Sorry to hear that Greg, I’m sure you just want it done at this stage. At least you can focus on your event. I’m sure that the additional fitness will pay dividends in terms of recovery time at least.
Maybe once your event is over look to doing some strength/weight training to build up muscle around the joint to protect it, and help with recovery as well. Assuming it doesn’t act to aggravate it, of course. Best to take a conservative approach, but I’ve found it does help.
Thanks again, you guys.
@AustinPT - thanks for the link, that looks like a serious piece of kit! I will look at whether its worth getting one after I speak to the team on 20th July. If the delay is only a few weeks, I can cope. If I’m looking at the new year, it may be different!
@KiloCal - I didn’t want to do anything new before the race happens, but following that I had been thinking about building in some strength training over the winter anyway. It makes absolute sense to think about some specific work around the knee to help. Single leg squats on a wobble board, maybe?!
Again, once I know a little more after 20th July, I can see how long I might be waiting and hence what kind of programme might be suitable.
I cannot really advise you, I am not a doctor. But I can tell you my own experience which should be encouraging.I have had several knee surgeries. The most recent was 2 years ago. It was a partial knee replacement (unicompartmental surgery) performed by one of the best knee surgeons in the world (I believe). Your op will have a quicker recovery time. I was back to walking ,straight away, and only riding the trainer after swelling improved a bit and had enough flexion in the knee.
The most important thing is to keep your leg elevated and cool any time you are not doing your excersises. The swelling is the worst enemy, and you must do everything you can to help reduce it.
book up some physio . The surgeon will advise you how soon to start it.
I was on my trainer 6 weeks after surgery, and was back riding events 4 months later, and running 6 months later. I am 64, so my recovery is likely to be slightly longer because of my age.
Good luck, with your recovery!
I don’t know if I’d go straight into single leg on a wobble board unless you’ve got a good background of strength training. I’d be inclined to start with two-legged squats and single leg/full deadlifts before progressing to single leg squats.
Obviously dependent on your experience - I find the one leg squats hard on the knees and have to build up to them.
That said I don’t have a huge background in weightlifting, I started about 5 years ago following another injury and usually just adapt a programme that was developed by a physio for me. I know what works for me, but don’t really have the background to give you sound advice.
It might be worth posting on the forum below. There are plenty of members with piles of experience that might chip in.
Interested to know who your surgeon was. I may be headed that route
another consideration to get you through if it will be a longer wait is to discuss Synvisc or Gelsyn or any of the lubricant injections that will improve viscosity of your synovial fluid in the joint and (temporarily) help w/ pain
It Was Professor David Barrett.
He works mainly at Southampton General, but I had the op done at the Spire private hospital, as op not available on NHS.
Hope this helps
thanks!
All
Quick update from me. After a number of false starts, I finally had the surgery today, and although I have only just returned home , initial signs are good; I can bend it, I can walk and stand on the “bad” leg/knee, and I can do gentle single leg bends.
Advice from the surgeon and physio was based on my case being very “standard”, but I can get back to walking and gentle riding (on the turbo trainer) whenever I feel ready.
Its early days, but I am feeling pretty positive. Training has been going really well over winter, and I now have some time trials coming up; I was hoping that I wouldn’t have an extended period off the bike and lose fitness. I am now 99% sure that’s not going to happen.
For anyone else going this route, clearly each case is different but it needn’t be a season-ending thing.
Great to hear & glad you were able to get the surgery. I’m also glad I found this thread! I’m 48 & had arthroscopy on my left knee that had a torn meniscus & moderate chondromalatia. I’d been off the bike for roughly 2 months prior to surgery. I was pedaling again 3 days post op but only a little bit at a time. I finally started training again at the end of February & I’m drawing toward the end of SSB2. I lost a ton of fitness, pretty much back to zero & I gained 20lbs. My knee has been on & off but it is definitely trending positively. I’d say I’m about 60% back to normal. Ftp still way down but I’m beginning to feel able to push a bit. I figure I’ll be back close to 100% at the end of the summer. If progress continues unhindered, I’m planning to race Shenandoah Mtn 100 in early September.
Good luck in your recovery. Icing your knee & patience will be your amongst your best allies!