Question - Lateral Release (recovery time)

by Mary
(Talladega, Alabama)

Yesterday i had a lateral release on my right knee. I have 3 incisions on the knee and i didn't get to discuss with the doctor how long i will be out of work or when i can actually put weight on the knee or walk without crutches. I have a mobilizer on my leg and it seems to feel better when i am up moving around on it than sitting with it elevated.

what do you recommend.

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Question - Lateral Release (recovery time)

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May 20, 2008
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Timelines are different for everyone
by: Bart - SII

Every surgeon has their own timelines for different surgeries - so, I can only give you estimates based on my own experiences with my patients.

Most of the time, after a lateral release, my patients are walking without crutches within 2 weeks after the surgery - I get them started on gait training just a few days after surgery. Sometimes they have a brace, other times they just have an elastic bandage with a pad on the outside of their knee.

Most of the time after a lateral release, moving the knee and using it some will make it feel better. And as long as it doesn't increase your pain and swelling, then being up on it some is usually ok. But, if it does increase your pain or swelling, you are probably doing too much.

Make sure you talk to your surgeon to be sure to follow his instructions - if you are unsure, give the office a call and ask all of your questions - thats what they are there for.

Hope this helps - comment back if you have other questions.

Feb 07, 2009
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REHAB FOR A LATERAL RELEASE
by: ROBIN

CAN YOU REHAB ON YOUR OWN WITH YOUR BOOK AFTER A LATERAL RELEASE. IT'S BEEN 12 WEEKS SINCE SURGERY AND STILL HAVE SOME SWELLING AND DISCOMFORT AND CANNOT RUN. I WAS GOING TO A PT (5X) AND DIDN'T SEEM TO BE IMPROVING MUCH FOR THE COST. I CAN WALK, BIKE,USE THE ELLIPTICAL AND LOCK MY KNEE OUT,BUT WANT TO GET BACK TO RUNNING. WAS ADVISED DISCOMFORT WAS COMING FROM SWELLING, WHAT CAN I DO AND IS THIS NORMAL TO TAKE THIS LONG?

Mar 25, 2009
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QUESTION
by: CHRISTINE

Hello i have patellofemoral degeneration in my right knee i have done theriphy 2 times and it is not helping would u recommend sergery for it i go see my doc. soon but i dont know what i want to do??

Jun 13, 2009
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lateral release recovery
by: margaret mcewan

i had lateral release surgory just over 12 weeks ago and had to have MUA just over 1 week ago and i am still really struggling. I cannot weight bear and i am experiencing alot more lateral maltracking since the MUA. I regret the surgery and believe that i could cope with my origional problem of patella subluxation better than i have coped with the after affects of surgery

Oct 14, 2009
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Riding horses after lateral release
by: Anonymous

I am having lateral release surgery tomorrow and I was wondering how long it would be before I can get back to rodeoing

Oct 22, 2009
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Lateral Release problem
by: Anonymous

I had a lateral release on July 24th 2009. I still cant walk without a bad limp. The pain is terrible! I am in physical therapy and it doesnt seem to help. I cant sleep and can barely walk. I just got off of crutches about 3 weeks ago. I wish I hadnt had it done! My doctor did not tell me that this could be the outcome. I dont recommend it. Is it ever going to be normal? I cant even walk up my stairs in my house normally. Any suggestions??

Nov 07, 2009
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Lateral Release
by: Kylie

I had a lateral Release October 15th 2009 and I am still on crutches and have the immobilizer on as the doctor recommended I still have quite a bit of swelling, pain and discomfort also have not been able to bend my knee since before the surgery without it hurting like hell. I go back to the doctors on November 13th so hopefully he will have something good to say. I am nervous that this surgery isn't going to help me at all.

Nov 08, 2009
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Ref Lateral Release
by: Robin

I had my lateral release 1 year ago this month and I'm just starting to be able to run. The most important thing is to rehab as soon as possible. My doctor did not push this and the PT I went to briefly did not push me enough. I'm now training with a trainer at the gym, to strengthen my leg, which I've noticed has helped greatly.

Nov 19, 2009
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Lateral Release
by: Anonymous

I had a lateral release on Nov. 3, 2009 and a little over two weeks later I am walking with just a cane when I go out and am permitted to walk around my house without using it. Still have some swelling and discomfort but not really pain. My doctor told me it would be another few weeks before I would be able to negotiate stairs normally and a couple months before it would be as strong as it was before. I had a 20 year history of patellar dislocation which was the reason for the surgery. Not far enough along yet to say that the surgery was a sucess or not but doctor seems confident it will.

Nov 19, 2009
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Lateral release
by: Anonymous

I had a lateral release June 2 2009 was in horrible pain for three days.I stared therapy twelve weeks later did twenty-five PT visits and feel good but still cant run.I really did all my exercise every day it was really hard. Felt good enough to go back to work three weeks ago. The first day back I was limping in four hours as I stand all day since Im in the building trades. Can make full eight hour days but after the ride home I can barely walk in the house. It hurts like hell but each week the pain is getting lesser. think I should of waited a month or two longer to go back to work. After a full day of rest it feels good again till I go to work so i would take my time going back to work if you stand all day

Dec 02, 2009
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Lateral Release Recovery
by: Kylie

I had surgery a little less than 2 months ago. Went to the doctor after having been put in an immobilizer for a month. He told me to bend it, I wasn't able to and he stated "If you dont ill bend it for you' this hurt like hell. I have been going to physical therapy 3 times a week i have a little bit better range of motion but i still dont have strength and also have a really hard time coming down stairs. Also having pain on my patella feels as if its pinching which was where I was before I had the surgery.

Dec 17, 2009
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Lateral Release Recovery
by: Anonymous

I had lateral release surgery 8 days ago. I was walking on crutches within a day, have been doing rehab type exercises at home. I have been up this AM, no cane, no crutches, cleaning the kitchen, feeling guilty for NOT being at work.

I have pain when trying to get Up from sitting, and trying to do the stairs like I normally would. I have no problem doing either of those things using my arms, banisters, etc for support. I have little to no real PAIN, so I am using swelling as my monitor. After about an hour being 'up", I sat down and iced my knee..I could literally FEEL the knee swelling. So, back on my butt again.

I cannot say this has been a bad experience at all. I look forward to being able to work out again. When they got in my knee, they found torn cartilage, a bone spur the size of the top part of my surgeon's thumb, and a cyst the size of a golf ball. I HAVE to feel better now that all that is out of my knee.

Jan 04, 2010
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About the same
by: Kelly

I had LR on Dec 14th & I'm going back to work tomorrow. I'm not able to run, but I can get around pretty good without help of the crutch or banister. Rehab is going OK, but I feel it's a waste of time/$ as I can do the same things at home. I still have swelling and pain but the Polar Care (glorified cooler) they gave me has been a life saver. The pain feels no different than before I had the surgery so I'm skeptical at this point on whether or not it was worth it. I'm going to stick to rehab and see what happens in a few more weeks.

Jan 24, 2010
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not a lost cause
by: Shelley

I went in for a chondroplasty in March of 2009 and they ended up doing a lateral release as well. I was on crutches for 4 weeks. I did PT 2x/week for 5 weeks, which seemed like a waste of time, but was actually quite crucial! I was able to start cycling again after 6 weeks from the surgery date and rode in the Tour de Cure 10 weeks after. I was also playing sand volleyball after about 12 weeks, but the jolting did bother me quite a bit. Still to this day I cannot run or play softball, but the physical therapist did tell me not to expect a full recovery for 1 year due to the internal bruising. I did work with a trainer for a month, which helped a lot! Long story short, if you want a quick, healthy recovery you MUST exercise it!

Jan 28, 2010
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recovery time
by: s.scolding

i had a lateral release nearly 4 months ago ,have only just started physio and ive been told i should have had this straight after op.i still cant run and since starting physio im now in way more pain ,i cant do my stairs and im seeing my specialist in may ,im now in so much pain its getting unberable ,i was told if this didnt work i would have to have another op ,to be honest i need a new knee but ive been told im to young ,would love to no how long i will be like this ,i have gone back to work ,but im taking loads of pain killers ,and im worried about that to any ideas sandy.

Feb 03, 2010
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Revovery
by: Anonymous

I had my surgery about 9 weeks ago. I was off crutches in 2 weeks, then used one crutch for another week. I was told no running or jumping for 3 months, but i am swimming now.

Feb 04, 2010
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Lateral Release= bad idea.
by: Anonymous

Hi. I have had my left knee dislocate 12 times and my right knee dislocate 3 times. I had a lateral release done 5 years ago and since then, have still had to wear a "j" brace to keep my knee from dislocating. Two days ago, my knee dislocated again.. IN the brace. Lateral releases are a bad idea and I was much better off before having it done. I am only 22, so I can't have a knee replacement. Is there any other option?!?!

Feb 07, 2010
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Just had lateral release - PAIN!
by: Jo

I had a lateral release on Friday (two days ago) and I already regret it. If I get up and walk, I almost fall over. I feel like I'm walking on a broken leg. My doctor did NOT give me crutches.

The vicodin they gave me is NOT doing a thing for me. Do you think if I call the doctors' office, they can call in a prescription for something stronger?

Feb 25, 2010
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Lateral Release recovery
by: Karen

I am a Specialist Nurse aged 45 (young at heart!) and had a lateral release on my right knee 5 weeks ago, due to a genetic condition/maltracking and severe pain following several injuries, which rendered me unable to drive or work for 3 months prior to the op. I walked out of hospital with crutches and climbed the stairs as advised by the physio the same evening, however, I was in agony. The swelling and tightness was extreme, and the bruising all the way down my calf/ankle was dreadful and has only just disappeared. I was late receiving physio, 2 weeks post-op but it has been marvellous, and I do my exercises every two hours and have used ice packs frequently, which have also considerably helped reduce the pain and swelling. I needed codeine and paracetamol for the first 7 days and gradually reduced this to paracetamol 6hrly. At last I feel I am returning to my usual activities(did a bit of gardening today), however, not ready to work yet, and still experience weakness and occassional leg collapse! The worst thing is being dependant on others for a while, and feeling like I walk like a duck! Now I'll have to psych myself up for surgery on the other knee, maybe next xmas!! I suppose being able to watch the Vancouver winter olympics without interruption has been a bonus!

Mar 05, 2010
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knee
by: blake

I had the lateral release in june of 09.I was back to work in november of 09 I'm 22 and I heald fast was doing more than most people were with recovery.its now march and I have no pain no sweling my knee feels great.I run everyday and I'm glad I had it done.its worth it if your knee just slips out all the time.

Mar 14, 2010
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DO I OR DONT I
by: Christine

I am about to have a LR due to maltracking, I play outdoor hockey, I am so confused I have read so many comments and only 2 are positive, so my question is to do it or not to do it. I need more positive I have no choice I have to have it done or become null and void in the fitness world, please more positive HELP

Mar 14, 2010
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My Dr. said no PT needed??
by: Anonymous51

I had chondromylasia surgery on 4/3/09 and ended up in way more pain than before. I had it done again on 3/1/10 along with lateral release. I am still in quite a bit of pain and swelling. My dr said I should do light stationary biking and don't have to do PT because they'll just "beat you up," so do you think PT would make a difference? Also, just how long will this recovery take? I know it's different for everyone, but I'd really like to know if and when I'll ever feel normal again. Also, what kind of exercises can I do at home on my own? Thanks for any advice you can give.