KNEE ARTHRITIS - Bone marrow stimulation :
Rehab issues after microfracture - - Posted by Raggs (Raggs), 8 October 2002
Hi ...
I recently posted a question on here about Micro Fracture . I am amazed and a little concerned that my procedure was done for nothing . My ortho doc did not have me do CPM nor was I told to be non weight bearing for 6 to 8 weeks ... that seems to be the norm from what I have been told . He has not even mentioned any type of physical therapy ... I am a week post - op and still have quite a large amount of swelling and stiffiness ... hard to bend my knee ... Could someone please advise ... I am not sure what to think at this point ....
Thanks
Posted by hmaxwell (Heather M.), 8 October 2002
You really need to take this up with your doctor, he or she is the best person to advise.
From my research, the delay to start PT and weight-bearing are all depending on where exactly the microfracture was done.
Start with your written discharge instructions and then call the doctor and ask for a follow up appointment asap. It could be a miscommunication or you could be doing everything right. No one here can speculate, it's best to go right to the source.
Heather
PS Let me know how it goes...microfracture is one of my possible future procedures.....
Posted by violin1 (mj/usa), 9 October 2002
Heather is right!
You need to take this up with your doctor to get the best possible outcome from the operation.
Take care and good luck!
MJ
Posted by jodi (jodi), 10 October 2002
do you know how large your defect is? I had a microfracture along with a total reconstruction last dec. I was non weightbearing for 3 months. rehab 3 times a week. that is necessary if you want it to work. You might think about finding another doctor. My microfracture did not take even doing everything that i was supposed to do. I am now waiting for a meniscus transplant and carticel.
Posted by JorJor (JorJor), 10 October 2002
I agree with the others...the best person to talk to in your OS. I think it all does depend on exactly where the procedure was done and how much damage you have.
I posted some of this on another page on this site but thought I would post it here as well.
I have had Micro-Fracture twice. Once in 93 and then again in 94. It is a tough surgery, no doubt. Hang in there, it will get better each day. The second one for me was the most extreme. NO weight bearing for 6 weeks and was stuck in a CPM for 10 hours each day for the first couple of weeks. Yuck. Hate CPMs. 
Even though I didn't like the CPM, I am glad he made me do it. Keeping my knee in motion helped a lot. (and lots of ice packs and pain meds)
This surgery did help but I now have Synvisc or Halogen injections very 6 months to deal with the pain. For now, I will just continue this course until I can't take it any more. I am not ready for the next step.
I truly wish you the best and understand what you are going through. Take it day by day.
Posted by medsport (medsport), 30 October 2002
Shocking stuff!! You need to demand more information
from your doctor. You had a very sophisticated
surgery; your dr. should have explained
it so that you had a clear sense of the status
of your knee and the post op implications.
I am concerned for you. You should have had
a clear idea of the physical therapy required.
It is unfortunate that your dr. did not give
you this information. Educating yourself
is the only way to manage your knee problems.
Posted by kkj (kkj), 19 November 2002
Hey Raggs, I had Microfracture repair done on a hole in my knee the size of a tic-tac. This was about a year ago. My doctor told me I could put weight on it as well. It clicked and hurt for a while, but as time went on, I healed. I actually am playing soccer competatively now. Although it still hurts, I bear it. Time is your worst enemy as well as your best friend when it comes to healing Microfracture surgery. good luck!
Posted by Sandy_F (Sandy_F), 26 November 2002
I had microfracture and a LR done at the same time. I was partial to full weight bearing immediately. I started PT the next week. I had no problems getting ROM back but I did have pain problems. Walking especially on uneven ground would cause pain that was excrutiating. I would not hardly be able to walk. When I told my OS his flip answer was if it hurt so bad use the crutches but I really should not need to as there should not be any pain as severe as I was describing. It took about 2 - 3 months for that to go away.
Posted by katie (katie), 7 January 2003
I developed osteochondritis in my right medial femoral condyle after a go-karting accident in April 2001. Three go-karts plus a two-go-kart wide gap equals one thumped knee...
I had the lesion removed and the underlying bone microfractured last February. Which wasn't too bad. Apparently I talked complete drivel for three days afterwards, but I was all spaced out and happy.
I didn't have any CPM treatment (this is the UK - I kind of get the impression CPM is more popular in the states).
I did have outpatient physio for 9 months.
Was partial weight bearing on it for a few months, have been fully weight bearing for ~6 months now.
I'm kind of pleased to see the posting by kkj - I was beginning to worry no-one ever recovered properly. I'm still limping and still have a lot of pain - to the extent that the distance I can walk is affecting my life. As with Sandy-F it's uneven ground, stairs, things like that. And the speed of walking: if there's no-one around me and I can settle into a pace I'm fine, but in crowds having to weave in and out and not being able to maintain a pace I can only walk 1/2 hour at a time before I start getting creaky sounds from my knee.
{Is that normal BTW? Does that go away?}
I'm just not that sure I should be getting my GP to refer me back to the hospital again. I don't know if it's a bit whiney to go back now and if I should just leave things to settle down for a while longer - I'm still doing the muscle building exercises the physios gave me.
And some days it's fine. Some days I can wander about without any problems. What's with that?
Updated Sat Nov 21 2009
