Have you been told you have a meniscus tear and now do not know what to do? Is surgery the best option or can it be avoided? Are you going to make it worse if you opt to avoid surgery? These are all great questions and you probably have more, so now let’s discuss.

Is surgery necessary?

Not necessarily. You may be thinking but if something is torn doesn’t it need to be fixed or removed? But the answer is not always. The data on this issue is starting to skew away from surgery. Up until more recently, if a person was discovered to have a meniscus tear it was addressed by either shaving out the “tear” or repairing it IF the location was just right. But researchers are finding that patient results at 6 months and beyond are almost the same whether surgery is performed or the person rehabs without surgery. You may be asking how is that possible? Well, some “tears” occur with age and are happenstance findings when a person has knee pain and imaging done. This means that given enough time and a little rehab, it can be just fine without surgery.

The current data suggests that most individuals should participate in a rehab program first before deciding whether to undergo surgery. Yes, there will be some folks who are unable to rehab or have other damage to the knee that will necessitate surgery. But this number is much smaller than it was not that long ago.

Will I make it worse if I don’t have surgery?

Another great question and the data is inconclusive. There is no way to fully predict future damage to the knee or not.  Certainly, there may be some activities to avoid long-term, but there is plenty that can be done. And further consideration must be given to the comprehensive nature of the rehab program. The better and more complete the program, generally the better the outcomes.

But my doctor told me I will then need a knee replacement in the future if I don’t have surgery. Again, there is no predicting who will or will not require a more significant procedure such as that. And that could be the end result surgery or not.

What about these shots they give, do they help?

It is possible that a cortisone or Synvisc injection may help…at least for a few months. But there is no telling who will and will not respond to this type of treatment.

Bottom line, should you be told you have a meniscus tear your first line of care should be with a rehab professional. Work to address range of motion, strength, balance, and hopefully get to training for higher level of physical activity again. If all else fails you can go back to the surgeon. BUT more people will be successful with rehab alone.

Ready and willing to give rehab a shot? If so, click HERE to speak to an expert who can guide you through the process to avoid surgery while getting you back to the activities you enjoy