Meniscus Tear Treatment in Surrey, BC

What it feels like

• Pain along the inner or outer joint line of the knee, especially with twisting or deep squatting
• Catching, clicking or a knee that occasionally locks or won't fully straighten
• Swelling that develops hours after activity rather than immediately

Why it happens

The menisci are two C-shaped cartilage pads that cushion and stabilise the knee. Younger people usually tear one with a twist on a planted foot — soccer, basketball, skiing, a slip. In adults over 40, tears are often degenerative, developing gradually as the cartilage wears, and frequently show up on scans of knees that don't hurt at all. That matters, because for most degenerative tears and many smaller traumatic ones, structured rehab produces results equal to surgery.

How we can help

We assess how the knee moves, what provokes the catching or pain, how stable it is and how well the surrounding muscles are protecting it. For most tears the plan is a progressive program that restores full range, builds strength in the thigh and hip and returns you to your sport or work step by step. If your knee is truly locked, repeatedly gives way or isn't responding as expected, we'll say so and coordinate with your doctor about imaging or a surgical opinion. And if you do have surgery, we provide the rehab afterwards.

Related reading: Knee pain

Common questions

Will I need surgery?

Many people don't. For degenerative tears, research consistently shows physiotherapy matches arthroscopic surgery at one and two years. Traumatic tears in younger people, or a knee that is mechanically locked, are more likely to need a surgical opinion — your assessment will help sort out which group you are in.

Can a meniscus tear heal on its own?

The outer third has a blood supply and can heal; the inner part generally does not. But a tear doesn't have to "heal" for the knee to become pain-free and fully functional — that is what rehab achieves for most people.