This video about long is worth a watch:
I am at a point after 8 years of a torn meniscus I believe or longer, it was so painful I had to get a quality brace and avoid a lot of exercises.
I only started doing this a week ago (approximately) and they cover more than just meniscus tears but do focus on all the joints/muscles you would not think would impact a meniscus tear.
There are three main exercises, besides the essential stretches, that I found on a video but for some reason it is no longer up or I would have posted it.
The exercise that is missing and it is humbling if you are a guy who can squat 4 plates plus but much to my surprise, after doing a rehab routine of stretches/3-5 exercises based around the knees over toes 'guy', I was surprised how sore I was the next day.
One exercise that I would recommend and is pretty basic - you need a diagonal piece of wood or metal (you can guy them) or you can buy a large door stop that was built well. You out it on a few plates and make sure something is on the plates that is a non slippery mat like a piece of a yoga mat. You put one foot on the diagonal piece with your toes pointed down, and slowly lower your other leg down to the side or front depending on how far you want your knees to pass your toes. I had to use a stabilizing bar the first few times so I would not lose balance. Touch the foot to the ground and then push back up with the foot on the wood/metal piece. The goal is to eventually increase the height and how far you move your knee over your toes.
Simply enough and even though I have one tear, I do both legs to give one a break. I do 4 sets back to back as I am slowly increasing the height and how far I put my other leg forward.
Not going to build massive legs, but if you are like many with knee issues, it will hurt at first, but I am already able to do decent depth without any pain.
I am an advocate for training the front of your calve to exhaustion first with toe raises against a wall. They cover this in the video.
One of the last exercises, is mobility and somewhat of a workout. Put one foot on a slightly raised grip bench with a wide stretch with your leg behind you and move forward as far as you can. I soon realized I could not get my knee past my toes, but can now (just barely). The video shows how to increase the resistance and get more mobility.
Between upper body exercises, my rest period is sitting on my calves stretching the tibia muscles and sitting the same way but with my toes getting the stretch as my feet are no longer flat (top of foot down). In the video too. Even sitting with your butt as far to the ground in a comfortable position, with your legs in a sort of Sumo squat stance seems to help.
Not saying this will fix it, but I am trying this for a few months before I get surgery.
I am not much for YouTube vids, but I believe in this guys science. Go slow and see if it helps / it is with me and I am not doing any major leg building exercises for two weeks, before I start adding some in.
Just a thought and maybe not for you.
The meniscus is a vital part of the cushion in your knee so if I can get back to kicking high, sports that are out of the picture now - I figured why not. It is a common injury among weight lifters and athletes.
Just food for thought. There are a lot of free videos and info available if you look this guy up.
I am at a point after 8 years of a torn meniscus I believe or longer, it was so painful I had to get a quality brace and avoid a lot of exercises.
I only started doing this a week ago (approximately) and they cover more than just meniscus tears but do focus on all the joints/muscles you would not think would impact a meniscus tear.
There are three main exercises, besides the essential stretches, that I found on a video but for some reason it is no longer up or I would have posted it.
The exercise that is missing and it is humbling if you are a guy who can squat 4 plates plus but much to my surprise, after doing a rehab routine of stretches/3-5 exercises based around the knees over toes 'guy', I was surprised how sore I was the next day.
One exercise that I would recommend and is pretty basic - you need a diagonal piece of wood or metal (you can guy them) or you can buy a large door stop that was built well. You out it on a few plates and make sure something is on the plates that is a non slippery mat like a piece of a yoga mat. You put one foot on the diagonal piece with your toes pointed down, and slowly lower your other leg down to the side or front depending on how far you want your knees to pass your toes. I had to use a stabilizing bar the first few times so I would not lose balance. Touch the foot to the ground and then push back up with the foot on the wood/metal piece. The goal is to eventually increase the height and how far you move your knee over your toes.
Simply enough and even though I have one tear, I do both legs to give one a break. I do 4 sets back to back as I am slowly increasing the height and how far I put my other leg forward.
Not going to build massive legs, but if you are like many with knee issues, it will hurt at first, but I am already able to do decent depth without any pain.
I am an advocate for training the front of your calve to exhaustion first with toe raises against a wall. They cover this in the video.
One of the last exercises, is mobility and somewhat of a workout. Put one foot on a slightly raised grip bench with a wide stretch with your leg behind you and move forward as far as you can. I soon realized I could not get my knee past my toes, but can now (just barely). The video shows how to increase the resistance and get more mobility.
Between upper body exercises, my rest period is sitting on my calves stretching the tibia muscles and sitting the same way but with my toes getting the stretch as my feet are no longer flat (top of foot down). In the video too. Even sitting with your butt as far to the ground in a comfortable position, with your legs in a sort of Sumo squat stance seems to help.
Not saying this will fix it, but I am trying this for a few months before I get surgery.
I am not much for YouTube vids, but I believe in this guys science. Go slow and see if it helps / it is with me and I am not doing any major leg building exercises for two weeks, before I start adding some in.
Just a thought and maybe not for you.
The meniscus is a vital part of the cushion in your knee so if I can get back to kicking high, sports that are out of the picture now - I figured why not. It is a common injury among weight lifters and athletes.
Just food for thought. There are a lot of free videos and info available if you look this guy up.
