Anyone dealt with torn meniscus before?

While playing ultimate Monday night I did something to my knee. It hurts when I go up or down stairs, but is fine when I walk on flat ground, do lunges, and other things (really anything but go up and down). I went to the doc here at school and he said it's probably one of two things:

1) I bruised my patella. Not too bad of a situation, it should heal in a week or two.
2) My thigh bone has torn some meniscus in my knee. A good bit worse than the bruise, and probably requiring surgery.

If It is still hurting by the time I finish up the naproxen he gave me I'll be going back for an MRI. I've had a problem with this knee once before leading me to believe (and hope) that it is just a bruise on a weaker part of my knee from the previous problem.

Based on the idea of hoping for the best and planning for the worst, I ask this question. If anyone has dealt with this kind of thing before, what kind of down time would I have because of surgery and what kind of physical therapy would I have to go through? Anything else helpfull would be greatly appreciated as well.

This link might help, too.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=50496

I've had a meniscus surgery on each knee.

They can vary a lot, it depends on what they find when they get in there for the surgery. An MRI isn't usually accurate enough to tell if you'll need a repair or a trim (partial menisectomy).

If you have a partial menisectomy, you're looking at about 4-6 weeks and you'll be back to full activity. I walked out of the hospital feeling better than I did walking in, didn't need crutches or painkillers, and just did the rehab to get the muscles firing right after the associated swelling, etc. (rebuild strength, balance, etc.) No big deal at all.

With a repair, it varies depending on the size and location of the repair, but you're generally looking at 4-6 weeks of non-weight bearing (crutches), followed by a long rehab period because no matter how much PT you do, you're going to lose a lot of muscle not walking on it for so long. It's a pain in the ass. But it's better for you in the long run - losing part of your meniscus is just making arthritis onset earlier for you...

pat bruises can leave scars or dents that req. surgery i was told in that case follow 2.
2. meniscus surgery is a menisectomy but www.stoneclinic.com and austrialan knee clinic save you from that horror by regrowing it and putting it in or regrowing wholr meniscus also no 5 from drzippelius regrow some mensicus damage
http://liwa.funtigo.com
http://bfkm.funtigo.com
dr.s.franz@t-online.de

I have been scoped twice for torn meniscus. The first time my knee had locked up during a road race, and by the time I got the surgery, I had lost 30% of the muscle mass in that leg. It took 6 months to get back to where I was before, and never completely recovered. 10 years later, continuing troubles with that knee led to another surgery. I was able to ride my bike to work (then 16 mile round trip) within a week of the surgery.

I don't run on pavement, and have twinges occasionally, but 10 years after the second go-round I am still able to ride to work, referee soccer, play hockey (OK, I am not very good!) and tele ski without knee pain.

Good luck...