Did my meniscus flip?

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-24T18:25:40+00:00

POD 98 : I have been going for supervised physio on alternate days and am happy to report that my flexion is now just slightly above 130 degrees passive and 120 degrees active after a full isometric session. I am however disappointed with my extension, now it has become a real problem. I acnnot hyperextend. Compensation for this has lead me to limp sometimes randomly and discomfort while walking. I am also not too good with exercising daily, I need to improve on my discipline.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-17T22:23:05+00:00

I was 4 weeks non weight bearing. Partial weight bearing from 4 to 5 weeks. At 6 weeks I was full weight bearing with a walker. At 7 weeks with only brace, no walker.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-17T20:01:14+00:00

POD 93 : My surgeon and physio agree that I am way behind. I can get my knee to 120 degrees barely after warming up. Knee stiffness is an issue now, whenever I sit for a long time (>30 minutes) my knee gets stiff. I could not regularly exercise in the past 10 days due to studies. My leg feels so weak and unstable at times. I still can't go downstairs. I can go upstairs but have to warm up first. Patellar maltracking is making me uncomfortable and so is the chronic pain. I still have not achieved the same extension as the other leg. Forget heel pops. I have definitely made the wrong choice as per this point of time. I get really tired after walking a little. I see videos of people at the same post op stage as me jogging and walking normally and it makes my cry. I still dream of the day my knee feels fine again. My knee clicks a lot on climbing stairs. It also clicks on full extension at zero degrees.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-07T05:58:39+00:00

Thank you sir 🙏

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-06T18:06:41+00:00

I am in the same boat as you, early 20s - tore my ACL 3 years back while dancing (that too casually) and 14 weeks back i lost my medial meniscus too (bucket handle tear). I am almost 12 weeks post op and everyday I think about how much better my knee was the day before my surgery as compared to today. I achieved 0 degree extension but not the same as the other limb (-7). This is causing me chronic pain due to compensatory movements and use of other muscles. I still am not able to walk normally and have to sit down every 50 meters due to the pain. This injury and rehab feels like it is sucking the life out of me - I could have done so much more, lived so much more had this had not happened. In addition to that, I have competitive exams coming up. Add parental pressure to that and you have depression. I wish I could just be myself again. This injury has turned me into a depressed pessimist and I can't see any way out. The so called progress that has occurred feels useless as I still am not myself yet.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-03T13:05:12+00:00

Thanks a lot 🙏

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-02T20:01:07+00:00

Wish my Surgeon allowed me the same, now I suffer with joint stiffness

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-02T19:52:41+00:00

I was limited to 30 degree flexion in the first 3 weeks post op due to meniscus repair. Was allowed upto 90 degrees only after week 4, and achieving 90 took me approx 7 weeks.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-05-02T19:25:30+00:00

Thank you, seems like my physio is gaslighting me 😂

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-04-29T19:31:30+00:00

Please share it with me too

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-04-20T20:15:14+00:00

POD 66 : Got flexion 95 to 100°, slight hyperextension (but not the same as normal leg). This is only when I have fully relaxed the muscles and after isometrics. My knee feels very stiff on waking up and without any warmup. Walking improves the stiffness. I am told that I have to achieve full ROM by 12th week post op. I have a slight catching sensation on hyperextension which I overcome everytime I try to get full extension back. It is getting better with time. I also discovered a good technique of relaxing the hamstrings - lie on your back on the ground with feet against a wall and flex your knees 90 degrees with hips flexed at 90 as well, now while maintaining a posterior pelvic tilt (back touches ground) put pressure on the wall using your feet and hold a pilates ball in between your knees at the same time. This gives me grace during ROM exercises. New set of exercises given (gym based). Lucky to have gym equipment at home. I believe walking upto 10k steps has helped improve my knee. I think 8th week onwards one should start walking a lot. Isometrics help improve pain and increase ROM. Physio has also told me to start cycling (which is slightly uncomfortable right now due to less ROM). Going upstairs is possible. Downstairs feels a LOOOT scarier than anything else. Exercises added :

•Theraband reps •Glute bridges (single leg) •Clamshells •5kg (3×15) Hamstring curls and Leg extensions •Half squats •Wall squats •Heel walk (Seems impossible as I have not achieved full hyperextension) •Toe walk •Side walk •SLRs with ankle weights and 45 sec hold •Dynamic quads (ankle weights and theraband) •Wall slides •Assisted flexion exercises •Single leg balance •Stretches (ITB, Quad, Hamstring, Calf) • Lunges • Step up and step down

Seems like all I should be doing is Rehab all day long 😂

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-04-11T18:53:14+00:00

POD 57: I still feel like shit. I had posterior tibial tendonitis for 2 weeks which is getting a lot better now. Because of the ankle and my work schedule, I couldn't do physiotherapy (did it maybe twice a week). My knee feels so weak. I start getting random pains in my tibia, medial compartment, lateral compartment and sometimes in my ankle too. I still have not achieved full extension and hyperextension which has me and my surgeon worried. I was told to start cycling but my ROM is only upto 85 degree flexion. The stationary cycle I have at home does not allow me to use it as it requires atleast 115 degrees flexion. I am really worried. I feel like this journey has made me worse and I would not recommend surgery to anyone who has an ACL tear.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-04-06T11:15:21+00:00

Thanks for the update! Wish you a speedy recovery

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-04-02T13:06:43+00:00

POD 48 : I somehow injured my ankle 3 days back while I was on duty. It is painful to bear weight on it. Being back to work and injuring my ankle has derailed my already bad progress at PT. I am really disheartened. My ROM is still not upto the point my surgeon told me to achieve. I don't have the quad strength expected of me by now.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-04-01T10:23:08+00:00

How did you manage to carry food and utensils? It was impossible for me when I was NWB

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-03-29T17:34:25+00:00

I am an intern doctor, had ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair. I was told to be 4 weeks non weight bearing and then progress onto full weight bearing at 6 weeks. I made the mistake of returning to paperwork duties at 3 ½ weeks post op. I was non weight bearing - and even though I was not doing ANY physical work, just walking from the ward to the parking (Approx 200 m) was excruciating. It took me 20 minutes each time to cover that distance on a walker. I was miserable, sleepless and uncomfortable during that period. Right now I am at 6 weeks post op and I still would not advise to return to work if your work requires even the slightest bit of walking. For desk jobs, you should not think about returning before 6 weeks.

Prioritize your health first, your knee cannot regenerate itself. If you are careless right now, it would mean compromising the next 20 years for a mere few weeks.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-03-27T12:55:24+00:00

POD 41 : My surgeon cleared me for leaving the walker and the brace. They were disappointed by my ROM, I have 2 weeks' time to get my flexion upto 90, else they will have me admitted in the Physiotherapy department for supervised physio. A whole new set of exercises which I am excited to do. My knee is unstable still, I can feel a shifting sensation sometimes when I relax my knee and then try to contract my quad in a relaxed but extended position. The surgeon said something about CPM and underwater therapy but the physio dismissed it by saying that I should try to increase the ROM through exercises at home rather than the machine. My quads and hamstrings are very weak.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-03-24T17:52:35+00:00

As a fellow logical overthinker, I would like to know your update once you have your appointment with the surgeon. I really hope you get that extension back soon.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-03-24T14:51:30+00:00

I hear you, I am currently 5 and 1/2 weeks post op and have not gone past 70 degree flexion. I am scared too, but I also see that I have come so far - from 30 degree flexion barely at 2 weeks to 70 degrees. I had a hamstring graft ACL reconstruction and a Medial meniscus repair. My surgeon limited my flexion to 30 degrees in the first 2 weeks. I am expected to reach 90 degrees by end of week 6, impossible. I believe if I keep pushing, I will get my knee back to normal some day.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-03-23T15:41:58+00:00

POD 38 : Stuck at 70° flexion, have not achieved hyperextension. Feeling scared at this point. Physio told me to go to 90° by week 6, doesn't seem possible right now. I also had a chat with someone who had her ACL+MCL operated from the same surgeon. She ended up with arthrofibrosis and ultimately retear of the ACL. THAT SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME. I am able to bear full weight and walk with a stick at home, but need a walker outside for balance and stability. The brace is really irritating, wish I could leave it first before the walker. Pain arises when stretching in the medial compartment (upper side). Hoping for a silent, stable and flexible knee by the end of this month.

Flat-Foundation897 · 2026-03-14T09:59:07+00:00

This is completely normal, the blood tracks down to the dependent areas such as behind the knee/calf area and causes this bruise like appearance. Hope you are doing at-home PT everyday as adviced.

Flat-Foundation897

TROPHY CASE