Rehabilitation exercises a meniscus tear is a common knee joint injury. You could also add an ankle weight to increase the. The medial meniscus is injured much more often than the lateral menis cus, with the posterior horn being the most afflicted component. Leg press machine exercises can begin with both legs initially moving onto singleleg exercises. The best exercises after meniscus surgery phyiscal therapy. The meniscus is the most commonly injured structure in the knee joint. Rehabilitation protocol for meniscus repair this protocol is intended to guide clinicians and patients through the postoperative course for a meniscus repair. Often people also experience popping and clicking in. Meniscus tear treatment with 4 exercises to avoid surgery. Work with your doctor to plan a rehabilitation rehab program that helps you regain as much strength and flexibility in your knee as possible. The outer onethird of the meniscus has a rich blood supply.
Athletes, particularly those who play contact sports, are at risk for meniscus tears. Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair rehab protocol. A meniscus tear is a common knee injury that often affects people who play contact sports. Specific intervention should be based on the needs of the individual and should consider exam findings and clinical decision making. It can also be caused by wear and tear and doing everyday activities. Common tears include longitudinal, parrotbeak, flap, bucket handle, and mixedcomplex. Articular cartilage is made up of collagen, proteoglycans and water and lines the end of the bones that meet to form a joint. Medial and lateral knee joint menisci serve to transfer load and absorb shock, aid joint stability and provide lubrication. The orthopedic surgeon may modify the time frames and weight bearing status, as necessary, to allow adequate healing time.
Work with your doctor to plan a rehabilitation rehab program that helps you regain as much. Do this exercise if you are unable to fully extend your knee. Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries. No active hamstring exercises electrical stimulation in full extension with quad sets and slr quad sets straight leg raise slr x 4 on mat in brace if poor quad control stationary bike for range of motion 090 degrees ice pack with knee in full extension after exercise goals full passive extension. The meniscus cartilage in the knee includes a medial inside meniscus and a lateral outside meniscus. You may do the rest of the exercises when the pain in your knee has decreased.
If you have questions, contact the referring physician. How well the knee will heal and whether surgery will be needed depends in large part on the type of tear and how bad the tear is. Single leg calf raises and wobble balance board exercises can also be included. See more ideas about knee exercises, exercise and torn meniscus exercises. All these exercises can be done with elastic resistance bands. How well the knee will heal and whether surgery will be needed depends in large part on the type of tear see figure in appendix and how bad the tear is. Do this exercise if you are unable to extend your knee. You have both an inner medial and outer lateral meniscus that help distribute the forces in the. Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair rehab protocol longitudinal bucket handle tears this protocol provides you with general guidelines for initial stage and progression of rehabilitation according to specified time frames, related tissue tolerance and directional preference of movement. The protocol may be modified depending on the location and extent of the meniscal tear and subsequent repair. Exercises for osteoarthritis of the knee what does a meniscus tear feel like.
Another variation is to perform this with your toes straight into the air. Meniscus tears are a special risk for older athletes since the meniscus weakens with age. Use of this image without authorization from primal pictures, ltd. Meniscus repair rehabilitation program gundersen health system. The meniscus acts to provide shock absorption and stability at the knee joint. Meniscal cartilage tear exercises summit medical group. Anterior cruciate ligament acl and meniscus repair. You have both an inner medial and outer lateral meniscus that help distribute the forces in the knee when you are weightbearing. The decision by the surgeon to repair or remove is based primarily on the location of the meniscal tear. Rehabilitation guidelines for meniscal repair there are two types of cartilage in the knee, articular cartilage and meniscus cartilage. Sports injury medicine department 9250 sw hall blvd.
To avoid placing stress on the meniscus repair, do not bend. The medial meniscus is semicircular in shape and the lateral meniscus is almost a. Rehabilitation guidelines for meniscal repair of root and. Each meniscus attach es to the top of the shinbone tibia, makes contact. Anterior cruciate ligament acl and meniscus repair rehabilitation protocol general notes. Physical therapy if you just found out that the pain and swelling in your knee is a torn meniscus, you probably have a decision to make about how to treat it. Also, the medial meniscus absorbs up to 50% of the shock of the medial compartment, making the medial meniscus susceptible to injury. May 30, 2016 these meniscus tear stretches and exercises should help if youve had a meniscal tear. But these tears are also common with normal movement in older people whose menisci plural of meniscus are worn down. Do this exercise if you are unable to extend your knee fully.
No isolated resistance to knee flexion for 6 weeks secondary to the semimembranosus attachment to the medial meniscus popliteus to the lateral meniscus. Knee rehabilitation exercises to ensure that this program is safe and effective for you, it should be performed under your doctors supervision. Specific changes in the program will be made by the. As tolerated should be understood to include with safety for the reconstructionrepair.
For most tears, some simple exercises can help maintain muscle strength in the front of the thigh quadriceps, back of. Sep 17, 2018 meniscus tear rehab best exercises best exercises to strengthen your legs after a menisectomy. The menisci are more elastic than most of the cartilage in the body and helps absorb force when we are walking, running, and jumping. Pain in the knee swelling a popping sensation during the. Physical therapy exercises for a knee meniscus tear. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about which exercises will best help you meet your rehabilitation goals. Torn knee meniscus exercises mobility, strengthening.
Other torn meniscus rehabilitation exercises include stepups, bridges, hip abduction and extension. Remember to check out this great exercise video for torn meniscus exercises, and you can also read more articles about meniscus injuries. Tibia medial meniscus femur figure 2 medial inside view of the knee. Rest and elevate the knee when not doing your rehabilitation exercises. When people talk about torn cartilage in the knee, they are usually referring to a torn meniscus. Nov 16, 2016 our medial meniscus rehabilitation program explains this in more detail. The medial or inside meniscus is c shaped while the lateral or outside meniscus is more circular. Beneficial and repairing knee strengthening exercises for a. Rehabilitation guidelines for meniscal repair uw health. The meniscus is a cshaped piece of cartilage in the knee that cushions and. Meniscus repair rehabilitation the following protocol is a guideline for rehabilitation following meniscus repair.
Exercises usually begin with mobility and isometric static contractions. The meniscus is a cshaped piece of cartilage in the knee that cushions and acts as a shock absorber between your thigh bone femur and shin bone tibia. For most tears, some simple exercises can help maintain muscle strength in the front of the thigh quadriceps, back of the thigh hamstr. Also great exercises to do if you have a meniscus tear and want to strengthen your legs in general. The video contains great information about the meniscus anatomy too, and has all the right exercises, which you can easily do at home with no equipment, following a meniscal injury or meniscus surgery. This disparity in motion contributes to the frequency in which each meniscus is injured.
Rehabilitation exercises appendix topic images meniscus tears quad sets straightleg raise to the front straightleg raise to the back hamstring curls heel raises heel dig bridging shallow standing knee bends meniscus tear. Be sure to rotate your leg outward laterally slightly to gain a better activation of the medial inner side of the quadriceps. Physical therapy pt and exercises for a meniscus tear rehab. Meniscus rehab exercises the physical therapy advisor. While lying on your back, place a rolledup towel under the heel of your injured leg so the heel is about 6 inches off the ground. Meniscus tears commonly occur during sports when the knee is twisted while it is partially flexed and the foot is firmly planted on the ground. When you tear your meniscus, your knee becomes unstable. A medial meniscus tear is more common than a lateral meniscus tear because it firmly attaches to the deep medial collateral ligament and the joint capsule. The primary function of the articular cartilage is to provide. You then progress to exercises with resistance bands and finally more functional plyometric exercises before going back to full training.