Amy’s Knee Meniscectomy Patient Story
What an ADVENTURE it has been! Amy is a resident of Colonial Beach, VA who has participated in extensive physical therapy for her knee during these past 3 years. She was struggling with chronic and progressive knee dysfunction since a skiing accident in the 90s.
Amy first came to us for physical therapy in Fall/Winter 2021 with good outcomes, but was later recommended for surgery due to the persisting recurrence of her symptoms. Amy underwent a medial and lateral meniscectomy, chondroplasty of medial and lateral compartments, and major synovectomy in May 2022. She returned to physical therapy 6 weeks after this arthroscopic surgery – she had just finished using crutches! Despite her hard efforts and consistent participation in her treatment sessions, Amy wrestled with persisting knee pain and swelling, and was on a slower recovery road. At the end of Summer 2022, she took a month break from physical therapy due to new clinic construction. She was very frustrated that she still had not regained full knee function.
In September 2022, Amy resumed physical therapy treatment and embraced the encouragement to not give up. Treatment focused on reducing pain and regaining quadriceps strength. With help from a cortisone injection and manual therapy, she started to feel less painfully stiff. Her program steadily progressed from isolated knee/hip strengthening to dynamic stability training, and then to agility/loading drills and fitness tasks. Eventually, her exercises were formatted in a circuit style to replicate the gym setting and challenge her endurance (and dance moves)! With her final visit in February 2023, Amy is now pain-free, and regularly swimming and walking again.
Amy, what a tremendous journey!!! We are incredibly proud of you! We wish you the very best this year!
