I had surgery last week to clean up a small tear in the cartilage of my knee. Afterward, my doctor said I could put as much weight on the knee as I could tolerate when up and walking. My knee’s pretty sore, but I can tolerate the pain. How come I have so much swelling and pain?

Your definition of “tolerate” may be different from your doctor’s. Just because you can grin and bear the pain doesn’t mean your joint is able to tolerate the extra pressure when you’re up and about. You may need to ease up on your activity level, limit the amount of exercise you’re doing, and possibly use a cane or walker for a while. If you’re doing too much and your joint can’t tolerate it, you may end up with more pain and swelling. Use these symptoms as guides to what the joint can handle.