Will I be able to walk immediately after meniscal surgery?

Written by: Mr Muhammad Adeel Akhtar
Published:
Edited by: Conor Lynch

Meniscal surgery is the topic under the medical spotlight today in our of our latest articles here. Below, highly experienced and qualified consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, Mr Muhammad Adeel Akhtar, details what exactly meniscal surgery entails, before revealing how long it typically takes to recover from it.

What is meniscal surgery?

One's meniscus can either be repaired or resected. Meniscal surgery is performed when an individual tears or ruptures their meniscus.

 

Is it a major operation?

Not really. On average, it takes around 30 minutes to do. An operation for a complex tear can take a bit longer.

 

What is involved?

It depends on which part of the meniscus is damaged. If the meniscus can be repaired, by all accounts, it should be repaired because it is a cushion, so if the cushion is gone, there is nothing for the bones to rest on. If it cannot be repaired, then it should be minimally resected.

 

How long does it take to recover?

It depends on the general health of the patient. If it is a meniscal tear, which cannot be repaired, then recovery time is very quick, as only a resection is required. Patients often report of giving way or buckling in the knee, which will get better after a couple of weeks. Severe knee pain is also often reported, which will subside quickly.

 

Can you walk immediately after the procedure?

Absolutely. There are generally no restrictions. Patients are given a special supportive brace to protect the knee by avoiding too much bending.

 

If you are set to undergo meniscal surgery in the near future, be sure to schedule in an appointment with Mr Muhammad Adeel Akhtar by visiting his Top Doctors profile today

By Mr Muhammad Adeel Akhtar
Orthopaedic surgery

Mr Muhammad Adeel Akhtar is a leading Edinburgh-based consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon. Mr Akhtar is highly experienced in a wide range of orthopaedic procedures, such as knee replacement surgery, knee meniscal tear surgery, knee arthritis treatmentsports injuries management, hip arthritis treatment and hip replacement surgery.
 
Mr Akhtar has shown his dedication to lifelong education throughout his career, continuously training and improving his skills. He first received his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the University of the Punjab in Pakistan, before going on to complete extensive training in the UK. He received his MRCSEd from the Royal College of Surgeons in 2006, and an MD from the University of Edinburgh in 2015. He completed his basic surgical training in Yorkshire and his specialty training in trauma and orthopaedics at the Northern Deanery. Mr Akhtar has also completed several prestigious fellowships, for example, his fellowship on “Lower Limb Arthroscopy, Arthroplasty and Osseointegration” in Sydney. He has been trained in biological therapies from the Academy of Regenerative Medicine, and has received a postgraduate diploma in Computer Assisted Orthopaedic Surgery from the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Glasgow.
 
Currently, Mr Akhtar practices at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh, and Kings Park Hospital in Stirling. He is also a consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon for the NHS. At his practice, Mr Akhtar treats all types of knee and hip injuries and conditions, with a focus on knee and hip replacement surgery. He also specialises in sports medicine, having successfully completed the Diploma in Sports and Exercise Medicine from the Royal College of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and is a member of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine UK
 
In addition to his clinical work, Mr Akhtar is a dedicated medical educator. He is an honorary senior lecturer at the School of Medicine of the University of St Andrews, University of Edinburgh and a tutor at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He has also extensively published in medical literature, in different peer-reviewed scientific journals and is currently undertaking a prestigious research fellowship funded by the Chief Scientist Office Scotland on the role of digital health in managing patients with end stage lower limb arthritis.  

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