u/introvertt_cat

Hello all, has anyone else developed calf pain after ditching the second crutch?
I’m about 6 weeks post-op from a medial bucket-handle meniscus repair.

I stopped using my second crutch 2 days ago, and yesterday I started feeling pain in my calf. Today it’s even worse, and it’s affecting the way I walk. No matter how hard I try to walk normally, I end up dragging my surgical leg because of the calf pain.
Has anyone else experienced this after transitioning off crutches? Was it just your calf muscles adapting to walking again? If so, how long did it take to improve?

One more question: How long did it take you to walk normally again after your meniscus repair?

Hi everyone,

I’m 5 weeks post-op from a medial bucket-handle meniscus repair, with about 10–20% of the meniscus trimmed. At the 3-week mark, my surgeon said everything looked good and was happy with my progress.

My protocol was:

- No brace.
- 30–40% weight bearing with 2 crutches for 3 - weeks.
- Then 100% weight bearing with 2 crutches for 4 days.
- Now 100% weight bearing with 1 crutch for about 10 days.

I did have a few minor slips/trips over the past week and accidentally put some extra pressure on the surgical leg a couple of times, but there was no major twisting, no significant swelling afterward, and nothing that seemed like a major injury. It definitely increased my anxiety though.

A few questions:

Is it normal to still have pain/tenderness along the repaired meniscus at 5 weeks?
Did anyone else have occasional pops/clicks during recovery that turned out to be normal?
When did you stop thinking every little pain meant you’d re-torn the repair?
If you had a bucket-handle repair, when did your knee start feeling “normal” again?

Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I’m a 24M and had a medial meniscus repair 3 days ago

My surgeon instructed me to do about 30% weight bearing with crutches. While my leg was wrapped, I was able to put some weight on it first day. After removing the wrap as instructed the second day, I suddenly found it much harder to put weight on the leg due to pain.

A few other things I’ve noticed:

I get significant pain when I try to fully straighten my knee.
Keeping a towel under my knee is much more comfortable, but I’ve heard this can make it harder to regain full extension.
When I stand up, my operated leg turns noticeably red, but the color improves when I elevate it or lay down again on the bed.
I have some swelling around the knee.
No locking, no falls, and no twisting since surgery.

For those who have been through a meniscus repair:

1- Is it normal for weight bearing to feel harder after removing the compression wrap or is it a second day thing?

2- Did anyone else experience redness in the leg when standing?

3- Did you sleep with a pillow/towel under the knee or try to keep the leg straight?

4- How much were you moving around during the first few days versus resting?

5- How long did it take before partial weight bearing became comfortable?