Four months ago I had arthroscopic surgery on my right knee to repair a torn meniscus.  Prior to the operation, I had been unable to walk for more than a hundred yards or so before the discomfort in my knee became a hindrance.  A pre-operative stationary bicycle workout program, prescribed by my doctor, did improve the strength of my knee but did not eliminate the pain.  I therefore went ahead with the surgery.

Within a week after the surgery I began a rehabilitation exercise program, also prescribed by my doctor.  This program consisted of workouts on the stationary bicycle followed by stretching exercises.  I adhered to my doctor’s instructions as closely as I could, exercising an average of four times a week.  Starting from a “range-of-motion-only” level, I built up to 30 minute/400 calorie workouts over the course of about two months.  Understandably, some days were better than others but in general my knee improved steadily over this period.  Over the next two months I gradually increased the intensity level to roughly 420 calories, exercising at least three times a week.  Today, I am pleased to say that I now walk without any pain in my knee.  Recently, I took several 5+ mile long hikes over fairly rough terrain and still experienced no significant problems or discomfort.

In summary, what I’m very happy to attest to is that the combination of surgery with a well-planned (and vigorous!) exercise program has returned my knee to essentially full and pain-free usage.  I’m looking forward to my next hike.