Knee arthroscopy in many cases substituted the classic arthrotomy that was performed in the past. It is usually performed for treating with damaged meniscus cartilage, reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament and for cartilage micro-fracturing. Arthroscopy can also be executed just for diagnosing and checking of the knee. Nevertheless, the later use has been mainly replaced by magnetic resonance imaging. Arthroscopy is useful in assessing and dealing with conditions such as torn floating cartilage (meniscus), the cartilage is trimmed to a stable rim or occasionally repaired, torn surface (articular) cartilage, removal of loose bodies (cartilage or bone that has broken off) and cysts, reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate ligament , Patello-femoral (knee-cap) disorders, washout of infected knees and general diagnostic purposes. After a knee arthroscopy, recovery is a lot faster compared to arthrotomy. Most patients can return home and walk using crutches the same or the next day after the surgery. Usually after a month a patient can fully load his leg and after a few weeks the joint function can fully recover. It is common for athletes who have a beyond average physical condition to return to normal athletic activities within a few weeks. Nonetheless, the recovery time also depends on the diagnosis that the arthroscopy was performed for, thus each case is unique and the patient must consult his personal doctor and physician regarding his physiotherapy.