Meniscal Tear Physical Therapy

A meniscal tear is an injury which occurs to a person's knee. A tear usually occurs near the knee joints and impacts the tissue surrounding the knee. This injury can cause certain lifestyle change as the meniscal tear will definitely limit an individual in performing daily activities as well as engaging in sports related activities. Depending on the severity of the tear, the menisci or meniscus tissue can be repaired or certainly heal on its own. It is imperative to get an accurate diagnosis on the severity of the meniscal tear to determine the proper steps necessary to help heal the menisci tissue.

Once a confirmation of a tear is revealed, it is up to your personal medical doctor to determine the next series of steps that will help your knee recover. Most often, these series of crucial steps will require the person to seek medical surgery to repair the meniscal tear. These series of crucial steps are examined by determining the severity of the tear and whether a surgical option or a physical therapy option is best. If the tear of the meniscus is partial and further ligament damage such as an ACL, MCL or PCL tear has not been attained, chances are the health care professional will suggest physical therapy of the meniscal tear for treatment. It is important that the individual does not make this critical decision on their own, further damage will be incurred if the wrong steps are taken in healing the knee.

The actual process of physical therapy for a tear usually begins with a consultation session with a physical therapist. The physical therapist will have extensive knowledge and information of your injury. A course of action plan will be determined for your specific case. The beginning sessions of physical therapy for your torn meniscal tissue will usually include very light exercises to determine how much pressure and strenuous force your injured knee can withhold. Examples of exercises for the menisci will usually include simple leg extensions without weights as well as walking exercises to regain the range of motion which has been disabled. Once your knee has regained some of its initial flexibility and range of motion, the physical therapist will suggest adding weights to help build some muscle mass surrounding your leg. The weights will help improve the muscle foundation surrounding your knee, it will also help your knee be stronger than it was before your injury. Specific muscle training exercises include weight training of your quadriceps as well as your hamstrings.

The tissue and muscle density in those areas help support the knee, it is essential to increase the muscle mass so that your knee becomes stronger. Your physical therapist will also suggest calf and hip exercises so that your overall leg becomes stronger. It is important to consider that physical therapy for meniscal tears does not solely concentrate on the tear itself, but place emphasis on the entire leg to help build a strong foundation for your knees. If one follows the suggested physical therapy instructions, recovery from a meniscal tear is highly successful.