Your meniscus cartilage cushions, stabilizes and supports your knee joint while connecting your shin bone to the thigh bone. A torn meniscus can result from severe trauma caused by forceful twisting and/or compressing your knee or from simple trauma caused by degenerative wear. A severely torn meniscus may require arthroscopic surgery. Therapy for a torn meniscus depends upon your age, activity level and any previous injury and can vary according to individual, so consult your doctor before starting new exercises.
Healing Protocol
Standard healing protocol plays a crucial role in therapy for a torn meniscus in order to start the healing process and speed up recovery time. Healing protocol involves resting your joint by reducing stress. Resting your joint may be all the therapy needed for a mild meniscus tear, according to the Sports Science Orthopaedic Clinic. Apply ice packs to your knee area in 15-minute increments to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling. Compressing your knee by wrapping it with an elastic bandage will also help reduce swelling while providing support. Finally, elevating your knee above heart level for the first 24 hours after injury will drain fluid from the area and reduce swelling.
Gentle Flexing
Restoring your knee's flexibility with gentle stretches is the initial step taken during therapy for a torn meniscus. Stretching without placing any weight or mechanical pressure on your knee plays a key role during therapy. Start by doing a seated knee extension maneuver. Sit upright in a firm chair and place your injured-side heel on another chair or footrest to stretch out your knee. Leave your knee area unsupported. Increase the stretch by gently pushing your knee toward the floor. Stretch for five seconds. Return your leg to the original position. Relax for 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Ankle Weights
Therapy using ankle weights can improve your knee's range of motion. Light ankle weights can gently stretch leg muscles without placing extreme stress on your knee joint. Sit upright on an exercise mat, high stool or bed that allows your injured-side leg to hang freely. Place a 5-pound ankle weight on your injured-side ankle. Let your leg hang freely for one minute. Remove the weight and return to the original position. Do this exercise three times daily. Increase the weight and duration as your knee progresses throughout therapy.
Isometric Maneuvers
Therapy for a torn meniscus needs to concentrate on strengthening your quadricep muscles, the muscle that provides the largest amount of support for your knee joint. Strong quadriceps help stabilize the knee joint and make performing everyday activities such as walking and getting up and down possible. Do some isometric maneuvers that involve using muscle contractions to strengthen muscles without moving joints. Sit upright with your legs extended in front of you. Tighten your injured-side thigh muscle and try to press your knee against the surface. Hold this tension for eight seconds. Release the tension and relax for 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise five times.
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