Recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus requires strengthening and rehabilitation exercises, many of which you can do by yourself from home. Learn the proper technique for these exercises to help speed up your recovery and get you back to doing the things you enjoy. Make sure to get your doctor's approval prior to trying any exercises.
Hamstring Contraction
This exercise is one of the easiest to do, and helps strengthen and exercise the hamstring muscles after your surgery. It requires no movement in the knee. To do hamstring contractions, sit or lie on the floor with your knees bent and legs together. Place your heels on the floor so your toes are pointed up in the air. Slowly press your heels against the floor and pull them slightly back towards your body until you feel a contraction in your hamstring muscles. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds, then rest. Repeat four to five times. Do the exercise three to four times a day as part of your recovery routine.
Supine Terminal Knee Extensions
Knee extensions help restore range of motion in your knee as well as help strengthen the quadriceps muscles, which provide strength and stability to the knee joint. Sit or lie on the floor with a rolled-up towel under your injured knee. Relax your knee and leg muscles so your heel is resting on the floor. Contract your quadriceps muscles slowly to lift your lower leg as high above the floor as you can. Keep the back of your knee in contact with the towel at all times. Hold your leg in the air for five seconds, then return it back to the floor. Do 10 to 15 repetitions, then rest.
Quadriceps Contractions
For this exercise, lie on your stomach on the floor or a bed. Place a rolled-up towel under the shin of your injured leg. Contract your quadriceps muscles and push down with your leg on the rolled-up towel. Extend your leg as much as possible. Hold this contraction for five seconds, then allow your leg to relax. Repeat 10 to 15 times, then rest.
Toe Raises
Toe raises are another simple exercise that helps strengthen all the major muscles in the legs to provide support to the knee joint. Stand next to a wall, table or other sturdy surface, with your feet flat on the floor and a little more than shoulder-width apart. Slowly rise up on your toes, holding onto the wall or table to keep your balance. Stand up as tall as possible on your toes, then hold for five seconds. Slowly bring your body back down until your feet are flat on the floor -- this is one repetition. Do three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
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