My left knee started hurting badly on Wednesday, 9/6/2023. I could not put much weight on it for 2 days. On Sunday, 9/10/2023, I went to get some more quail chicks for a customer and when I turned my knee very loudly and painfully popped. It took me over 10 minutes to get from my driveway into my house and I had to take a break to do it. I was bed ridden. On Tuesday, 9/12/2023, I went to the hospital.
I had to use a wheelchair and was given a steroid injection. A couple of days later I could walk with a walker or crutches. I had to lay on the ground to pick fruit. After that, I could sort of walk.

Yesterday, I had an MRI. I have a medial, lateral ligament tear, a medial meniscus tear and a severe sprain. Today, I saw the surgeon. He told me I need to have a posterior root repair on my medial meniscus. He said that if I don't get the repair, my left knee joint will rapidly deteriorate and I will lose the ability to walk at all.

The surgery is scheduled in a couple of weeks. They will immobilize my left leg and I won't be allowed to put any weight on it for 6 weeks. I was told I will suffer permanent range of motion damage, from my leg being immobilized for so long. It will be another 12 weeks for my knee to heal.

Have any of you lost the ability to walk for a similar period of time?

What did you do?

Any advice?

I am going to have a hard time with this.

Keith

No, but I wish you well and a speedy recovery.

I recently underwent a foot operation followed by two failed ankle-repair operations, then an ankle fusion operation. Most of three years I was on crutches. I'm left with poor balance and the capacity to walk no more than half a mile.

You learn to adjust your thinking about what you can still do. Until they can give us a body replacement, what's the alternative?

Jim

Torn achilles. Non weight bearing with knee scooter for similar amount of time.
Follow their rehab and physical therapy instructions. Listen to what they say not to do, and do the exercises that you can do.
The time will go faster than you think.
Good luck.

I tore my meniscus in 2018 and dealt with a lot of pain for a year. Had surgery in 2019 and took 2 weeks to walk kind of normal and about 6 weeks to feel like it was pretty good. Took a year for it to fully heal, (there was pinching if I twisted or put too much weight or strain on my knee).

During cold weather I feel it in that knee. It’s true when old people say they feel it in their bones.

I recommend that you get a second and a third opinion before you commit to what you have described.
See if you can find a surgeon who specializes in sports medicine.
Any Dr. that tells me that I will sustain permanent damage from being immobilized from his prescribed procedure is not likely a practitioner of cutting edge procedures. He may well be one of those Dr's who graduated in the bottom half of his class.
You need a top of his class Dr. who keeps up with the latest innovations.

How much loss? 5% or 50%? That makes a difference.

God be with you and prayers for a speedy recovery.

I too hope you have a quick recovery.

Get well soon Keith and listen to your doctor.
If you have a good family doctor discuss his referral connections for surgery.
He should give you a rundown of several before you choose the one you want.

When I had knee surgery in 1988, I was getting physical therapy less than a week after surgery. Yes, it hurt, but I'm glad the Dr insisted on it.
I'm surprised they told you you will lose range of motion due to inactivity. Of course you will, if you remain inactive. Get a second opinion from a sports doctor who deals with these types of injuries. They should have you into rigorous PT within days, so you don't lose mobility.
Sometimes I think some doctors see an older person and think to themselves; "this guy's not going to be around much longer anyway, so let's just minimally patch him up".
Get a second or even a third opinion.

Keith,It seems to me you have a DR brother? What does he say? Personally I think it depends on you.(if u have a good Dr.) Hope they fix it. Prayers for ya

Had my foot almost taken completely off. I spent six months in a wheelchair. After surgery they told me I'd have to learn how to walk again, they rearranged something sewing it together to save it and my brain wouldn't know how to deal with it. I went from the chair to crutches to the cain. It took about 2 years in total till I could walk without saying to myself foot up, bend ankle, step forward, foot down until it became automatic.
My advice is to follow your doctors orders and go to physical therapy. You have to bring the teachings in physical therapy home with you and work on it every day. Some people make the mistake of thinking they spent an hour in therapy and that is enough.
I wish you all the best.
Having a positive mental attitude is also key to any recovery
Take care

Only thing I can add is that ligaments don't rehab like tendons do. Once stretched they stay stretched. However, with a good surgeon and good physical therapy you should turn out fine. Probably not like new, but plenty good enough to handle daily life.

My SO over the years has become extremely arthritic. One new ankle, both hips, a knee, and double reverse shoulder surgery. As good as new, no, but still gets through each day pretty well.

Best of luck to you. Tough road ahead, but you can do it.

Get a 2nd opinion. You'd be better off with a knee replacement. At least you'll be able to walk without pain.

Spike and 52Carl gave good advice...do not have surgery without other doctor opinions.

This

I have never heard of losing ROM from being immobalized

And when I get back to the hospital Tuesday I plan on asking a few of my docs. They don't do knee surgeries but they do joint injections and such and will know.
Never hurts to get a second opinion and a good doctor would not be offended if you did

My story was similar to yours, The MRI showed a complex tear in the meniscus, the muscle had pulled off the bone , and the bone was deteriorating under the muscle. I did the research on PRP shots, (platlet rich plasma). I was stubborn and wanted my body to heal itself. On my second shot I could tell it was healing. I ended up with 6 shots total and after a year it's back to normal.

This was the route I chose, but I hear the meniscus surgeries are common and also necessary at times. That would have been my next option

I agree a second opinion is necessary. A joint replacement isn't going to fix ligaments and tendons. Find a guy that does pro football players, they've seen that kind of stuff, a lot...

The PT is going to hurt...but it needs to be done

Thanks everyone.

I am going to take the advice and try to get a second opinion. I am not sure there will be time to before the surgery is scheduled, but will talk to my primary care physician about that on Monday.

I did talk to my brother, Kevin, who is a doctor. He told me that with the kind of tear I have, that it is typical)y fixed by surgery. He told me that the problem with the knee replacement is that bacteria can attach to the metal, from the blood stream, which can lead to it having to be removed and rarely, amputation.

I don't know how meaningful they are, but on the online reviews of my surgeon are mostly 5 out of 5, with one 4.7 out of 5. He has performed a lot of these surgeries. He comes off as competent and caring.

Not being able to do any physical work for 6 weeks is going to be hard.

Keith