Meniscal Tear Exercises
This is a sample exercise program taken from study in middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tears (Stensrud et al 2012), but can be a good starting point for your exercise program. The appendix in the paper has visual guides to use while videos are pending in this section.
Name | Repetitions/Sets | Description (Basic) | Progression | Modified (easier) |
Stationary cycling | 20 minutes | On a stationary bike, use a preferred resistance for warm up.
Make sure the height of the seat is comfortable. you should not have significant pain during this exercise. |
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Squat | 10 repetitions for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total, resting 1-2 minutes between sets. | Stand with your feet firmly planted shoulder width apart, with your feet facing very slightly outwards. Extend your arms outwards in front of your body for balance. Very slowly lower your body down, hinging at the hips and knees until you feel discomfort or lack of balance then return to your starting position. Your feet should remain planted, your knees move in line with your toes. The knees should extend past your toes or collapse inwards, and you should feel your buttocks being pushed back as far as you can. | You can also hold weights (such as a dumbbell in a goblet position) for added difficulty. | To make things easier, try slowly squatting and lowering yourself into a chair, without using your arms to support yourself. Hold your arms outwards in front of your body for balance. You can use your hands to help get up from the chair. |
Single leg squat | 10 repetitions for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. Rest if needed between sets. | Stand with your arms extended out front. Balance on one leg and try to perform a squat motion. The other leg can be positioned in front or behind your body. Try to keep the trunk as straight as possible.
Keep the knees over the toes, do not let the knees collapse inwards.
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Increasing the depth of the squat will make it harder.
You can hold weights in your hands as well. |
Place a chair behind you for support when you first start this exercise. |
Step up | 10 repetitions on each leg for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. Rest if needed between sets. | Stand in front of a bench or secure box. Place one foot on the step and propel your body up while swinging the other foot up towards your chest. Then perform the same motion but on the other foot.
Make sure the knee stays in line with the toes and does not collapse inwards or outwards. |
Holding weights will make this harder. | Using a smaller step or bench will make this easier. |
Knee stability in pull loop (Hip abduction) | 10 repetitions on each leg for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. Rest if needed between sets. | Attach one end of theraband to a secure place and the other end to your ankle. Holding on to a chair for support, slowly move your leg away from your body to about 30 degrees, or until you feel resistance, then slowly bring it back down to the ground. Be sure that your toes are pointing upwards and your knees are locked straight. Be sure your hips, knees, and ankles are all in a straight line. | To make things more difficult, you can choose not to hold on to the chair for support.
You can increase the resistance with other therabands or ankle weights. You can also try to do this exercise while standing on a balance pad. |
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Hamstring curl on ball | 3 repetitions for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. Rest if needed between sets. | Lying down, place both hands palm down beside your body for support. Place your heels on an appropriate size yoga ball/balance ball). Lift your back and pelvis so you are in a straight line, then use your heels to pull the ball towards you and then back to the starting position. | ||
Single leg leg press | 15 repetitions on each leg for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. Rest if needed between sets. | Using the leg press machine, position yourself so the knee is flexed approximately 90 degrees. Push through the leg and straighten it, but do not lock your knee. In a controlled manner, bring it back to 90 degrees and repeat the exercise. | Adjust the weight as needed. If you can do an extra 2 repetitions at the end, consider increasing the weight. | Adjust the weight as needed on the machine. |
Single leg knee extension | 15 repetitions on each leg for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. Rest if needed between sets. | Using the knee extension machine, position yourself so the knee is flexed approximately 90 degrees. In a kicking motion, straighten the knee. In a controlled manner, bring it back to 90 degrees and repeat the exercise. | Adjust the weight as needed. If you can do an extra 2 repetitions at the end, consider increasing the weight. | Adjust the weight as needed on the machine. |
Single leg hamstring curl | 15 repetitions on each leg for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. Rest if needed between sets. | Using a hamstring curl machine, position yourself so you are comfortable and your legs and knees are straight. Bend the knees against the resistance and slowly return to the starting position. | Adjust the weight as needed.If you can do an extra 2 repetitions at the end, consider increasing the weight. | Adjust the weight as needed on the machine. |
Skating | 10 repetitions for 1 set. Perform 3 sets in total. | Start on 1 leg, hop sideways but make sure you have a purposeful soft and steady landing while bending the knee approximately 45 degrees. Make sure the knee is in line with the toes. | ||
Limping cross | 3 repetitions for 1 set. perform 3 sets in total. | Stand in the middle of the cross on 1 leg. Hop straight forward and then back to the center, then immediately hop to the right and back to center, then immediately hop backward and back to center, then immediately hop left and back to center. This counts as 1 repetition.
Make sure the knee is in line with the toes during the hops. |
The further you jump, the harder the activity will be. |