two girls happy at the gym

Week 6 Rehab After My Second Meniscectomy

by Rashida Bealin Meniscectomy Surgery, monthly updateson Posted on

I continued along my recovery journey during week 6 of rehab after my second partial meniscectomy.

But before learning more about this week, I suggest reviewing my progress up to this point:

Keep reading to learn all about my sixth week of recovery after my second partial meniscectomy.

How I Felt During Week 6 of Meniscectomy Rehab

This week I felt pretty good. The common theme throughout my recovery is that the better I felt/did physically, the better I felt mentally. As I was continuing to make significant strides, I felt good overall.

However, I was very aware of my knee and leg. I knew I still had quite a ways to go. Most of the time, I was not too discouraged by this. I was more motivated to stay focused. But like anything, it of course got tough sometimes.

How My Knee Felt

My knee felt a lot better than before. I made a pretty big jump between week 5 and week 6. I was mostly pain-free during activities. However, I still had to manage my knee overall with my Compex, heat, massage, etc.

One of the biggest issues I had was the quad of my operated leg. It was very fatiguing very quickly (since it really was not strong enough). I struggled with this throughout the week as I did more activities.

Major Events

During week 6, I began team trainings. I did my first full team training. I did not feel 100%, but I was able to complete it.

I noticed the biggest issues during cutting and explosive movements. The best way to describe it is that I just did not feel agile or as explosive. I also felt a little timid about contact/duels.

Here are some major events from the week:

  • Full team trainings.
  • Much less pain overall.
  • Single-leg plyometrics.

6 Week Post-Op Meniscectomy Exercises

This week, I completed team practices as well as individual work at the gym. I started adding in more SL plyometrics, jumps, and landing mechanics. Additionally, I continued my strength work, especially for my quad. In general, I did a lot of exercises similar to my 7 to 9-month ACL recovery exercises video.

Some examples include:

  • SL assisted pistol squat
  • SL leg extension
  • Side lunges
  • SL jump/land
  • Bosu ball squats
  • SL RDL on Bosu ball
  • Explosive step ups

Meniscectomy Rehab Frequently Asked Questions- 6 Week Post Op

Did you have pain?

I still had some pain, but it was much less. I did not really feel pain during running anymore. I had pain when attempting full active flexion (raising my knee up to my chest while standing). I still felt significant weakness/pain in my quad tendon when attempting explosive movements.

Could you sprint?

Yes, by this time I could sprint. Changing direction quickly was still challenging. Overall I did not feel at 100% speed.

Could you play soccer?

Technically, I began playing soccer in team practices during this week. However, I did not quite feel ready for 100% involvement. I would have preferred to do only the non-contact portions since I was still struggling with explosive movements and did not feel as strong.