I underwent medial meniscus surgery on October 21st in Lovran. The doctor said he only cleaned the part that was torn, that the cartilage is healthy, and overall, the knee is okay (I had a follow-up appointment after one month). However, I still have pain in my knee when walking, and it remains problematic after standing for a longer period.

A week after the procedure, I returned to my office job and resumed normal household chores, but I still wear a brace and experience pain. Could you please give me some advice? Are swelling and pain still normal?

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed through two (sometimes more) small incisions using specialized instruments. Typically, if the procedure involved only “cleaning” the damaged part of the meniscus, the recovery is quick, and within 3-6 weeks, the knee returns to full function without additional therapy. Sometimes, this return needs assistance or encouragement.

Regardless of how small the incisions for the surgery are, and regardless of how minor the procedure performed, surgery is traumatic for the knee. It is similar to a direct impact on the joint. From evolution standpoint, our body’s defense mechanisms do not differentiate between surgery and other trauma, behaving the same in both cases. Thus, any pain around the joint directly weakens the speed of muscle contraction and their strength, as the body attempts to reduce potential additional damage by reducing muscle activation. As a result, micro-instabilities occur in the knee, irritating the tissues damaged or irritated by the surgery, intensifying the pain, further weakening the muscles, and perpetuating the cycle. When this happens, as is likely in this case, appropriate physiotherapy is advisable.

In addition to the usual array of soothing physical procedures, the most important thing is to activate the muscles around the knee in a pain-free zone and stimulate proprioception (the speed of their activation). This reduces micro-instabilities and irritation of soft tissues, gradually allowing the complex knee system to return to optimal function.