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Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• Torn meniscus facts
• Introduction to the knee
• What is a torn meniscus?
• What causes a meniscus to tear?
• What are symptoms and signs of a torn meniscus?
• How is a meniscus tear diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for a torn meniscus?
• Can a meniscus tear heal without surgery?
• What is rehabilitation and recovery like for a patient with a meniscus tear?
• What are recommended exercises once a torn meniscus has been repaired?
• Patient Comments: Torn Meniscus - Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Torn Meniscus - Treatment
• Patient Comments: Torn Meniscus - Surgery To Repair
• Find a local Orthopedic Surgeon in your town
• Torn Meniscus Index

If the tear is small and located on the outer edge of the meniscus, it is possible that rehabilitation without surgery is all that is needed for recovery. The location of the meniscal injury is also an important consideration. Injuries that occur in parts of the cartilage that have better blood supply have a better chance to heal than those where there is little blood supply.

With other meniscal injuries, if the knee is stable and if the symptoms do not persist and do not limit lifestyle, nonsurgical treatments remain an option. However, the decision to defer surgery depends upon whether the knee joint remains functional and allows the patient to participate in their preferred activities.

If a conservative, nonsurgical approach is taken, the pain and swelling of a torn meniscus should resolve within a few days. Recovery and rehabilitation becomes a long-term commitment, making certain that the muscles surrounding the knee are kept strong to promote joint stability, maintaining an ideal body weight and avoiding activities that cause pain.

If knee arthroscopy is performed, the rehabilitation process balances swelling and healing. The goal is to return range of motion to the knee as soon as possible. Physical therapy is a common part of rehabilitation, and most therapists work with the orthopedic surgeon to return the patient to full function as soon as possible. Since the procedure is planned in advance, some health care professionals advocate pre-hab. With rehabilitation prior to the procedure, the patient begins strengthening exercises for the quadriceps and hamstring muscles before surgery to prevent the routine muscle weakness that can occur after an operation.

Once the swelling in the knee joint resolves, the goal of therapy is to increase the strength of muscles surrounding the knee and to promote and preserve stability of the joint.

Elite athletes return to practice within one to two weeks after surgery, but they are a motivated group of people who spend hours each day in rehabilitation. For most other patients, return to mild routine activity occurs in less than six weeks.

Most patients do well after surgery. The prognosis for return to normal activity is good but depends upon the motivation of the patient to work hard with their physical therapist and to continue that work after formal therapy has been completed.