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Microfracture Knee Surgery Rehabilitation

Last updated on August 16, 2020 By Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT 8 Comments

Microfracture procedures are becoming more popular as a means of attempting to salvage a severely arthritic knee. The concept behind microfracturing is relatively simple: a surgeon uses a small needle to make tiny punctures in the surfaces of the femur, tibia, or patella (all of which make up the joint surfaces of the knee). This puncturing action causes the body to lay down a cushioned layer of scar tissue where normal joint cartilage used to lie. The end result is a “cartilage like” layer of scar tissue that provides some protection in the joint from the stresses of walking and other activities.

The rehabilitation protocol for microfracture surgery differs from that of many other types of knee surgery. Most orthopedic surgeons will recommend that the patient be “non weight bearing” for a significant amount of time following the surgery. Using crutches for up to a month or more may be necessary to allow the body to adequately rebuild scar tissue, especially when the tibia and femur joint surfaces are involved. If the patella is the only bone involved in the procedure, it is common to see patients who are allowed to bear weight immediately after surgery, given that the patella does not bear much weight when the knee is kept in a straightened position.

Here are a few important guidelines in managing recovery from a microfracture procedure to the knee:

1. A transition to full weight bearing should be gradual one. When you are given permission to begin placing weight through the knee, start by gently placing weight through the foot while using the crutches to take most of your body weight. Walk very slowly at first with the crutches and gradually (over the course of several days) build up the amount of weight that you allow the knee to take.

2. Do not forget to maintain strength in your hip, lower back, and ankle during the time that you are non-weight bearing. Although these muscles were not directly involved with the surgery, they become weak very quickly when they are not used during normal walking. There are many exercises that can be done that are “open kinetic chain,” meaning that no weight is placed directly through the leg.

3. Swelling is an inevitability following any knee surgery. Icing and elevation will help to lessen swelling during the early portion of rehabilitation. It is also extremely important to work on strengthening the VMO portion of the quadriceps (see picture), as this muscle plays a vital role in stabilizing the gliding of the patella. Quad sets (video below) and straight leg raises (video below) are great exercises that address VMO strength.

Knee Exercise: Quad Sets

Knee Exercise: Straight Leg Raise

Filed Under: Featured, Orthopedic Injury Tagged With: Knee



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About Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT

Dan is a licensed Physical Therapist in the District of Columbia, license #PT2916. He has a Masters of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Dan specializes in sports medicine & upper extremity rehabilitation. He is a Certified Hand Therapist, certified by the American Society of Hand Therapists (initial certification date 11/6/2004, certification #1041100023). Dan has extensive continuing education in manual therapy from the Michigan State University School of Osteopathic Medicine.
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Discussion

  1. www.prettymay.net says

    December 25, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    Yeah my bad, it can require you to utilize the 3CX as your PBX machine, I I will mentioned that.

    Reply
  2. Kim Fultz says

    September 8, 2017 at 5:31 pm

    I just had arthroscopic/ micro fracturing of right knee. This pain is in sane!!! I am a LPTA and I had torn my meniscus 7 months ago. This was just suppose to be a arthroscopic but instead he had to do micro fracturing. How long does this intense pain last. ?

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      September 9, 2017 at 10:18 am

      Well, the bone is traumatized with the micro-fracturing needle. My guess is that this will take 4-6 weeks to start to calm down. I would also avoid deep knee flexion in the early stages as this compresses the patella into the underlying tissue more so than when it is straight. Keep the doctor in the loop in terms of how you are feeling.

      Reply
    • Gt says

      November 4, 2017 at 3:04 am

      I had it too, it is awful painful. I hope it was worth it

      Reply
      • Darren Ezzo says

        May 12, 2018 at 9:22 am

        I’m a 52 year old runner and just had Micro fracture performed March 21st and had to miss the Boston marathon. I was on crutches for 5 weeks and the 25% weight bearing for 1 week and then 100% since. i love my Physical therapist and therapy!!! I’m doing all of my excercises and they are even adding on more along with extra resistance since I do ultras. My surgeon was fantastic and both of us are very happy with my progress at this point. Hopefully i will be running again by late July 2018 but strength training, cycling/Yeti are my priority. I still get some pain but I know its lessening as my strength training progresses. Hopefully I will be at the Boston marathon again in 2020 and will actually run it this time instead of watching with crutches.

        Reply
        • Rob says

          February 23, 2020 at 1:08 pm

          Hi. I just had the surgery too. How are you doing after a year?

          Reply
  3. Kim says

    December 19, 2020 at 12:35 am

    I had a microfracture done on the lateral femoral condyl. I have iced for 18/24 hours a day for the past 8 days and can not bend my knee to make a right angle (PROM). Is this normal? I also can not straighten my leg entirely, but close. Should I be worried about this? Should I engage is hours of PROM? Should I do nothing? Yes, this is POD 9. I am an athlete 5’6” 140lb F

    Reply
    • Dan Baumstark, MSPT, CHT says

      March 18, 2021 at 9:52 am

      For 9 days post-op I would say that this is fairly typical. Most people do not need to aggressively chase the knee bending early on due to inflammation. Once cleared by your PT I would get on the stationary bicycle and start pedaling, partial ranges to start if necessary. That usually does the trick over time.

      Reply

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