Physical Therapy for Torn Meniscus:
A Viable Alternative to Surgery
© QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.
If you are experiencing locking, swelling, pain, buckling, clicking or stiffness in your
knee, QC Kinetics can help you with the most effective physical therapy for torn
meniscus.
A recent study demonstrates that physical therapy is as good as surgery for patients
suffering from osteoarthritis and meniscal tears. Therefore, health care providers
should reevaluate their methods of managing such medical conditions. Patients
suffering from both meniscal tear and osteoarthritis are a challenge to health specialists
as it is mostly unclear which issue is more adversely causing pain. The Meniscal Tear in
Osteoarthritis Research or METEOR study didn’t show any major difference in body’s
functional improvement post 6 months between patients who opted for surgery
followed by physical therapy for torn meniscus and those who underwent physical
therapy only.
Is Meniscus Tear a Serious Condition?
Meniscus acts as shock absorbers that help stabilize your knees. Meniscus tear can
occur even by a single injury. It can happen to anyone from active athletes to the
elderly. If you see the MRI’s of elder people having knee conditions, you will find that
almost 91 percent of them have meniscus tear. What is more shocking is that MRIs of
older people with no knee problem shows 76% of them have meniscal tear. This shows
that a meniscal tear is a main cause pain. Other impairments such as mobility and
strength also contribute to pain. Thus, if these issues are addressed properly, you may
not feel that much pain.
© QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.
Do You Need Surgery?
The most common surgery performed in the US is the arthroscopic partial
meniscectomy. The goal of this surgery is to relieve meniscus tear by eliminating torn
tissues and placing the meniscus back to stable position. Most of the people who
underwent this surgery do feel better. But as the studies have shown that
improvements in body function and pain after surgery followed by therapy and physical
therapy alone are not so different, why not consider physical therapy for torn
meniscus?
How Exercise Help Improve a Meniscus Tear?
Exercise can help improve meniscal tear by enhancing strength, function and mobility.
Riding a stationary bike is an effective way of improving mobility. You should begin with
exercises that primarily focus on the range of motion such as extending and flexing your
knee without pain. Now, proceed with the stretches that keep leg muscles loose. It is
good to start with basic exercises such as toe raises, and straight leg raises. And if you
can perform these exercises without pain, you can start more advanced workouts such
as harder stretches, squats and toe raises with weights.
Knee bends are another optimal muscle-strengthening workout that heals lateral
meniscal tear. It includes stabilizing yourself using a table, countertop, chair or other
person, standing with shoulder-width and feet apart and bending the knees till you get
to squatting position prior to moving back up. Please note that you must not perform
this workout if you are experiencing severe knee pain.
© QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.
Physical Therapy specialists at QC Kinetix provide comprehensive treatments for nerve
problems and injuries. The treatment focuses on therapy for Torn Meniscus. Contact
our doctors today.
© QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.

Physical therapy for torn meniscus: a viable alternative to surgery

  • 1.
    Physical Therapy forTorn Meniscus: A Viable Alternative to Surgery © QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.
  • 2.
    If you areexperiencing locking, swelling, pain, buckling, clicking or stiffness in your knee, QC Kinetics can help you with the most effective physical therapy for torn meniscus. A recent study demonstrates that physical therapy is as good as surgery for patients suffering from osteoarthritis and meniscal tears. Therefore, health care providers should reevaluate their methods of managing such medical conditions. Patients suffering from both meniscal tear and osteoarthritis are a challenge to health specialists as it is mostly unclear which issue is more adversely causing pain. The Meniscal Tear in Osteoarthritis Research or METEOR study didn’t show any major difference in body’s functional improvement post 6 months between patients who opted for surgery followed by physical therapy for torn meniscus and those who underwent physical therapy only. Is Meniscus Tear a Serious Condition? Meniscus acts as shock absorbers that help stabilize your knees. Meniscus tear can occur even by a single injury. It can happen to anyone from active athletes to the elderly. If you see the MRI’s of elder people having knee conditions, you will find that almost 91 percent of them have meniscus tear. What is more shocking is that MRIs of older people with no knee problem shows 76% of them have meniscal tear. This shows that a meniscal tear is a main cause pain. Other impairments such as mobility and strength also contribute to pain. Thus, if these issues are addressed properly, you may not feel that much pain. © QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.
  • 3.
    Do You NeedSurgery? The most common surgery performed in the US is the arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. The goal of this surgery is to relieve meniscus tear by eliminating torn tissues and placing the meniscus back to stable position. Most of the people who underwent this surgery do feel better. But as the studies have shown that improvements in body function and pain after surgery followed by therapy and physical therapy alone are not so different, why not consider physical therapy for torn meniscus? How Exercise Help Improve a Meniscus Tear? Exercise can help improve meniscal tear by enhancing strength, function and mobility. Riding a stationary bike is an effective way of improving mobility. You should begin with exercises that primarily focus on the range of motion such as extending and flexing your knee without pain. Now, proceed with the stretches that keep leg muscles loose. It is good to start with basic exercises such as toe raises, and straight leg raises. And if you can perform these exercises without pain, you can start more advanced workouts such as harder stretches, squats and toe raises with weights. Knee bends are another optimal muscle-strengthening workout that heals lateral meniscal tear. It includes stabilizing yourself using a table, countertop, chair or other person, standing with shoulder-width and feet apart and bending the knees till you get to squatting position prior to moving back up. Please note that you must not perform this workout if you are experiencing severe knee pain. © QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.
  • 4.
    Physical Therapy specialistsat QC Kinetix provide comprehensive treatments for nerve problems and injuries. The treatment focuses on therapy for Torn Meniscus. Contact our doctors today. © QC Kinetix | All Rights Reserved.