Your medial meniscus is a crescent-shaped piece of cartilage that sits on the inside of your knee joint between your femur and tibia. If you damage or tear this cartilage, you can experience pain, knee instability and a significant reduction in your knee's normal range of motion. You can rehabilitate a medial meniscus tear with a variety of exercises.
Medial Meniscus Tears
Your medial meniscus cushions the inner portion of your knee joint, while another crescent-shaped piece of cartilage called the lateral meniscus cushions the outer portion of your knee. Tears in your meniscus can occur when you twist your knee during sports or exercise, or when you receive a direct impact on your knee joint. You can also develop meniscus tears when age-related wear and tear weakens and thins your cartilage over time. Tears can occur at any point in your meniscus and produce a variety of harmful changes in the shape and function of your cartilage.
Rehabilitation
Depending on the severity of your injury, a medial meniscus tear may or may not require a surgical repair. In either case, after initial treatment you will typically need some form of rehabilitation to restore your normal knee function. At first, you may be wary about using your knee joint, but prolonged inactivity can shorten the quadriceps and hamstring muscles in your thigh and reduce your knee mobility. Once your doctor gives his approval, begin exercises and stretches designed to increase your mobility and strengthen the muscles around your knee joint.
Initial Exercises
Typically, you will begin rehabilitation for a meniscus tear with exercises that stretch your muscles and improve your range of motion. Stretching exercises for a medial meniscus tear typically include calf stretches and leg extensions performed with a rolled towel. Additional activities in the early part of your rehabilitation program may include exercises for your quadriceps and hamstring muscles such as knee flexions, knee extensions and heel slides.
Strengthening Exercises
Typically, you must perform both stretching and strengthening exercises to avoid developing knee instability during your recovery process. Strengthening exercise options can include straight leg raises, static hamstring contractions, static hamstring holds, static quadriceps contractions, calf raises and hip raises. Additional strengthening options include hip abductions, hip adductions, leg curls, hip flexor exercises and exercises designed to increase your sense of proprioception, or awareness of the location of your body in space.
Additional Therapy
As part of your rehabilitation, your physical therapist may guide your knee through a series of movements designed to reduce your pain and increase mobility. She may also stretch the soft tissue near your knee in order to move your knee in ways that your muscles normally cannot. Consult your physical therapist and doctor for detailed information on medial meniscus rehabilitation and safe ways to perform any recommended exercises.
