Physical Therapy For A Torn Meniscus

A torn meniscus is a painful knee injury that commonly occurs in athletes; however, athletes aren’t the only people who can suffer from a torn meniscus. Each knee has two c-shaped menisci cartilage pads that serve as shock absorbers for our body weight. According to John Hopkins Medicine, “Meniscus tears usually take place when an athlete twists or turns their upper leg while their foot is planted and their knee is bent.”

Anyone participating in these types of movements can be in danger of tearing their meniscus. In fact, a torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries, so anyone can suffer from them regardless of age or activity.

Torn Meniscus Symptoms,

When the meniscus is torn, the person typically describes feeling a “pop” in the knee, followed by significant pain. After the initial tear, there can also be:

• Swelling and stiffness
• Pain in the knee joint usually felt on the inside, outside, and/or back of the knee
• Catching or locking of the knee joint
• Limping
• Inability to fully extend or bend the knee joint

Will A Torn Meniscus Heal On Its Own?

No meniscus tear will heal fully on its own, but sometimes surgical intervention is not necessary, and other treatment options are available. There are two types of meniscus tears to increase the likelihood of a full recovery, both require different courses of treatment. The first meniscus tear type is a tear that occurs in the inner two-thirds of the meniscus. This type of tear cannot heal on its own and requires surgical intervention due to the lack of blood flow in that area of the meniscus. The second type is a tear that occurs on the outer one-third of the meniscus. This area has a good blood supply, resulting in blood cells regenerating the meniscus tissue. This type of tear can heal on its own but still may require non-surgical treatment to help guide the injury to heal, such as physical therapy.

Physical Therapy For A Torn Meniscus

Physical therapy is an excellent treatment option for meniscus tears that don’t require surgery but still need to heal properly. Additionally, even if you have surgery to heal a torn meniscus, physical therapy is a must-do following surgery to help your knee rehabilitate. Physical therapy helps regain your range of motion, strength, and control in your knee.

A torn meniscus is a serious and painful knee injury that can be debilitating and will undoubtedly make every-day tasks painful and/or challenging. However, our skilled teams at Physical Therapy Now can help you on your recovery journey. If you have torn your meniscus and want to learn more about non-surgical healing options, call us to schedule your first appointment at (800) 481-4582.  Let’s get started!