Any time your body is injured, you must first allow the area to heal, and then start the rehabilitation or strengthening process. Physical therapy is a post-injury process focused on restoring function and range-of-motion to injured limbs, helping you to get back on your feet and increasing your quality of life. Physical therapy may help restore your mobility following a meniscal tear to your knee.
Description
Your meniscus is a thick padding of cartilage that cushions the knee joint between the lower end of the femur, or thighbone, and the upper end of the tibia, or shinbone. This padding acts like a shock absorber. Without it, the ends of your knee joints would rub together, cause pain and stiffness, and potentially inhibit your ability to move your knee. A meniscal tear occurs in many ways. You may be diagnosed with a flap, bucket handle, longitudinal or other type of tear. Talk to your doctor and therapist about the type of meniscal tear you've been diagnosed with and its cause so you can avoid such an injury in the future.
Benefits
Following a meniscal tear, you may have difficulty walking or experiencing full range of motion of your knee joint. Physical therapy helps restore optimal function and flexibility to the injured knee joint. Therapy also helps slowly build strength and endurance in the injured knee so you're less likely to reinjure it during the healing process. A physical therapist will guide you in the type of exercises you should perform, as well as their duration and intensity, as your torn meniscus heals.
Range-of-Motion
After initial swelling has gone down and your meniscal tear begins to heal, your therapist may guide you in range-of-motion exercises that maintain function of the knee joint during the healing process. Range-of-motion exercises will help prevent stiffness, pain and immobility of your knee. For example, you may be asked to sit on the edge of a table and, with your therapist's support, extend your leg and then lower it. You may only be able to complete a short arc to start, gradually increasing your range-of-motion as the knee heals and strengthens.
Chair Stretch
Slowly encouraging the knee to flex and extend helps maintain mobility. Sit in one chair and place your heel onto a chair across from you, knee flexed slightly. Slowly and gently, press your knee downward following your therapist's instructions. Hold that stretch for about 10 seconds, then rest. Repeat the exercise five to 10 times several times a day.
Half Knee Bend
As your knee joint strengthens, your therapist will suggest resistance exercises to help strengthen and prolong endurance in the healing knee joint. A half knee bend exercise will accomplish this. Stand with your back against a wall, your feet shoulder-width apart. Your heels should be 12 inches from the base of the wall. Slowly lower your body weight as far as you can without causing pain. Your goal is to lower yourself until your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Until then, lower yourself in increments and hold your maximum position for five seconds. Slowly raise yourself to starting position and repeat as directed.
