A 47-year-old member asked:

When can i hike after knee surgery? i need to go for arthroscopic knee surgery for meniscus repair. i'm planning a vacation in three months to do some moderate hiking. am i being too optimistic about the recovery period?

2 doctor answers2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Geoffrey Rutledge
Internal Medicine 39 years experience
That : That is probably a bit on the optimistic side. This would be something to discuss with the surgeon of course. A meniscal repair as opposed to a debridement would require a much longer period of rest because you want to give the repair a chance to work before you go back to putting your knee to work. If the meniscus is debrided back to a stable border (and not repaired) then there is nothing that would keep you from getting back on the trails even before 3 months.
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Dr. Marc Dehart
Orthopedic Surgery 35 years experience
Hiking afterscope: Most people are functioning well by 3 months after arthroscopy for a meniscus tear. For ligament injuries it is a different story!
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Aug 11, 2017

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