Jogging for pain in the outer meniscus

When stability and resilience have been restored after an external meniscus lesion, jogging can be started carefully. It is important when running that a physiological running pattern has been developed beforehand, so that no incorrect posture occurs. Proper footwear should also be taken into account.

As soon as pain occurs, the load should be reduced again. Pain can occur due to short-term overloading and can flatten out again after a training session due to cold and a break. The patient must be free of pain to start running again.

If the pain reoccurs and gets worse, the patient should stop running and find the cause of the pain. If no further rupture of the meniscus has occurred, more coordination training can be done to support the running and further improve stability. With supporting taping around the knee, the patient can be given a feeling of stability. This is often enough, since the patient may have a pain memory and therefore react more sensitively to changes around the knee.

Therapy after surgery

The treatment after surgery is based on the information provided by the doctor. In most cases there is a load limitation of 20-30° partial load and a steady increase in movement over weeks is indicated. These specifications should definitely be followed, otherwise the condition may worsen.

At the beginning, the tendency to swelling and pain is addressed. The first strengthening exercises take place as so-called isometric tension, in which the patient presses his knee through and holds the tension. The movement is performed in a limited bending range.

As the load is released, the movements are extended and, if there is no movement, they are supported by manual therapy. At full load, the exercises can be made more complex so that more muscle tension is required. During the exercises, however, care should be taken to ensure that they are performed correctly and that the leg axis is maintained. Cycling and water gymnastics complement the therapy.