I had my surgical follow-up with the orthopedist. He explained how the procedure went using a model and the pictures taken during the arthroscopy. He threw away the loose body, which was 1cm x 1cm x 0.5 cm (about the size of the end of your fourth finger, but only half its thickness). The prognosis is good for my right leg, though my history makes the onset of arthritis in that joint more likely.
Regarding my left knee, which is making "squishy sounds" when I extend, the news is not so good. He mentioned that it wasn't a temporary condition or a compensatory result of shifting my weight prior to surgery. Rather, that knee is likely experiencing a cartilage defect on the kneecap (patella), which will progressively become worse over time. Pain tolerance will decide whether further action is necessary there, as the sound itself is innocuous.
Regarding the cause of the loose body, he explained that in most cases the originating event is unclear, or idiopathic. Trauma can start the cascade of events that lead to the condition, but I didn't have a clear traumatic episode for this loose body. Many times, lack of blood flow to a certain part of the bone causes the cartilage to start detaching from the bone. Once a piece of cartilage and bone is loose in the knee joint, it will get nourishment from the sinovial fluid and grow over time.
He recommended that I discontinue the use of crutches as soon as I am able, and to be careful not to do too much too soon. He did not believe that physical therapy is necessary.
To reduce swelling, he provided some celebrex and some compression sleeves.
Throughout the afternoon I tried walking around without crutches. I could do so fairly well, though it was somewhat "Frankenstein"-like, due to tightness in my calves and a limited range of motion. As the Romans say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Ageamus.
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