Jonathan Cluett, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help stave off infection. To diagnose your calf pain, a healthcare provider will likely perform a physical exam and ask you about your medical history. Some people also hear a "pop" when the injury happens. You are sick to your stomach or cannot keep fluids down. You may feel a sudden, snapping pain in the back of your leg when the injury occurs. A meniscectomy is an outpatient, elective surgery to remove the torn meniscus in your knee. When the meniscectomy or meniscus repair is complete, the surgeon closes the portals with stitches or surgical strips. The time of After my really torn meniscus surgery, I have been going to pt and i'm in a bledsoe brace bending to 120 degrees. Swelling, bruising, and sharp pain may worsen until it is too difficult to run at all. Takeaway. Knee septic arthritis after arthroscopy: incidence, risk factors, functional outcome, and infection eradication rate. It may be directly related to your calf musclesincluding the inner gastrocnemius and outer soleus musclesor the tendons, bones, nerves, and blood vessels that support and service the calf. WebIs Calf pain after meniscus surgery your major concern? Your healthcare provider may recommend additional treatments depending on the cause of your calf pain, including: If your healthcare provider determines your calf muscle pain is the result of claudication, treatments may include: Most people dont need surgery for calf muscle pain. HISTORY The patient is a 52-yeardd state police officer who was referred to physical therapy 2 months after ar- throscopic debridement of his left knee with knee pain. In fact, meniscus tears can be a normal occurrence as a part of the aging process. Some people may also experience cramping. There are some lifestyle habits you can adopt to prevent many causes of calf pain, especially muscle-related ones. HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. So lets get to it. It also stabilizes your posture as you walk or run, preventing you from falling forward. My second knee surgery, other knee same issue, but the calf issue still plagues me nearly a year later. One risk factor for developing a blood clot is prolonged immobilization of the leg. Patellofemoral pain and what to do about it. A calf muscle contusion, otherwise known as a bruise, happens when blood vessels under the skin are torn or ruptured. Read our, Meniscus Tears: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment, Torn or Frayed Meniscus Healing and Treatment, 5 Reasons Your Knee Still Hurts After Arthroscopy, What to Expect From a Meniscus Transplant, What to Know About Big Toe Bone Spur Surgery (Cheilectomy), Water on the Knee (Effusion) Causes and Treatments, Meniscus Repair Surgery for Torn Knee Cartilage, Eyelid Surgery: Everything You Need to Know, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, Save the meniscus, A good strategy to preserve the knee, Nonsurgical treatments for meniscus tears, Management of stiffness following total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review, Knee septic arthritis after arthroscopy: incidence, risk factors, functional outcome, and infection eradication rate, Thromboembolism prophylaxis in orthopaedics: an update, The risk of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis after arthroscopic meniscus repair vs partial meniscectomy vs the general population, Increased risk for knee replacement surgery after arthroscopic surgery for degenerative meniscal tears: a multi-center longitudinal observational study using data from the osteoarthritis initiative. They may also check your reflexes and feel for your pulse in your leg, ankle, and foot. Without surgery, recovery will take about 6 to 8 weeks, though this can vary. A meniscectomy is not recommended if at-home treatment can adequately reduce your symptoms or if your torn meniscus can be repaired via meniscus repair surgery. And in many cases, they are sufficient. It is located on the back side of your leg and connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. The meniscus can tear from either trauma or injury or from degeneration. Doctors typically provide answers within 24 hours. Swelling in your calf or anywhere in your lower leg. WebOther reasons for knee pain after meniscus surgery is the fact that there is a retained piece or maybe the tear was fixed and the sutures have not held and the repair failed. J. It's important to stretch regularly and use proper stretching techniques to prevent further injuries. Some signs that you should see a healthcare provider include: Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the problem, and some conditions that cause calf pain can easily be confused with others. Ghani H, Maffulli N, Khanduja V. Management of stiffness following total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review. Knee arthroscopy. Complexe tears usually require surgery to trim the damaged part of one meniscus. Most of the pain was from the calf unless I turned the wrong way and then I'dfeel a very sharp pain in the knee. If the infection is around the incision, antibiotics will usually cure the infection. Bring or wear loose shorts or pants that will be easy to fit over your bandage and dressing after surgery. Injury to nerves and blood vessels near the knee. Physical therapists use different techniques to help you increase strength, regain mobility, and return to your pre-injury level of activity. Dtsch Arztebl Int. WebPost-operative considerations If you develop a fever, intense calf pain, excessive drainage from the incision, uncontrolled pain or any other symptoms you have concerns about you I did use them when I felt very uncomfortable. Dont walk or strain the muscle. For most people, the stiffness resolves with appropriate therapeutic intervention following surgery. 2021 May 19;10(10):2189. doi:10.3390/jcm10102189. Two weeks before your surgery, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking medications that can increase the risk of bleeding. People with cardiovascular disease, obesity, and other conditions are predisposed to developing these clots. Pain This type of injury often occurs after a person falls, bumps into something, or is struck on the calf. If you break down what most healthcare provision professionals tell their patients, it could be an orthopedic surgeon, or even a physical therapist, its telling somebody whos just had a meniscus surgery, theyll say, well, 80% of healing is done in the first two to three months. When the infection is deeper within the knee joint, additional surgical proceduresto clean out the infection may become necessary. It can feel a little different for everyone. The team then fills the knee joint with a sterile fluid. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. Been icing but isn't getting better. They will likely perform other special tests if they suspect a certain diagnosis. An arthroscope is a thin tube with a small light and video camera at the end. Your nurse will do a physical exam and check your vitals. Get answers from Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons and top U.S. doctors, Our doctors evaluate, diagnose, prescribe, order lab tests, and recommend follow-up care. Lots of drainage (blood or fluid) on the dressing. The condition may be congenital (present at birth) or develop over time. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a type of cardiovascular disease usually caused by the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries of the upper and lower extremities. Surg., May/June 2002; 10: 177-187. doi:10.5435/00124635-200205000-00004. Conforti M. The treatment of muscle hematomas. WebWill I have pain after meniscus surgery? Page not found Instagram El Paso, Texas 79903. Occasionally, contusions can occasionally lead to ahematoma (a pool of blood under the skin) that may take longer to heal or require surgical drainage. 2020;8(1):1-4. doi:10.22038/abjs.2019.45438.2242. With general anesthesia, youll receive medication to put you to sleep through an intravenous (IV) line in your arm or through a breathing mask. while avoiding unnecessary surgery, injections, and medications. A nerve conduction study should be done. The risk of injury increases as you get older, when bones and tissues around the knee begin to wear down. This is often referred to as a pinched nerve and can happen due to overuse or sudden trauma. Calf muscle pain is usually the result of a mild injury, such as a strain, or leg cramps. Soleus muscle strain is a common overuse injury in endurance running. A sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body, is found in both the right and left legs. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/17/2021. A complete bone break can cause your leg to look deformed. Clinical evaluation of bleeding and bruising in primary care. Circ Res. But sometimes pain in your calf is a sign of a more serious condition, such as problems with the blood vessels in your leg. You may be asked to sign consent forms before the surgery. WebTo manage the moderate to severe pain after surgery, NSAIDs are often used in combination with opioids. Surgery is rarely needed to treat calf pain, but it may be necessary for more severe injuries, such as a torn Achilles tendon or a blocked popliteal artery that won't heal on its own. A more recent study by Lohmander et al. If a tear happens in this location, the meniscus may not have the ability to heal because of the lack of nutrients from the blood. An ultrasound (sonogram) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to evaluate calf tendon injuries and tears. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate.
