Kasey Kahne Optimistic Second Knee Surgery Will Solve Issues

Everything was going along fine after Kasey Kahne's offseason knee surgeries – he had double knee surgery in the offseason to repair a condition called "Plica syndrome" – until he slipped during post-Daytona workout in February.

"I finished a workout and I slipped off the bench and just my feet kind of gave out," Kahne said Friday.

As it turned out, Kahne re-tore his meniscus and needed to have it repaired – which he did during the recent Easter off-week.

When Kahne slipped after the February workout, his injury hurt so much that he lay on the floor in pain for five minutes before trying to get up.

He knew the recovery time from another surgery would take a while, so he dealt with the pain until the off-week. It particularly bothered him after races, when it would tighten from being in one position for so long.

"You should have seen me at Bristol," he said. "I couldn't even walk for like 10 minutes after the race. It feels better than all that now. It's been only a week – 10 or 11 days – and it already feels better.

"I'm glad I got it fixed. I needed to. I was tired of limping."

Kahne, an avid runner, can only use a bike for now. He said he hopes to return to running in short order.

"Before I (slipped), I was already running four or five miles a day and feeling really good," he said. "I just got to let it heal and not hurt it and it will be fine."