Mobility Exercises for Medical Meniscus Injuries

Mobility Exercises

Flexion / Extension Exercise

This exercise is important to improve the movement of the injured knee but it can also help to maintain the strength of the quads and hamstrings in the early stages of rehab. These movements also help to reduce the swelling around the knee.

• Sit on the edge of a bench or chair.
• Slowly bend (flex) and straighten (extend) the knee within the limits of pain.
• Aim for 3 sets of 10-20 repetitions 3 times a day as pain allows.

Increase the difficulty of this exercise by holding the leg still at the end of range, for both in flexion and extension. This will aid in strengthening the muscles.

Knee Flexion

This exercise targets the hamstring muscles which are the main flexors of the knee. It also helps to stretch the quadriceps at the front of the thigh.

• Laying face down on the floor, the leg is bent as far as possible.
• Repeat this exercises 10 times.
• Hold the knee at the end of range for 5-10 seconds, as exercise becomes easier
• Repeat 1 to 3 times a day.

Heel Slides

This exercise promotes mobility in the hamstrings and the quads. It also helps to mobilise the hip flexor muscles (iliopsoas and rectus femoris) and the hip joint.

This movement can be made easier by reducing the resistance between the foot and floor. In the early stages this may be done by wearing a thick sock and sliding the foot along a polished floor as opposed to carpet.

• Lying on the back, one knee is bent upwards whilst sliding the foot along the ground.
• The heel is slided up as far as possible towards the buttocks.
• In the early phases of recovery it may only be possible to bend the knee as little as 30 degrees. This should increase over time.
• Repeat 10 to 20 times daily, aiming to increase the range of movement as pain allows

If there is insufficient muscle strength to bend the knee, the exercise may be made easier by using a towel around the ankle to facilitate flexion.

Light, low resistance exercises such as swimming and light exercise bike training can also aid to increase range of mobility. However these are normally only advised when satisfactory range of movement has been achieved.

Stretches

The aim of stretching is to increase the range of motionat a joint by increasing the flexibility of the surrounding muscles. Stretching exercises are very helpful in rehab but should normally be accompanied by a strengthening program. there are lots of stretching exercises which can be used after an injury to the medial meniscus. As always these should only be carried out if they do not cause pain.

Leg Extension using Towel Roll

This stretch helps to get the last few degrees of knee extension in the mid-late stages of the rehab. It uses the natural weight of the leg to stretch the structures at the back of the knee

• Roll up a medium sized towel.
• Place on a footstool in front of a chair
• When sitting, the heel is rested on the towel so that the leg is as straight as possible
• If it can be tolerated allow leg to remain straightened
• Leave for 10-15 minutes. Repeat every hour.

Hamstring stretch

• Performed in a seated position with one leg outstretched and the other bent out of the way.
• Lean forwards from the hips until a gentle stretch is felt in the back of the thigh.
• Hold for 20 seconds, rest and repeat 2-3 times.

 Calf Stretches

This stretch increases the flexibility of the calf muscle.

• Place the injured leg one pace behind the other.
• Keep the knee straight and the heel on the floor as you lean forwards (stand in front of a wall for balance!)
• A stretch should be felt at the back of the back leg.
• Hold for 10-20 seconds and release slowly.
• Repeat 3 times daily

 Also perform this stretch with the knee slightly bent to stretch the soleus muscle.