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How Often Should You Exercise with a Torn Meniscus?

Of all the types of knee injuries, meniscus tears are the most commonly reoccurring. If you are not familiar with the meniscus, it’s the wedge-shaped piece of cartilage in your knee that acts as a natural shock absorber. The main reason why meniscus tears cannot heal well on their own is due to a lack of blood supply, and this is only made worse when someone with this type of injury fails to seek medical attention. The good news is that most tears can be treated, and muscle-strengthening exercises have been shown to help prevent associated symptoms such as knee pain, buckling and extreme soreness.

The course of treatment depends a lot on the type and severity of the meniscus tear the patient has. On the plus side of things, many people with varying types of meniscus tears are able to avoid surgery to correct the damage. The tradeoff, however, is physical therapy coupled with at-home exercises, if your doctor and physical therapist agree that additional exercise is safe for you.

Individualized treatment plans are created around whether or not you need or have undergone surgery, and these include how often you should exercise. This is something you will need to talk to your doctor about. Here are some of the best exercises recommended for those in need of rehabilitation in Brampton for a torn meniscus:

  • Popular strengthening exercises: First, avoid high impact workouts and aerobics that can twist the knee (or any part of the leg). Many folks with various knee injuries find great benefit through light water exercises. Simply standing, floating or swimming is a gentle way to strengthen a hurt knee. Slow walking on level ground is also a good general workout to improve mobility.
  • Quadriceps exercises: The flexibility and stability in your knee comes from the quadriceps muscle. Strengthening your quads will assist in healing lateral meniscus tears, but don’t overdo your workout. Quad exercises involve tightening the thigh muscles, holding and then releasing. The key is to not overextend the injured knee.
  • Leg raises: If your doctor or physical therapist recommends leg raises, consider trying both front and back leg raise exercises, moving slowly at first. The purpose of leg raises is to strengthen the muscles that are situated just above the knee, the muscles at the back of the thigh and the muscles in the hips and buttocks. These exercises can help stabilize knees after a meniscus tear.
  • Knee bends: Knee bends are another great muscle-strengthening exercise for healing a lateral meniscus tear. These involve stabilizing yourself with the help of a chair, table, countertop or another person, standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and carefully bending your knees until you reach a squatting position before rising back up. It’s important to note that you should not attempt this exercise if you are still experiencing tremendous knee pain.

If you are in need of professional medical help, look no further than the experts at Paramount Physiotherapy & Sports Injuries Clinic. Our clinic offers a variety of therapy options—we can suggest treatment options, help with rehabilitation in Brampton and more. Contact our office today!

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