I am checking in on last weeks video on meniscal tear. IT WORKED, l had to make my old dog a step to get in the car. Twice a day l had to move it, put it away and repeat once or twice more. EVERY time l moved this damn step with my foot, 90% my left foot…..and that was the knee in question. Only eight days in and my knee is great. I would shuffle the step alongside the open door, then shuffle it back out of the way, all the time using my foot. I thank god l watched that particular video as that day my knee was in dire straights. Thank you Will. I still can’t believe l was doing something so simple yet it was also so harmful. Eternally grateful. 🇦🇺❤️🇦🇺
I used to move things around with my foot all the time and now recently learned this can contribute to wear and tear on the miniscus. It's too late for me so I have tried to tell the young ones in my family when it comes up but I remember my mom trying to tell me things would go in one ear and out the other. Now at 51 I'm like, yes mom, you were right.
I’m an active 65 year old woman and tore my medial meniscus playing tennis. The PA recommended arthroscopic surgery. I don’t have osteoarthritis so does that mean the injury is acute? It happened 10 days ago. He said nothing about trying PT first. I ordered your book from Amazon just now. Hopefully I’ll be able to avoid surgery. Thank you for your video and advice!🌻
Good video, but how about you also show exercises (apart from lying down at pushing your knee into a towel) that CAN be done in the gym? unless. missed this in the video.
Very helpful video. Wondering if your future videos you could film including feet/foot positioning so it's even easier to see your full movement? Thank you :)
I am 82, have played golf for over 60 years, used to be a jogger, and was active going to the gym from 1985 until 2020 when Covid shut that down. I recently have had severe pain in the right knee. Saw two orthopedic surgeons, had an MRI. In the medial meniscus I have diffuse intrasubstance degeneration with a horizontal flap tear involving the undersurface of the posterior horn extending into the posterior aspect of the body segment, and an associated 0.5 cm flap interior to the body in the medial gutter. In the lateral meniscus, diffuse intrasubstance degeneration throughout with free edge fraying and small horizontal tear of the mid body segment. So no traumatic tears like a bucket handle. But a great deal of pain. I could do arthroscopic surgery to smooth and shave the meniscii, but have opted not to because I am seeing increasing comments by orthopedic surgeons that while such surgery is indicated for traumatic tears, it is not considered to be of much use for people over 70. Removal of meniscal tissue can thin the meniscus and separation between femur and tibia and lead to osteoarthritis. Conserving meniscal tissue is considered more important. I will see a physio therapist, but it takes six weeks to make an appointment where I live in Montgomery County, Maryland. Thus the advice of professionals like yourself has been extremely useful. I have watched many hours. I have also watched many hours of professional medical lectures on how to read an MRI of the knee. In addition, I have read several serious medical research reports on advances in possible ways to regrow and regenerate meniscal tissue. It is difficult because the menisci are actually very complex structures, not just some kind of rubber like pad akin to a door stop, with three zones of vascularization, and different cellular composition in each zone. I have seen the extension exercise you caution against in almost every therapy video. You mention strengthening the quadriceps. One therapist placed particular emphasis on strengthening the VMO muscle (Vastus Medialis Oblique), one of the four muscles in the quadriceps that helps stabilize the knee, noting that it can begin to atrophy in just 24 hours from lack of use. Would you recommend doing the exercise to activate the VMO and other quadriceps muscles but starting with a larger roll under the knee so that the leg can be partially extended but not full locked? Alternatively, I think one can sit on the edge of a firm bed or a massage table and let the lower leg hang down and then raise it but not extend it fully. Your 70% squats also activate the VOM muscle, do they not? Pain is also a problem. It is the worst pain I have ever had, and I have undergone two dislocated shoulders in high school football, a pilonidal cyst operation (where removing the packing after it healed was hell but just for a minute), a colon cancer operation, and a quadruple heart bypass operation. It becomes depressing and tires you out. I did not want to have cortisone shots as I fear they can weaken tendons. I don't think that physical therapy deals with pain, only with regaining strength and mobility. No one seems to give any advice on how to reduce the pain except to take a NSAID and I use only Tylenol. I see you have another video on knee pain so will check. Finally, and I apologize for the length but maybe my comments and questions can help others suffering the same thing. I am desperate to return to playing golf. That does involve some rotational force on the knee, as you well know. I have begun to read and study some ways to modify the swing to lessen compression and rotation forces on the knees and allow the feet to turn rather than being planted in the ground with cleats. I think biomechanical experts in university and other athletic departments are beginning to look at this more closely. Ironically, I have in fact gone back three times to an indoor practice bay with launch monitor and found that swinging a club cause little or no pain, certainly less than walking or getting up after sitting in a chair for a long time. Perhaps there is hope.
I’m in Montgomery County MD too! Must be an epidemic. Just happened. Argh. Nice video. Deciding on surgery or not. Big tear during recent bball game. Concerned about getting back on the court and the golf course.
Have you investigated Prolotherapy, and specifically, Platelet Rich Plasma therapy which is the base Prolotherapy solution with your own platelets spun out of your blood and added. Prolotherapy is a sugar solution with a numbing agent added (like lidocaine or such). They inject it into ligaments and tendons and your body reacts by laying down collagen, this tightening up the joint. They can even take stem cells out of your fat, and add that to it also. Helps very much with pain relief, even arthritis. Not just knees, but anywhere. Something to investigate. Generally I do not think it is covered by Insurance. But it healed my knee in one session, missed one day of work, instead of a 6 week surgery, which may or may not fix the issue.
@@susanworthington8167Prolotherapy works wonders BUT it is an art. Some practioners are vastly better than others. I had amazing results with a doctor who has since retired and -0- results with 2 others.
Been struggling for 6 mths , I am 54. Physio helped after 6 mths of physio I stopped quad excercises you showed as that was suggested and I found irritated my knee. it was better after 6 mths but then my physio added squats to my excercises telling me to go down as far as I could and if I felt pain transfer weight to other leg! … and then stretching in a lunge to stretch inner thigh! I stupidly tried both and 1 week later I felt a sharp pain in my other leg and have been off it for ten days due to pain and swelling. X rays that were ordered before my most recent injury show no arthritis so seems I had a damaged meniscus all along and now have one in my other knee,🥲 no faith n my nhs physio anymore. I will start your excercises when swelling goes down. Such a shame nhs won’t do mri for these injuries without a request from orthopaedic, when waiting times are 6 mths on average. Thank you for your videos. Gives me hope.😊
💖6:15 Ex 1 to avoid is pressing down of knee with lifting up of the lower leg. 6:40 Ex 2 to avoid is deep squats. 9:15 & 10:00 Ex 3 to avoid is lateral lurch
What are other exercises one can do with a partial or complete meniscus tear than the gentle squat you demonstrate in your video? Also, I ride my peloton with I’m told the most catastrophic of all complete tears and it doesn’t bother me but I can no longer wear my pretty arched heel shoes. I’m holding off on gel injections or treatment as per an Orthopedic at Mayo for time being since I only have pain if, as you point out I do those 3 movements one needs to avoid. Hoping the 3D and nano knee surgeries just continue to advance so by the time people like me need the surgery can walk right out of it.
Thank you so much! I have a tear in both my knees 😩so painful! Thank you so Much about the three movements that aggravate them everything you said is completely true 🥹!
Thank you for showing us what not to do👉🏼now do you have exercises that we should do? Did I miss it and you gave a recommendation or a link to learn more? That would be very helpful!
Does stretching the adductor muscles from a seated position with the legs out at an angle in front of you, and lowering the torso left, right, center cause aggravation or is it just when standing as you're bearing weight on the knee joint?
Great informative video, I had an M.R.I showing complex meniscus tear rt.knee. And had been doing the exercise that you recommended avoiding (laying on my back and pushing my knee against the floor, ) Recently stopped and pain has mostly settled. Do you have any videos on how to treat calf strains (gradual onset) ? Thanks much !
I was just given a similar exercise to do by my PT yesterday. Straighten my leg until it feels like the back of my knee is driven into the surface I'm lying on. Then with toe pointed toward me, slowly raise the entire leg until I reach the point it starts to be uncomfortable. After doing the exercises the prescribed yesterday, my knee felt worse today.
I have two tears from an incident having to lift an 80+ pound dog and move away (attacking my dog). All three of those movements KILL my knee. Can do most other movements without trouble. Thank you so much for this video!!
Thank you Will for educating on the exercises to avoid. Great demo with props. This was probably the problem when doing side lunges in an exercise training program, just setting one up for aggravating an already damaged meniscus. Many thanks !
Sir i am from india . I fell from bike so mu knee is getting knocked so i feel uncomfortable for walking and sometimes on walking . Now i am under the surveillance of my orthopaedic doctor and doing some phytheropy exercise also . Is meniscus is curable?
So, for the first exercise to avoid you say that you still sometimes recommend it for people with a tear if you've assessed that it won't cause further damage for that person. How do you assess that? Because I've done this exercise a few times in the last few weeks and full extension of my knee like that feels soooo good. I don't want to do anything that may cause further damage but it feels so dang good.
Thank you for this video. I agree. These exercises don’t help me at all and are not even doable. Often cause more pain. It’s helpful to know that these can be avoided and for the better
Thank you so much for those three tips, your advice makes perfect sense to me. I was given the first two to do and always have pain I am indeed grateful for these tips.
Fully straight knee aggravates the meniscus tear (horizontal tear). Right, then how to sleep at night? I mean, when we sleep we extend our legs fully????
IMPRESSION:- MRI study of right Knee reveals Partial tear (Grade II) of the anterior cruciate ligament with mild synovial effusion knee joint. Bucket handle tear medial meniscus.
So glad I watched this! I got kicked in the R. knee by one of my horses over 20 years ago, just did the RICE routine, no xray or anything and it seemed to heal ok even though it was hugely swollen. About 10 days ago I tore the anterior medial meniscus in that same knee just planting and twisting going down some stairs (there was a loud crack and intense pain) and I suspect more damage was done to my knee than I suspected at the time. Did the RICE routine again and saw a physiotherapist 3 days later and one of the exercises he recommended was the first one you said not to do, so I'm going to see if I can do other exercises to strengthen my quads. I also have patella baja and am having knee cap pain (it's sticking) so it's been tricky trying to find exercises to do that help and don't make things worse. I've started short workouts on my stationery bike and am walking pretty well with just a little pain, but my knee is clicking a lot and still feels a bit unstable, especially going downhill so I'm just using walking poles and being careful. Thanks for your great video, I like how short and clear your instructions are, and that you also make it clear that each case is different and some of those exercises might be ok in some instances. I'm going to share the link to this video to my friends, as meniscus tears are so common in my age group.
Meniscus tear here, not bad enough for surgery. my Dr. says I can play golf, but I think the twisting motion of my left knee is what keep aggravating the tear, maybe even the cause. can't find much on golf and meniscus tears. thoughts?
Thank you so much! My injury is over a year old and still is painful at times but I’m determined to avoid surgery at all costs! This info should be very helpful! Actually I intuitively came to similar conclusions about avoiding deep flexion of the knee, esp when going upstairs or carrying extra weight. Your video just validated my theories! What do you think of bicycling since that also flexes the knee? I’ve carefully resumed biking but I’m avoiding running! Thanks and cheers!
I had meniscus tear 3 years ago and did a surgery. Thank goodness only 1 exercises that’s the first one of your avoid list prescribed by my physiotherapist which I seldom do. Nowadays I do quadriceps strengthening exercises with weights on my ankles which helps me to walk better.
Yes it is normal but you'll gradually build back your strength however, based on my experience, your quad muscle on the injured side will never be as big as the other one.
Questions if you're still monitoring this! If there is a posterior tear, then does that mean maximum extension exercises are ok and less flexion exercises because it would be putting more pressure on the front of the meniscus where there is no injury? And again, if the tear is in the front, would that mean more flexion exercises would be ok and extension exercises not?
How can you tell whether you aggravate a meniscus tear? If I carry a heavy weight and the force of weight is pushing through femur to meniscus to the tibia, then the presence of swelling and pain afterwards even the next day may be proof positive that you have aggravated your meniscus tear. If I do a quad set or quad set with leg raise then the presence of swelling indicates that you aggravated your meniscus tear. If you a deep squat or lateral lunge then the presence of swelling indicates aggravation of meniscus tear. I can’t do a mri or x ray to see the pinching of meniscus. But would the lack of swelling indicate that you have not pinched your meniscus to an extent that causes impedance of meniscus repair?
I would think so as long as the bike is fitted properly and the seat height is adjusted to avoid excessive bending of the knee joint at the top of the pedal cycle. I see a lot of casual bicycle riders keep the seat too low. Also keeping it in a lower gear and pedaling at a higher cadence would seem more knee friendly than trying to crank a high gear. Though, on the other hand, if it feels all right, some higher gear work might be good for building leg strength.
Hello sir, I m from india. I have a discoid Meniscus tear in right leg . Feeling pain during standing( for long time) and also when I walk around 1km, what should I do????
Sorry to hear about your problem. I'm afraid I can't offer any specific medical advice for anyone over the internet without a proper assessment. Best to get checked by a professional for issues like this. I hope that helps!
if it is a serious tear that does not clear up/heal in a reasonable time , an experienced sports surgeon can perform arthroscopic surgery with chondroplasty. I had this done around 30 years ago and my knee has not given me any trouble since then.
Will, when doing exercises to recover from a meniscus tear, should all of them be done within the pain-free range, or is a 1-2 out of 10 on the pain scale ok?
Don't lock your knees. Keep your knees bent and lean forward. Sort of a Romanian Deadlift without weights. Hinge from hips and touch your knees or your tibial with your palms, that should give plenty of stretch . With bent knees you will stretch both hamstrings and glutes. Let me know how it worked. Suggest doing repetitions, much like a dynamic stretch instead of a holding stretch especially with cold muscles
I couldn’t bent the knee fully it feels like it’s blocked and if I try to force my self to bend it it’s painful and after I feel a pain from the toe side of the knee should I force my self to stretch so it’ll be flexible ?it’s been 4 week since the injury can you please help
Could be a 'bucket handle tear' where part of the meniscus is wedged inside your knee joint blocking the range of motion. Just based on your description, since that was the case for me and that matches with how it was for me. Probably first and foremost best go see a doctor and see what they think. Especially if things haven't gotten better by now, so it has already been 2 months since the inury. I'd also recommend taking it easy and not forcing any painful movements, but instead giving your leg rest to see if it settles down. Generally you shouldn't feel much pain doing any movements. As said, I had a suspected bucket handle tear myself on my medial meniscus (plus some other injuries like a broken fibula and some damage to the interosseous membrane; fell down on my leg with my ankle twisted while doing sports), and had similar symptoms. Could not straighten my leg altough this motion wasn't particularly painful. Flexion/bending was also hampered and this was more painful if I tried to push it. Another symptom was that due to having limited extension, my gait was messed up and walking was a bit painful. The meniscus tear was repaired (Fast-Fix sutures) 7 months ago and rehab has taken its time. Nowhere back yet, but have made decent progress. Walking down stairs is still not 100% normal, nor am I in the shape to play sports yet, but can do jumping/plyometric exercises, swim, cycle and run a bit. From what I've read and based on the comments of my physio, it will take 1 year for the meniscus to fully heal. Potentially back to sports after 9 months.
@@ntnnot thankyou for taking time to reply to my comment , the doctor advised me not to force anything and do some exercises i did as the doc said Alhamdulillah am better now can fully bend my knee walk did some jumping jacks the other day 🤣 which felt like I shouldn’t be doing it if I don’t want to injure my knee again and definitely can’t think of playing football for now but I really hope I will in a year at least But can function normally Alhamdulillah 😄
@@Smzaid33how long did it take you to heal. I have a suspected medial meniscus tear and it’s hard to bend my knee towards my glutes. Not sure if surgery is the best option but it’s something I rather avoid. Any info would be helpful. Have a good one.
@@erikgomez5098 I had the same problem brother i think after a two month I started to see improvements, it’s crazy I thought I’ll never be able to fully bend my knee again but fast forward Alhamdulillah I can perfectly bend my knee like before the injury, don’t worry it’ll get better brother inshaAllah but consult the doc if you are worried It’ll help you with worrying, I was kind of relieved after the doc told me not to force it and continue the exercises and it got better, may god grant you speedy recovery brother
I injured my knees in the gym. My trainer keeps having me lift heavy weights until there’s a time it builds up fluid in my knees. So painful. My orthopedic doctor told me to quit doing it.
@@HT-Physio hello! I mean a shifted waist where the body is slanted to one side from waist up usually due to lower back pain. I've seem to hurt my lower back and my body naturally leans to 1 side from waist up. Side note thanks for making all the great videos they are very helpful!
I had the same problem my therapist told me I was bending wrongly, arching my back and not and having my knees straight. For my back pain he gave an exercise laying down on the floor and holding a boloom behind my 2⃣ legs then move lower body very slow to the left and then to the right and my pain disappear. Sorry for English.
