Meniscal Repair — Meniscus Repair

SOMOS (Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons) · Tri-Service Orthopedics & Physical Therapy Consultants

Weight-Bearing

Brace locked ext; WB by tear type: radial/complex/root NWB to foot flat wks 1-6; bucket-handle/vertical/longitudinal 0-25% BW wks 1-2 / 25-50% wks 3-4 / 50-75% wks 5-6; FWB by 12 wks

Key Restrictions

Brace at all times; NO flexing knee with load while WB; ROM 0-90°; no running Phase 2; jogging no earlier than 16 weeks; discharge: hop test + Y-balance >90% LSI, isokinetic >85% LSI; RTS 6-9 months

Timeline & Phases

Phase 1 (wks 0-6): brace locked ext, WB per tear type — calf pumps, heel slides 0-90°, quad sets (e-stim PRN), passive ext, HS/calf stretching, hip/glute endurance; wks 3-4: SAQ with light weights, seated ankle ROM/proprioception, gait training, UBE; wks 5-6: leg press 0-60° (when ROM >85°), stationary bike 0-100°, pool; Phase 2 (wks 7-12): FWB by 12 wks, d/c brace with adequate quad/ROM, no running — bike, gait training, LE stretching, elliptical/stairmaster when gait WNL, progressive LE strengthening (calf press, leg press, squats 0-60°, HS curls), neuromuscular DL to SL, pool; Phase 3 (months 3-6): non-impact conditioning, progressive strengthening (lunges, squats <90°, agility/plyometrics), jogging from no earlier than 16 wks increasing 10-20%/wk; pass fitness test 6-8 months; RTS 6-9 months

Notes

WB restrictions differ by tear type: radial/complex/root tears NWB to foot flat wks 1-6; jogging no earlier than 16 weeks; discharge criteria hop test + Y-balance >90% LSI, isokinetic >85% LSI; Tri-Service May 2020; military population

Surgeon / Author

Tri-Service Orthopedics & Physical Therapy Consultants

Published

2020