The Rehab Guide From a Physio: My Knee Surgery Recovery Journey

I’m Nic Foster, a physio who became a patient, again. After my third knee surgery (meniscus root repair + LET), I share the no-fluff plan that worked: protect early, re-activate quads, rebuild strength, manage setbacks. Read my story and get the free recovery guide + videos.

Introduction

As a physiotherapist, I’ve spent countless hours helping people navigate their recoveries after knee surgery. I’ve guided patients through the small but important steps of early rehab, reassured them when progress felt slow, and celebrated with them when they reached milestones like walking unaided or running again.

But earlier this year, the roles reversed. Following an AFL injury, I underwent my third knee surgery in five years, this time a meniscus root repair and LET procedure. Suddenly, I was the one on crutches, icing three times a day, and waking up at 3 am, wondering if my knee would ever feel “normal” again.

That’s when I decided to create the Recovery After Knee Surgery Guide, not just as a physiotherapist, but as someone who’s living the process firsthand. The guide doesn’t replace medical advice, but it does offer an honest roadmap of what to expect, from the first wobbly steps after surgery to the long journey back to sport and life. 

Fill the form to download the guide. Plus, get Nic’s free video series on pre/post-op precautions, recovery tips, and knee exercises.

Who can use this guide?

The short answer is: anyone. This guide is designed to give you an honest look at what to expect and how to prepare for recovery after common knee surgeries I see in clinic, including:

• Meniscus repair / Meniscectomy

• Cartilage repair (microfracture, chondroplasty)

• Arthroscopic debridement

• ACL / PCL / MCL / LCL repair

• MPFL reconstruction

• High tibial osteotomy (HTO)

• Partial or total knee replacement (PKR / TKR)

 Why does this guide matter to me (and hopefully, to you too)?

What makes this guide different is the mix of clinical expertise and lived experience. I know what it feels like to:

• Worry about whether you’re bending too far or doing too little.
  
  
• Get frustrated when swelling lingers longer than you expected.
  
  
• Miss the independence of simple things like carrying your own coffee.
  
  
• Wonder if you’ll ever get back to the activities you love.
  
  

And at the same time, I know the strategies that make recovery smoother: respecting weight-bearing, restoring extension early, activating quads, and gradually layering strength and function.

This dual perspective has taught me that recovery isn’t just physical. It’s mental, emotional, and often humbling.

The role of Physiotherapy in my own rehab

Even as a physio, I’ve leaned heavily on my colleagues. In the early days, I needed reassurance that I wasn’t “messing things up” by moving or resting the wrong way. Having another physio assess my gait, guide my exercises, and keep me accountable was invaluable.

Some of the things my physio focused on with me included:

• Extension first: gentle heel props and prone hangs to make sure my knee could straighten fully.
  
  
• Swelling management: using compression, elevation, and pacing my activity.
  
  
• Quad reactivation: endless quad sets and straight-leg raises until the “lag” disappeared.
  
  
• Safe progression: knowing when I could drop down from two crutches to one, then to none.
  
  

Even though I knew the theory, having another set of eyes and hands guiding me made all the difference.

How Exercise Physiology helped me move beyond basics?

Once I was past the early protective phase, my exercise physiology (EP) team became central to my rehab. They helped me transition from simple mobility and activation into real strength, conditioning, and eventually sport-specific work.

For me, this looked like:

• Gym programming: structured strength work for my quads, hamstrings, hips, and trunk.
  
  
• Cardio cross-training: bike and upper-body options to keep my fitness ticking over without flaring my knee.
  
  
• Gradual return to running drills: when the time was right, they mapped out a safe, criteria-based progression.
  
  

As a patient, having that structured plan was reassuring. As a physio, it reinforced how essential EPs are in bridging the gap between rehab and return to sport.

A few honest lessons from my journey

1. Patience is harder than the exercises. I found it far easier to grind through sets of quad contractions than to sit still and rest when my body needed it.
   
   
2. Motivation dips are normal. There were days I felt frustrated and tired of the process. Having my physio and EP team helped me stay on track.
   
   
3. You’re not alone. Even though recovery feels isolating, there’s always a team around you with physios, EPs, surgeons, family, and friends.
   
   
4. Progress isn’t linear. Some weeks you feel unstoppable; others, you’re battling swelling or setbacks. Both are part of the journey.
   
   

 If these lessons resonate, learn more about my journey and the plan that helped me. Download my free recovery guide.