Meniscus Tear: What Physical Therapy Can Do

By Nova Physical Therapy, an outpatient physical therapy clinic in North Hollywood, CA | Published November 2026

You twisted your knee playing basketball, or you stood up from a squat and felt a sharp pain on the inside of the joint. Now the knee is swollen, it aches on stairs, and sometimes it catches or feels like it might give way. Maybe an MRI has already shown a meniscus tear, and you're wondering whether you need surgery.

Meniscus tears are one of the most common knee injuries, and treatment depends a lot on the type of tear, your age, and your symptoms. This article explains what the meniscus does, how tears happen, what research says about exercise and physical therapy, and which signs mean you should see a physician promptly.

The short answer

The meniscus is a C-shaped cushion of cartilage inside the knee. Tears happen either suddenly, usually from a twist, or gradually with age as the tissue wears. For many middle-aged adults with a degenerative tear, research shows that a supervised exercise program can work about as well as arthroscopic surgery. In one trial of 140 adults averaging 50 years old, 12 weeks of supervised exercise gave similar two-year results to surgery for pain and function, with stronger thigh muscles early on (Kise et al., 2016). The APTA guideline recommends supervised, progressive strength, motion, and neuromuscular training for meniscus tears, with or without surgery (Logerstedt et al., 2018). A knee that is truly locked and can't straighten needs prompt medical evaluation. In California, you can see a physical therapist without a referral.

What is the meniscus?

Each knee has two menisci: one on the inner side (medial) and one on the outer side (lateral). They sit between the thighbone and shinbone and help:

• Absorb shock when you walk, run, and jump
• Spread load across the knee joint
• Keep the knee stable
• Protect the cartilage on the ends of the bones

The inner (medial) meniscus is injured more often, partly because it is more firmly attached and moves less.

How do meniscus tears happen?

There are two broad types:

• Traumatic tears: usually in younger, active people, from twisting or pivoting on a bent knee, such as in basketball, soccer, or pickleball. These sometimes happen together with ligament injuries like an ACL tear.
• Degenerative tears: more common after about age 40, when the meniscus becomes less flexible. They can happen with a small movement, like squatting or getting up from the floor, or with no clear injury at all.

Degenerative tears are common on MRI, including in people without knee pain, so a tear on a scan doesn't always explain every symptom.

What are the symptoms of a torn meniscus?

Common signs include:

• Pain along the inner or outer side of the knee
• Swelling that develops over a day or so after the injury
• Pain with twisting, squatting, or pivoting
• A catching or clicking feeling
• Stiffness or trouble fully bending or straightening the knee
• A feeling that the knee might give way

A history of twisting, catching or locking, delayed swelling, and tenderness along the joint line are among the findings the APTA guideline lists for meniscus tears (Logerstedt et al., 2018).

Can a meniscus tear heal without surgery?

It depends on the tear. Many people, especially those with degenerative tears, improve without surgery through a structured exercise program. The meniscus has a limited blood supply, so not every tear "heals" in the usual sense, but strength, motion, and function can improve a lot.

Research on degenerative tears:

• In the Norwegian trial, 140 adults with degenerative tears did either 12 weeks of supervised exercise, 2 to 3 sessions a week, or arthroscopic surgery. At two years, there was no clinically meaningful difference in pain, function, or knee-related quality of life (Kise et al., 2016).
• About 19% of the exercise group later chose surgery (Kise et al., 2016).
• Thigh strength improved more in the exercise group at three months (Kise et al., 2016).

Some tears, especially traumatic tears in younger people or tears that cause a truly locked knee, may need surgical evaluation. Whether surgery makes sense for you is a decision to make with an orthopedic surgeon.

How can physical therapy help?

The APTA guideline recommends (Logerstedt et al., 2018):

• Supervised, progressive exercise: range-of-motion work, strength training for the knee and hip muscles, and neuromuscular (balance and control) training
• Supervised rehab after meniscus surgery, with a home program you learn to do on your own
• Neuromuscular electrical stimulation after meniscus procedures to help rebuild quadriceps strength
• Early, progressive knee motion after surgery, following your surgeon's protocol

A physical therapy evaluation may include:

• How the injury happened and which movements bother it
• Swelling, knee motion, and joint line tenderness
• Quadriceps, hamstring, and hip strength
• Balance, squatting, stairs, and hopping when you're ready
• Screening for ligament injury or other signs that need a physician

A typical plan may include:

• Strategies to calm swelling and pain
• Exercises to restore full knee bending and straightening
• Progressive strength training for the thigh and hip
• Balance and movement control drills
• A step-by-step return to sport, work, or the gym

Physical therapy doesn't guarantee a specific result or timeline. Questions about imaging, injections, or surgery are best directed to your physician or surgeon.

At Nova Physical Therapy in North Hollywood, knee and meniscus injuries are one of our core services, including sports injury rehab and rehab after knee surgery, and every plan starts with an evaluation so treatment fits what we find. For other causes of knee pain, read our post on knee pain on stairs.

When should I see a doctor?

See a physician promptly if you have:

• A knee that is locked and won't fully straighten
• A pop at the time of injury followed by rapid swelling, which can mean a ligament injury
• Inability to put weight on the leg
• A knee that keeps giving way
• A hot, red, swollen knee or fever
• Calf swelling, warmth, or redness
• Pain that keeps getting worse despite rest and exercise

We screen for these signs during every evaluation and refer you to a physician when findings call for medical assessment.

Do I need a referral for physical therapy in California?

Not to get started. California allows direct access to physical therapy. A physical therapist can evaluate and treat you without a referral for up to 45 calendar days or 12 visits, whichever comes first. After that, a physician or podiatrist needs to sign the plan of care for treatment to continue. Your insurance plan may have its own referral rules, so check your coverage or see our insurance page.

Frequently asked questions

Can you walk on a torn meniscus?
Many people can, especially with smaller or degenerative tears. Walking may be uncomfortable at first. If you can't put weight on the leg or the knee locks, see a physician.

Does a torn meniscus need surgery?
Not always. For many middle-aged adults with degenerative tears, supervised exercise works about as well as surgery. Some tears, especially traumatic tears or a locked knee, need a surgeon's evaluation.

How long does a meniscus tear take to recover with physical therapy?
It varies. In research programs, supervised exercise ran about 12 weeks, and many people improve over a few months. Your physical therapist will set a timeline after your evaluation.

What exercises are good for a torn meniscus?
Programs usually include knee motion exercises, quadriceps and hip strengthening, and balance training, progressed over time. A physical therapist can set the right starting level.

Should I avoid squatting with a meniscus tear?
Deep squats and twisting often bother a torn meniscus early on. Many people can return to squatting gradually as strength and symptoms improve.

Do I need an MRI for a meniscus tear?
Not always. Imaging decisions are made by your physician, often when there's been a significant injury, the knee locks, or symptoms aren't improving.

Do I need a referral to see a physical therapist?
No, not to start. California allows direct access within the limits described above.

About Nova Physical Therapy

Nova Physical Therapy is an outpatient physical therapy clinic in North Hollywood, California, led by a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We help people recover from knee pain, back and neck pain, sports injuries, work injuries, auto accident injuries, and shoulder problems, and we also work with balance problems and rehab after surgery. Patients come to us from North Hollywood, Burbank, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Valley Village, and across the San Fernando Valley. Learn more about Nova or see our services.

Schedule an evaluation

If a knee injury or meniscus tear is slowing you down, an evaluation can help you understand your options and build a plan to get moving again.

Nova Physical Therapy
4795 Vineland Ave #E, North Hollywood, CA 91602
Call (818) 639-3402 | Book an appointment online

Disclaimer

This article is for general education only. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation for any individual. Knee pain has many causes, and only an in-person evaluation, sometimes with imaging ordered by a physician, can determine what is right for you. No treatment guarantees symptom resolution, and results vary. Physical therapists evaluate movement and function within their scope of practice and refer to physicians when findings warrant. Physical therapy in California is regulated by the Physical Therapy Board of California.

References

1. Logerstedt DS, Scalzitti DA, Bennell KL, et al. Knee Pain and Mobility Impairments: Meniscal and Articular Cartilage Lesions Revision 2018. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2018;48(2):A1–A50. Link
2. Kise NJ, Risberg MA, Stensrud S, et al. Exercise therapy versus arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for degenerative meniscal tear in middle aged patients: randomised controlled trial with two year follow-up. BMJ. 2016;354:i3740. Link