for a couple of weeks with a knee splint, followed by crutches, followed by a cane.  At a year out I occasionally have to use the cane if I'm doing a lot of walking (especially in cold damp weather).  I still get some swelling on the inside of the knee and occasionally  have to ice it down.  I guess what I'm saying is be patient.  It is very painful at first; I've had other surgeries and nothing could have prepared me for the pain from this one.  Hopefully you have a good physical therapy program that you will go into. Frankly six months after the surgery I let someone do "itothermie" on the knee. It's a form of acupressure and my knee got a lot better after that with visible signs of improvement (less swelling, no limp, etc.). It sounds crazy but it helped a lot and I was willing to try anything.  You have just started your recovery; there is light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to be patient - which is probably the harder part.

[Adobec]

I had microfracture of the femoral trochlea in march 2012.  The recovery was difficult.  In November 2012 I had a TTT for ongoing patella tracking issues.  Before the surgery I would have sworn up and down (based on how that knee felt) that the microfracture was not successful.  Well, during the surgery, it was discovered that the micro had healed better than a teenager.  I'm 38.