Do you fellows have any advice for rehabing a torn meniscis?

[ganesha]

Thanks in advance. Would rather rehab than have surgery.

[Bruce Tackett]

Well, I just did a search and there are a number of sources:

www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/rehabilitation-for-a-meniscus-tear

www.cbsnews.com/news/torn-meniscus-treatments-physical-therapy-just-as-good-as-surgery-says-study/

www.uwhealth.org/files/uwhealth/docs/pdf/SM14890_Meniscus_Repair8.pdf

I personally know nothing about this, and I haven't read any of the links, but they're out there. Maybe these and others will help.

[stormshadow]

Those are good links from Bruce. A friend of mine fell off ladder while hanging Christmas decorations. She tore her ACL completely and had meniscus damage. She opted to rehab knee in liu of surgery. It is now 5 years later and she is doing great. She basically does leg exercises for her knee like leg extensions, leg curls and leg presses. She does them super slow with isometric stops at various positions during the movement. She was doing this at a gym, but when she moved to a more isolated area, she does these exercises of her Bowflex and they seem to work fine. I have never used a Bowflex, but she uses it on a regular basis to excellent effect. She also walks about 3 miles a day. Her very strong leg muscles provide stability to the joint that the ligaments were doing previously.

The orthopedic surgeon says she is doing great. She worked out before the injury and was in very good shape to begin with. She is now about 52 years of age. The only thing she does not do because she is scared of re-injury is downhill skiing, water skiing and racquet sports. The surgeon affirmed that any movement which submits the joint to lateral stresses is a no no. Good luck to you.