Meniscus Tear: Exercises

1. Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall. You can also do this with your hands on the back of a chair, a counter, or a tree.
2. Put one leg about a step behind your other leg, with your toes pointing forward.
3. Keeping your back leg straight and your back heel on the floor, bend your front knee and gently bring your hip and chest toward the wall until you feel a stretch in the calf of your back leg.
4. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
5. Repeat 2 to 4 times for each leg.

1. Sit on the floor close to a doorway. Be sure to stretch your affected leg first.
2. Lie down with your other leg through the doorway.
3. Slide your affected leg up the wall to straighten your knee. Don't point your toes. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg. Be sure to:
4. Hold the stretch for at least 1 minute. Then over time, try to lengthen the time you hold the stretch to as long as 6 minutes.
5. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
6. It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other leg.

• To stretch your right leg, scoot to the right side of the doorway.
• To stretch your left leg, scoot to the left side of the doorway.

• Keep both knees straight.
• Keep your back flat and your other heel on the floor.

If you do not have a place to do this exercise in a doorway, there is another way to do it:

• Lie on your back, and bend the knee of your affected leg.
• Loop a towel under the ball and toes of that foot, and hold the ends of the towel in your hands.
• Straighten your knee as you raise that foot into the air. Slowly pull back on the towel. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg.
• Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Or even better, hold the stretch for 1 minute if you can.
• Repeat 2 to 4 times.
• It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other leg.

1. Sit or lie down on a firm surface or the floor with your affected leg straight. Place a small, rolled-up towel under your knee.
2. Tighten the thigh muscles of your straight leg by pressing the back of your knee down into the towel.
3. Hold for about 6 seconds, then rest.
4. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
5. It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other leg.

1. Lie on your back with your affected leg straight. You can bend your other leg, if that feels more comfortable.
2. Tighten the thigh muscles in your affected leg by pressing the back of your knee down. Hold your knee straight.
3. Keeping the thigh muscles tight and your leg straight, lift your affected leg up so that your heel is about 12 inches off the floor. Hold for about 6 seconds, then lower slowly.
4. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
5. It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other leg.

1. Lie on your stomach with your legs straight.
2. Keeping your leg straight, lift the toes of your affected leg about 6 inches off the floor.
3. Hold for about 6 seconds and then slowly lower your leg.
4. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
5. It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other leg.

1. Lie on your stomach with your legs straight.
2. Lift the foot of your affected leg by bending your knee so that you bring your foot up toward your buttock. If this motion hurts, try it without bending your knee quite as far. This may help you avoid any painful motion.
3. Slowly lower your foot back to the floor.
4. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
5. It's a good idea to repeat these steps with your other leg.

• If you're not comfortable, try placing a pillow under your stomach.
• If your kneecap is uncomfortable, roll up a washcloth and put it under your leg just above your kneecap.

When you can do this exercise with ease and no pain, add some resistance. To do this:

• Tie the ends of an exercise band together to form a loop. To hold the band in place, shut a door on the band so the knot is on the other side of the door, or attach one end of the loop to a secure object. (Or you can have someone hold one end of the loop to provide resistance.)
• Loop the other end of the exercise band around the lower part of your affected leg.
• Repeat steps 1 through 5, slowly pulling back on the exercise band with your leg.

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and 12 inches from a wall.
2. Lean against the wall and slide down until your knees are bent about 20 to 30 degrees.
3. Place a ball about the size of a soccer ball between your knees and squeeze your knees against the ball for about 6 seconds.
4. Rest a few seconds, then squeeze again.
5. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

1. Stand with your feet a few inches apart, with your hands lightly resting on a counter or chair in front of you.
2. Slowly raise your heels 1 to 2 inches off the floor while keeping your knees straight. Hold for about 6 seconds, then slowly lower your heels to the floor.
3. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and your ankles bent so that only your heels are digging into the floor. Your knees should be bent about 90 degrees.
2. Tighten your belly muscles by pulling your belly button in toward your spine. Keep breathing normally and don't hold your breath.
3. Push your heels into the floor, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor until your shoulders, hips, and knees are all in a straight line. Keep your hips level.
4. Hold for about 6 seconds.
5. Slowly lower your hips back to the floor.
6. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

1. Stand with your hands lightly resting on a counter or chair in front of you. Put your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Slowly bend your knees so that you squat down like you're going to sit in a chair. Make sure that your knees don't go in front of your toes.
3. Lower yourself about 6 inches. Your heels should stay on the floor at all times.
4. Rise slowly to a standing position.
5. Repeat 8 to 12 times.