Knee Arthroscopy - Patient information

An arthroscopy is a procedure in which a small telescope is inserted into the knee in order to inspect the inside of the joint, and in some cases, to perform small operations.You will see a physiotherapist before your operation who will teach you the exercises below and advise you how to walk correctly with crutches.

You may start exercise number 1 as soon as you are awake, this will help to ‘wake up’ your thigh muscles. It is advisable to have something to eat and drink before attempting to get out of bed and walk, as you may feel a little light headed on first time getting up. It is also advisable that you have a member of staff present the first time you try to get up. You may put as much weight through your operated leg and walk as normally as possible.

Following your surgery it is advisable that you limit walking to around 5-10 minutes at a time for the first 24 hours. You must, however, commence the exercises taught to you by your physiotherapist within the first 24 hours. It is normal for your knee to be swollen after your operation and may remain swollen for 3-4 weeks. If the swelling does not appear to be improving and/or your knee feels hot to touch, and/or your knee is obviously red compared to your other knee after 3-4 weeks, you should contact your GP, the ward or your local A&E department for someone to examine you. You should be able to control the swelling in your knee by resting the knee in an elevated position and applying an icepack for 20 minutes at a time. (See advice re: ice below).

Ice can be applied by wrapping ice cubes or a bag of frozen peas in a tea towel and applying to the area for a maximum of 20 minutes. You must never apply ice directly onto the skin, or you risk giving yourself an ice burn.

Unless otherwise instructed you should take full weight on your operated leg and walk as normally as possible. The physiotherapist who saw you before your operation will have issued you with a pair of crutches to help you walk. If so, gradually stop using them once your knee becomes more comfortable (approximately 2-3 days). Some people find that they can manage to walk immediately after surgery without using crutches. This does not apply if you have been instructed to use crutches for a set period of time. It would be appreciated if you could return your crutches to the physiotherapy department when you come back for your clinic appointment.

During the first few days stair climbing may be difficult. If so, go up one at a time using the following sequence.

• To go up - lead with the NON-OPERATED leg

• To go down - lead with the OPERATED leg

If using crutches

• To go up - NON-OPERATED leg, OPERATED leg, CRUTCHES

• To go down - CRUTCHES, OPERATED leg, NON-OPERATED leg.

If your work involves sitting for the majority of the day, you may return to work after 3 days. However, if your job is physically demanding and involves heavy manual work or standing for long periods of time, then 1 – 2 weeks off work may be necessary.

For your own safety and that of others, DO NOT drive until your knee bends fully and is pain free. It is important that you are able to perform an emergency stop adequately. It is advisable to contact your insurance company to check that you are covered initially after your operation.

The nursing staff on the ward will advise about the dressings on your knee. If the bandages were not removed before you left the ward, you should remove them 24 – 48 hours after your operation. Underneath the bandage there will be small plasters covering the 2 or 3 arthroscopy wounds that should be left in place. If you are being seen in clinic in 2 weeks or less, your wound will be checked then and either the stitches or steristrips removed. If you are not being seen until a later date, you will be instructed as to what to do by the ward staff. Until then:

• Keep the wound dry and clean. It is important to do this to prevent infection and allow the wound to heal. If the dressing becomes dirty, remove it carefully and replace it with a new plaster.
• You may see some bleeding coming through the dressing in the early stages. This is not uncommon. However, if this continues or looks excessive, press firmly over the wound site for a few minutes. The bleeding should stop. If in doubt, contact the ward, GP or local A&E department for advice.
• The wound site may be painful after the local anaesthetic has worn off. Follow the advice given to you by the nursing/ medical staff to ensure adequate pain relief to allow you to exercise and mobilise comfortably.

Main hospital Switchboard

0208 954 2300 and ask for the appropriate ward

Physiotherapy department

0208 909 5820 / 5519