Healing time depends on the size of the tear and where the tear is located. Can be painful before surgery because a tear can create a flap or fold so the meniscus doesn’t lay flat. Recovery post surgery depends on how much is cut. It varies for every tear unlike an ACL which is the same operation for everyone except for what us used for the new ACL.This past winter I played quite a bit of indoor tennis, both clay and hard court, and in the middle of the season I stretched for a ball and tweeked something in my knee. I was able to continue playing thru the season but my knee got progressively more sore as I played. Had an MRI done and it shows that I've got an acute torn medial meniscus. Surgeon says it's straightforward to remove the tear (unlikely able to be repaired) and that it would be a few weeks of recovery given the atrophied state of my right knee. Has anyone had arthroscopic knee surgery to remove cartilage and were you able to get back to an active lifestyle. I'm 55 and am in the gym at least 5 days a week and getting on the treadmill most of those days. I'd like to get back to at least doing some of that.
I’ve had both knees with torn meniscus. They can continue to tear if not fixed.
the surgeon will cut the tear and should rotor around the meniscus to create a thicker edge so additional tears are harder to happen. He’ll also scope the knee and scrape out any arthritis while he’s in there.
recovery time is different for each procedure.