What Exercises Not to Do with a Torn Meniscus

As a young child, I loved to watch baseball, football, and hockey with my grandpa (Papa). When he was a young man, he went semi-pro as a pitcher and shortstop for the AAA league here in Detroit, Michigan. By the time I came around, he couldn’t throw anymore, nor could he run.

When it came time for him to teach me how to play the game of baseball, he had to throw side-arm to me, but he could catch like a pro still, as long as I didn’t make him move too much to get the ball. As a result, I quickly learned how to throw a baseball accurately. He taught me everything he knew about the game, and I fell in love with baseball.

He even came to all of my games and practices because I wanted his guidance on how to be a better player. I had some good coaches over the years, but he was the greatest in my mind, so who better to learn from?

As I grew older, stronger, and a better ballplayer, my Papa could no longer handle playing catch with me. By the time I made the Varsity team in high school, my Papa had two rotator cuff surgeries and two knee replacements. He had extensive in-home physical therapy and had to use a knee exercise machine after each knee surgery.

The unique knee exercise machine he used delivered a perfect range of motion to solve the straightening and bending of the knee quickly after surgery. It helped my Papa prepare for knee surgery (pre-hab) and recover quickly from the surgery with sophisticated strength modules. With all the technological improvements over the last thirty years, today, that same machine will wirelessly transmit data to a personal Knee Recovery Coach who works with the patients virtually every day. How cool is that?

Fast forward, and I am now the same age my Papa was when he first taught me how to play baseball. I have had multiple courses of physical therapy for both of my shoulders and am now facing surgery on both knees as they each have torn meniscuses. So, precisely what exercises should I avoid with a torn meniscus? Here are a few to consider avoiding:

• Pivoting (oh my gosh, I just did this yesterday, and I almost passed out from the pain!)
• Twisting
• Squats (duh!)
• Crossing legs while in a sitting position
• Running (I probably could not run even if I had to!)
• Locking your knee straight (ouch, I have done this by accident!)
• Moving things with your foot (I keep forgetting this one when the dogs move the kitchen mats around)
• Sitting on your foot (no crisscross applesauce for this mama!)

Some exercises are much too strenuous for those of us with meniscus tears. Basically, a person should not do deep squats or any exercise that involves pivoting or otherwise twisting the knee.

According to the National Library of Medicine, “Meniscal tears are a common orthopedic pathology. Selecting the correct treatment can be challenging and involves multiple factors. Knowledge and understanding of the anatomical structure and vascularity of the meniscus as well as the pattern of tear is important. Evidence shows that non-operative treatment can be successful especially in the short term and in the presence of osteoarthritis.

Treatment options for meniscal tears fall into three broad categories; non-operative, meniscectomy or meniscal repair. Selecting the most appropriate treatment for a given patient involves both patient factors (e.g., age, co-morbidities and compliance) and tear characteristics (e.g., location of tear/age/reducibility of tear),”.

Should you massage a meniscus tear?

By the end of the day, after many trips up and down the stairs, which I try my hardest to minimize, my knees are swollen and painful. Typically, I grab some sports cream and massage my knees to help relieve some of the pain.

Encompassing a variety of techniques with sufficient pressure through the superficial tissue to reach the deep-lying structures, massage may also help a torn meniscus. Massage can be used to increase blood flow, decrease swelling, reduce muscle spasms, and promote normal tissue repair.

Here are a few things I have tried over the years to relieve my poor knees:

• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Physical therapy
• Knee exercise machines
• Chiropractic adjustments
• Essential oils and creams
• Resting
• Ice and heat therapy
• Asking for help!

Beyond avoiding specific exercises, there’s a plethora of strategies to manage and ultimately recover from a torn meniscus. One often underrated approach is focusing on low-impact activities that can help maintain overall fitness without placing unnecessary strain on your knees. Swimming, for instance, is fantastic because the buoyancy reduces stress on the joints while still allowing for a full range of motion.

Additionally, strengthening the muscles around the knee, like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, can provide better support and stability to the injured area. Gentle exercises such as leg raises, hamstring curls, and calf stretches can be particularly effective. Engaging in these strengthening exercises under the guidance of a physical therapist or medical professional ensures that you’re performing them correctly and not inadvertently causing more harm.

It’s also crucial to wear proper footwear. Shoes that offer good support and cushioning can reduce the impact on your knees, making everyday movements less painful. I found some really great running shoes that are fashionable and supportive where I need them most. I tell my kids that I need good shoes because, with my knee injuries, it feels as though I do not have shocks to absorb the pressure from walking on our home’s hard floors.

Does a torn meniscus hurt all the time?

As mentioned earlier, I have torn meniscuses in both knees, and there is a constant pain level from about 3-4, with the end of the day seeing pain levels rising to around anywhere from a level 6-9, depending on the type of day I had.

For example, when I cook on the grill, I must stand on a concrete pad, which hurts my knees tremendously. Also, I have tile floors in my kitchen and hardwood everywhere else. And after walking around my house for the day, my knees hurt even more so.

There is often sharp pain when you twist or squat. Symptoms may go away, but they come back from overuse or when I have done any activities that involve twisting. Pain may come and go over the years, especially if the tear isn’t treated.

What exercises not to do with a torn meniscus

Remember, managing a torn meniscus is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient with your body, follow medical advice, and take proactive steps to support your recovery. The aim is to get back to doing what you love without compromising your knee health.