Hi Andrew,
I had a meniscus repair in 1994. I had a displaced bucket handle tear and my knee was truly locked until I had surgery. Luckily I had just a 3 day wait for the op.
The 2nd time my knee locked , again with a displaced bucket handle tear was in 2001. The NHS 'hand' specialist I saw the next day told me my knee was'nt locked and it took me 3 long painful weeks to see my usual knee OS as an urgent case!. Of cource my knee WAS locked and within a few hours of seeing him, I was on the operating table.
In June 1994 I had a medial meniscus repair by open surgery, 3 x 1" incisions around the medial side of my knee. I was put in a full leg plaster and NWB for 6 weeks. Once the plaster was removed, my leg was extremely painful, weak and unstable. I was unable to walk without crutches for a further 6 weeks due to weakness, pain and gross instability due to a complete tear of the ACL and LCL.
My memory of rehab is pretty vague because it has been 10 years since then.
I remember the surface of my knee felt extremely smooth when it moved and slid around (due to the lack of ligaments).
I got my full ROM back well before I had the ACL/LCL Reconstruction which I had in February 1995.
In 2001 My knee locked again. My OS was surprised the repair lasted so long!. I never expected to have trouble with it again. I then had a menisectomy, removing 90% of the medial meniscus.
Since the menisectomy, I have had continuous trouble with my knee feeling as if it is about to lock again and a similar feeling to locking where I need to force my knee back until there is a loud klonk inside my knee to relieve the feeling.
Since then I have had 3 further ops to try and resolve the problems I am having. So far without success.
Good luck with your recovery,
Heather
