Week 2 Rehab After My Second Meniscectomy

by Rashida Bealin Meniscectomy Surgery, monthly updateson Posted on

The second week after my second meniscectomy was still a pretty challenging one.

If you haven’t yet seen it, please review my update for my Week 1 Rehab for background on my progress.

Here, I’ll share the details of my second week of recovery after my second partial meniscectomy.

How I Felt During Week 2 of Meniscectomy Rehab

I was having a pretty difficult time during the first week of meniscectomy. While things slightly improved this week, it was still a challenging week.

Having made some progress the first week, I felt some encouragement. However, training on the sidelines at team practice sessions was still difficult, and I was still dealing with significant pain.

Physically, I was certainly progressing but it was still difficult mentally and physically.

How My Knee Felt

My knee was not in anywhere near as much pain as the previous week. Walking regularly was getting easier and less painful.

During flexion (passive and active) is when my knee hurt the most. It hurt on the medial joint line. While I worked on this, I did not push too far into the pain. It was not necessary at this time.

Major Events

My focus this week was still to address swelling. Range of motion was also a priority, including flexion and smoother overall movement. I also continued to work on walking mechanics, stairs, and general quad strength.

  • stitches removed
  • Beginning flexion work
  • Able to walk up and down stairs (though down is painful and not fluid)

2 Week Post-Op Meniscectomy Exercises

I continued to do the same exercises as the previous week. Additionally, I implemented many similar exercises from the first month of my last meniscectomy and 1-3 months post-op after ACL surgery.

Some examples include:

  • Flexion exercises (rolling forward on yoga ball).
  • Leg extension, with resistance, single and double leg.
  • Controlled lunges.
  • Step ups.
  • SL balance exercises.
  • Deadlifts
  • Weighted calf raises.

Meniscectomy Rehab Frequently Asked Questions- 2 Week Post Op

What was your range of motion?

My range of motion improves from the first to the second week of rehab. I began working on flexion during the second week and made some progress throughout. I had full extension and a little over 90 degrees of flexion.

How was the pain?

I had significantly less pain than the first week, but still quite a bit of pain and swelling. I experienced pain on my medial joint line during flexion. My quad tendon also had a lot of discomfort during eccentric movements (walking down the stairs).

Did you run?

I was not yet running during my second week of rehab. I was walking much more smoothly, and beginning to increase the speed and distance I walked. Additionally, I did strengthening exercises including lunges, squats, leg press, etc.