Non-surgical Rehabilitation
When you visit One Wellness, our initial treatments for a torn meniscus focus on decreasing pain and swelling in your knee. Rest and anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, can help decrease these symptoms. You may need to use crutches until you can walk without a limp.
Our physiotherapist will treat your swelling and pain with the use of ice, electrical stimulation, and rest periods with your leg supported in elevation. Exercises are used to help you regain normal movement of joints and muscles. Exercises to improve knee range of motion and strength are added gradually. Our physiotherapist may also help you to obtain and use a knee brace.
Although recovery time varies, nonsurgical rehabilitation for a meniscal injury typically lasts six to eight weeks. You can return to your sporting activities when your quadriceps and hamstring muscles are back to nearly their full strength and control, you are not having swelling that comes and goes, and you aren't having problems with the knee giving way.
Post-surgical Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation proceeds cautiously after surgery on the meniscus, and treatments will vary depending on whether you had part of the meniscus taken out or your surgeon repaired or replaced the meniscus.
Patients are strongly advised to follow their physiotherapist's recommendations about how much weight can be borne while standing or walking. After a partial meniscectomy, we may instruct you to place a comfortable amount of weight on your operated leg using a walking aid. After a meniscal repair, however, you may be instructed to keep your knee straight in a locked knee brace and to put only minimal or no weight on your foot when standing or walking for up to six weeks.
One Wellness patients usually need only a few physiotherapy visits after meniscectomy. We may recommend additional treatments if there are problems with swelling, pain, or weakness. Rehabilitation is slower after a meniscal repair or allograft procedure. At first, expect to see our physiotherapist two to three times a week. If your surgery and rehabilitation go as planned, you may only need to do a home program and see our physiotherapist every few weeks over a six-to eight-week period.
One Wellness provides services for physiotherapy in Canmore.