I had a meniscus repair 5 years ago. i had my sewing machine set up downstairs so I could sew while off work. I couldn't drive for about a week and was supposed to avoid stairs( not easy since we live in a two story house). Honestly if I had known how easy it was to get rid of the pain I would have had it done sooner(I thought it was arthritis)i missed about 3 weeks work, then went back on a limited schedule. If i had a desk job it would have been 2-3 days but my job requires constant standing/walking so I eased back into it. Have a great boss that let me set my own pace.