It looks like my left knee is going to be needing some restoration work in the near future. The verdict is still out on how extensive it's going to be. Hopefully it can be handled arthroscopicly. Either way, it looks like I'm going to be limited to driving the truck for a while.
Has anybody else here had clutch side knee surgery before? I'm curious as to how long it will be before I will be able to shift comfortably again.
I haven't gone as far as surgery, but I did months of physical therapy and some iontopheresis treatments as well. They didn't really fix things and I'm biding time until the knife is needed. Hopefully I'll get a decade before then.
I've known a lot of people with rebuilt knees, arthroscopic seems to have a REALLY high success rate and very quick recovery times since that usually means they're just cleaning things up in there - a couple weeks. More involved surgeries also have good results, just a longer recovery period depending on what was done.
Mrs Oldtin had a torn meniscus repair. Took it easy for a few days to heal at the incision and for swelling, but it' was pretty much good to go. ACL repair is more like a 12 week healing process.
I've had meniscus surgery on both knees... took a few days and a bit of pain @ first...
Paddle shifter? 
PDK and sell your 911 to me 
In reply to Slippery:
The 911 is staying but the Miata has to go.
Besides, there are already two others ahead of you for the Porsche!
Coworker has knee surgery. As soon as he could climb the stairs at work he has his ls powered 73 z28 converted to a 6 speed. Completed 3 months ago. Says no issues with knee or car and he is never going back.
Many of my patients are truck drivers, and report that they are back to work after an arthroscopy in 2-3 weeks. The arthroplasty patients can vary widely, and I find that their recovery time correlates largely with how well they do in PT and how many comorbidities they have.
I have had a torn meniscus repair. Actually it was not a repair but removal of parts of the meniscus. Also while in there they did a lot of cleanup of arthritis. This was an old injury that had given me problems for years until the knee actually locked up. Arthroscopic surgery on a Tuesday and started PT on a Thursday. Was on crutches for about a week and probably should have been a bit longer but too hard headed to listen. Heavy duty pain killers for the first couple days but stopped taking them because they made me so antsy and nervous. Really wasn't all that bad and because i worked out of our house really only missed a couple days. Orthopedic doctor said I'd be back within 5 years for knee replacement but its been 6 years and even though knee cracks and pops very loudly I really only have minor pain every now and then. If you need it don't put it off it only gets worse with time.
Should have mentioned I was 62 at time of surgery so you young bucks will probably heal a bit faster.
I had full ACL replacement (cadaver) and stitching of meniscus and it took 4 weeks from the time of surgery to drive a stick shift again. It hurt like hell for the first few weeks. however, I will say my surgery was on the power foot.
Basically I switched use of the brake from the right foot to the left foot.
As far as any advice, do the physical therapy as soon after the surgery as possible.
I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee in 1976. Cleaned things up and I was off crutches within a week. Still get some twinges, but hanging in there after all these years.
5 time Acl, 3 with mcl. 2 if which were the left knee, I was driving a manual within 3 weeks the last 2 times.
As others have mentioned, how soon you start PT after the surgery, and how well you commit to your therapy, will determine how quickly things go. It's pretty amazing how quickly muscle atrophy can set-in.
I had to wait a month after blowing my knee out, before I had surgery. That wait set my recovery back quite a bit.
PTs are evil sadistic people but I broke my right ankle in two places, spent five weeks in the hospital and started pt as soon as the cast came off. I was back to work three weeks after that and for the last 10 years have had almost no trouble.
Wally wrote: PTs are evil sadistic people
I know this to be true, as I dated a physical therapist on and off for a couple of years. My recovery was less than complete.
I've been toughing out my torn meniscus in both knees for about three years now. Some days are better than others. One day I will have no choice but to get them worked on. Hopefully your recovery is quick.
Look at it this way: there are probably lots of cars you've wanted to buy, if only they weren't automatics.
Now you have an excuse to buy them.
Too many variables to predict. That will depend on the extent of surgery, prior knee condition, pain tolerance, etc... I've had both knees operated on, as well as my right hip. Each time was a bit different, ranging from 24 hours to about a week before I drove an automatic. Stick shift was a bit longer but not months.
ssswitch wrote: Look at it this way: there are probably lots of cars you've wanted to buy, if only they weren't automatics. Now you have an excuse to buy them.
That actually comes into play here. I've decided to sell the Miata, but I have to hold off on buying a replacement until I understand what the knee situation will be.
I had arthroscopic surgery on my clutch side knee. My knee would start locking up randomly, then more often. Torn meniscus, floating cartilage, scrape and polish the joint. I thought I just needed a ten cent tune up but they said it was worse than they thought, I'll need a partial or complete replacement in the future.
Was off work 9 weeks, actually could have used another two weeks but I felt comfortable when I could walk a total of two miles/ day. Prolly started driving (auto) after three. Follow PT religiously, mine was great. I followed up at home and work.
It still reminded me every day though, it took months and months to get back to 100% where I don't even notice it anymore. I was concerned I'd have to give up the third pedal even then but a year later I bought my 5-speed S197.
I lost 40 lbs. since then and that makes a huge difference on my feet, knees and hips.
Linky:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/kneed-advice/57112/page1/
Good luck.
Here's hoping it's not a handicap and will be a quick recovery and non-issue. But for a fun thought exercise, how would one engineer a clutch solution for someone hellbent on keeping the third pedal? Tweak the clutch master bore, add a vacuum booster? If you're selecting a car around it, get something with a big flat torque curve, so you don't have to shift a lot.
I've had 2 arthroscopic surgeries (last in 88) and I am coming up on needing a knee replacement in the next few years. I still have 3 manual trans vehicles. Hydraulic clutches are the easiest for me to use, less effort than a mechanical linkage. My Dually is still a mechanical linkage and I can drive it with little problem. Traffic is when it starts to bother my knee, especially when towing. This is one reason I got the Suburban.
Personally, my knee feels better when I drive a stick, it actually gives me more issues if I drive an automatic too much. Keep active and your knee will do better.
Talk to Liam Dwyer. He lost his left leg in an IED explosion in Afghanistan and has 2 co-driving wins in the Continental Tire Series. You can find him on FaceBook. He's also a Southbury boy. If you want his email address, pm me.
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