Meniscus Tear Recovery Time Without Surgery: What To Know

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HealthlineSubscribeWhat Is the Recovery Time for a Meniscus Tear Without Surgery?

Medically reviewed by Timothy Gossett, M.D. — Written by Marjorie Hecht — Updated on February 3, 2023

Surgery not required
Nonsurgical treatments
When surgery is necessary
When to see a doctor
Takeaway

Meniscus tears are the most frequently treated knee injuries. Without surgery, recovery will take about 6 to 8 weeks, though this can vary.

The time of recovery varies depending on:

the type and severity of the tear
how long your symptoms persist
your lifestyle
your age

The meniscus is a C-shaped band of cartilage that goes around the knee joint and cushions the junction of your thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia). There’s an inner (medial) meniscus and an outer (lateral) meniscus.

Meniscus tears can occur at any age. Younger people, especially athletes, are likely to have a sudden meniscus injury. Older people are likely to have meniscus damage related to degeneration from wear-and-tear.

Complex meniscal tears usually require surgery.

When is surgery not necessary?

Surgery versus conservative treatment for meniscus tears has been a medical topic of controversy for many years.

Today, in general, doctors recommend conservative treatment, not surgery, when meniscus tears result from degeneration. Many recent studies have shown that there’s no advantage to surgery with this type of tear, and that physical therapy works just as well.

If your symptoms persist after 3 months or your symptoms become significant, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair the tear.

Conservative treatment is also advised for smaller tears, and stable longitudinal meniscus tears that occur in the outer third of the meniscus, the “red zone.” This is the area of your meniscus that has some blood supply, which aids healing.

Your doctor may also recommend conservative measures as a first step if the tear is caused by injury to the knee.

Nonsurgical treatments

Conservative treatment for some meniscus tears is well documented as effective. Here’s what it involves:

RICE

Treatment usually starts with the RICE method:

Rest. Try to rest your knee for a few days and keep pressure off it.
Ice. Putting ice on your knee for 10 to 15 minutes at a time can help reduce any swelling.
Compression. You can also reduce swelling by wrapping your knee with an elastic bandage or wearing a knee brace.
Elevation. Sit or lie down with your leg and knee elevated above your heart, so that blood flows toward your heart.

NSAIDs

If recommended by your doctor, use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to reduce pain and swelling for 8 to 12 weeks.

Physical therapy

Your doctor will likely recommend physical therapy.

A physical therapist can provide a daily routine of exercises and stretches to improve your muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion, and stability.

The aim is to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee, such as the front thigh muscles, known as the quadriceps. This will reduce the stress on your knee. It will also help stabilize your balance and help prevent another knee injury.

Studies show that exercise routines can significantly improve knee pain and function.

Corticosteroid injections

Your doctor may give you a joint injection of glucocorticoids to reduce swelling. This can provide pain relief for 2 to 4 weeks.

Orthotics

Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may recommend a special knee brace or other mechanisms to limit your joint movement and stabilize the knee.

Ayurvedic treatments

Traditional Ayurvedic treatments are widely used in South Asia to reduce swelling, pain, and motion restrictions in meniscus tears and knee osteoarthritis.

In general, Ayurvedic treatment considers the whole state of the person, not just the specific location of the pain. Some clinical studies on its effectiveness exist, but more research is needed.

A small 2018 randomized controlled study comparing conventional to Ayurvedic treatment in 151 people found that Ayurvedic treatments were beneficial in reducing osteoarthritis knee symptoms at 3, 6, and 12 months.

However, data on this is limited and shouldn’t replace talking with your doctor about your treatment options.

When is surgery needed?

Some meniscus tears require surgery to heal the meniscus and restore the knee’s range of motion. For example:

A tear on the inner two-thirds of the meniscus that won’t heal on its own because the area lacks blood flow to stimulate the immune system response.
A tear that gives you a lot of pain or impairs use of your knee may require surgery to remove or repair the torn part of the meniscus.
Complex tears usually require surgery to trim the damaged part of the meniscus.

Surgery may be a meniscus repair or a trimming of the meniscus tissue, which is called a partial meniscectomy. Note that meniscectomy may cause osteoarthritis in the long term.

Meniscus tear surgery is very common, with about 850,000 surgeries performed each year in the United States.

When to see a doctor

It’s best to see a doctor as soon as possible:

if you have sudden pain from a knee injury
if you have trouble using your knee
if your pain persists

Untreated meniscus tears can get worse, or pieces of the meniscus can shed into the joint. For an athlete, playing through knee pain can cause greater problems later.

A doctor can do physical and imaging tests, such as an X-ray or MRI, to determine what kind of damage you have and discuss possible treatment options with you.

Also consult a doctor if you continue to have pain after a course of conservative treatment.

The bottom line

Meniscus tears are very common. Conservative treatment is recommended for tears associated with the wear and tear of age.

Recovery time is 6 to 8 weeks with conservative treatment. Physical therapy generally leads to a good outcome.

It’s best to see a doctor for diagnosis of knee pain and a treatment plan.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Medically reviewed by Timothy Gossett, M.D. — Written by Marjorie Hecht — Updated on February 3, 2023

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