Meniscus Tear

The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber for the knee joint. It is positioned between the femur bone up the upper leg and the tibia bone of the lower leg. There is one meniscus on each side of the knee. The inner cartilage is called the medial meniscus and the outer piece of tissue is the lateral meniscus. The meniscus is protective of the articular cartilage in the knee, a type of tissue that coats the ends of bones where they meet in the joint. As such, the menisci play an important role in the prevention of arthritis.

A physician can often diagnose a torn meniscus via a physical examination alone. Symptoms of this condition include loss of motion or limited range of motion in the knee, tenderness on the joint line, swelling, and pain with certain movements. Diagnostic imaging may be performed to confirm the tear.

In some cases, a meniscus tear may heal with physical therapy alone. Studies have found that, in applicable cases in which the knee has not suffered severe injury, physical therapy can achieve comparable results to surgery. The standard of care for this type of injury is to refer the patient to a physical therapist for rehabilitation. It is a common misperception that everyone who experiences a meniscus tear needs surgical intervention to repair the cartilage. Studies indicate that some people with meniscus tears have no pain and no noticeable change in the function of the knee joint. When determining who would benefit from surgery and who may improve without surgical intervention, doctors evaluate much more than imaging such as MRI. They also consider pain and function as identified in the clinical examination. Even limited range of motion, swelling, and pain may be temporary and treatable without surgery.

Physical therapy sessions are personalized to each patient based on their specific needs. However, there may be common goals for rehabilitating a meniscus tear. These include improving muscle strength around the knee, improving range of motion of the knee, decreasing pain and swelling, and preventing future structural problems associated with the meniscus.

Some of the techniques that a physical therapist may utilize in treating a meniscus tear include:

• Manual therapies involving joint mobilization and stretching
• Strengthening exercises
• Compression and ice to minimize swelling and pain
• Neuromuscular electrical stimulation to improve the strength of the muscles around the knee

A doctor may recommend starting physical therapy within days of a meniscus tear diagnosis. The timing of care may depend on variables such as age, the type of tear, and indications for surgery.

Physical therapy is often an integral part of a conservative treatment plan.  To provide time to realize meaningful improvements, a patient may engage in physical therapy for four to six weeks. Visits may occur once a week or a few times a week. It is necessary for the patient to also perform their physical therapy exercises at home between visits in order to see the best results.

It may be. Every patient should contact their medical insurance provider directly for detailed information outlined by their plan. An insurance company may require a patient copay or deductible, may cover a percentage of the treatment costs, or have limits in terms of the number of visits a patient can have.