Can you avoid surgery for a torn meniscus? Dr. B and Coach E explain common strategies and the missing key elements, the role of surgery, cover new research, and show you five exercises to fix the root cause of meniscus tears and knee pain.

Say you just injured your knee. It hurts. Without going straight to the doctor, how do you know if you might have torn your meniscus? Dr. B shows you how to self-diagnose a potential tear, so you can get into the doctor and confirm it.

But what if your doctor recommends surgery? There are three scenarios where it makes sense to address a tear by going under the knife. But new studies indicate that surgery is only sometimes the solution. One recent study even shows increased x-ray evidence of arthritis compared to the patients who didn’t undergo surgery.

Next, you’ll learn what to do right after you injure your knee - aka the acute phase. Then the surprising way of getting knee swelling down (it takes a couple of days, but it also helps settle the pain.)

Finally, Coach E shows you five at-home exercises to address the root causes and missing key elements of most programs for staying active with a torn meniscus.

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IN THIS VIDEO

00:00 - Intro
01:18 - Meniscus tear signs
02:45 - Do you need surgery?
03:30 - Recent studies on knee/meniscus surgery
05:30 - How do you manage an acute meniscus tear?
08:10 - Root causes

THE EXERCISES

09:23 - ASMR: Posteromedial knee
11:37 - Extended Knee Ankle Fl-Ex
14:50 - 4-Way MTP Slide
17:20 - Prone Knee Flexion ERE
20:20 - Reverse Lunge & Twist

22:20 - Next Steps

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED

Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee disease (osteoarthritis including degenerative meniscal tears): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35238...

Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for a degenerative meniscus tear: a 5 year follow-up of the placebo-surgery controlled FIDELITY (Finnish Degenerative Meniscus Lesion Study) trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32855...

Knee Pain Solution: https://www.precisionmovement.coach/k... - our improved course based on peer-reviewed research and designed to get you moving freely ASAP. Proven to decrease pain, improve activity participation, and build resilience, all in an at-home 20-minute routine.

ROM Coach app (free!):​ https://www.precisionmovement.coach/r... - our beautiful mobile app to improve your mobility and help you achieve movement longevity, includes the Daily Movement Tuneup and gives you 3 new exercises that will activate every muscle and mobilize every joint in your body every 1-2 weeks (only 3-5 mins/day!)

Medical Disclaimer
The medical information on any/all of our content is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your health care provider before making any health care decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.