If you have a meniscus tear, movement can feel scary, especially with stairs, squats, or twisting. The good news is that for many adults, especially with degenerative meniscus tears, a structured exercise program can reduce pain and improve function over time, and results are often similar to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (remove damaged meniscus using small skyn holes and a camera)¹ ² ³
Exercise helps because it:
Builds strength in the thigh, hip, and calf muscles so the knee is less stressed during daily tasks.¹ ²
Improves balance and control, which can make the knee feel steadier when walking, turning, or changing direction.⁵
Helps you return to bending and loading the knee gradually, instead of avoiding movement and getting weaker and stiffer.¹ ⁵
Effective exercises for meniscus tear
Not every exercise is right for every person. If a movement causes sharp pain or new symptoms, stop and consult a medical provider.
Stand to sit
How does this help?Helps build thigh and hip strength for stairs, getting up from a chair, and daily walking.¹ ²
How to do it: Sit near the front of a chair, feet flat and about hip-width apart. Lean your chest slightly forward, stand up, then sit back down slowly. Start with a higher chair if needed.
Supported mini squat
How does this help? Helps you practice knee bending in a controlled range, which can build confidence with daily movements.¹ ⁵
How to do it: Hold a counter or sturdy chair. Bend your knees a small amount, like you are starting to sit back, then return to standing. Keep it shallow and smooth, do not force depth.
Single-leg balance (foot & calf control)
How does this help? Helps stability and knee control, especially if your knee feels unpredictable with turning or uneven ground.⁵
How to do it: Stand near a wall or counter. Lift one foot and balance on the other for 10 to 30 seconds. Make it easier by lightly holding support, make it harder by turning your head or standing on a folded towel.
Helpful stretches for a meniscus tear
Heel slide
How does this help? Helps gently restore knee bending if swelling or guarding has limited your range of motion.⁵
How to do it: Lie on your back with legs straight. Slowly slide your heel toward your buttocks, then slide it back down. Keep the motion easy and controlled.
Hamstring stretch
How does this help? Helps reduce tightness behind the knee and thigh, which can make walking and stairs feel smoother.⁵
How to do it: Stand tall and straighten one leg with heel on the floor, toes up. Hinge forward at the hips until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of the thigh.
Calf stretch
How does this help?Tight calf muscles increase pulling on the heel and plantar fascia. Stretching them can improve comfort with walking and standing.
How to do it: Stand tall. Place your foot forward with your knee slightly bent while keeping the other leg straight. Move your weight towards the front foot, until you feel your backwards leg muscles stretching. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, repeat 3 times. You can then repeat with the back knee slightly bent to stretch deeper into the Achilles tendon.
Quadriceps stretch
How does this help? Helps front-of-thigh flexibility, which can make knee bending feel less “stuck.”⁵
How to do it: Stand holding support. Bend your knee and bring your heel toward your buttocks, holding your ankle or pant leg. Keep knees close together and do not pull into pain.
Calf stretch
Tight calf muscles can increase pulling through the heel area. Stretching the calf is commonly recommended and is supported in clinical guidance for plantar heel pain.¹
How does this help? Calf stretching can reduce calf stiffness and may help walking and standing feel easier while you build strength.¹
How to do it: Stand tall and place one foot forward with the front knee slightly bent, while keeping the back leg straight and the back heel down. Shift your weight toward the front foot until you feel a stretch in the back leg. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. Then repeat with the back knee slightly bent to shift the stretch lower toward the Achilles tendon.¹ Pulling or tingling that eases when you return to the start. If tingling ramps up and stays, reduce the range or stop and discuss with a clinician.¹˒⁵
Quadriceps stretch
Tight calf muscles can increase pulling through the heel area. Stretching the calf is commonly recommended and is supported in clinical guidance for plantar heel pain.¹
How does this help?Helps front-of-thigh flexibility, which can make knee bending feel less “stuck.”⁵
How to do it: Stand holding support. Bend your knee and bring your heel toward your buttocks, holding your ankle or pant leg. Keep knees close together and do not pull into pain.
Did you know?
AI Care works in part by making it easier for people to complete their exercises from the comfort of home. In randomized trials of fully remote, exercise-based digital rehabilitation programs, people reported high satisfaction and completed a meaningful amount of exercise sessions, with outcomes comparable to in-person rehab.⁷ ⁸
Exercises to avoid with a meniscus tear
These are not forever rules, they are common triggers while your knee is irritated. The goal is tolerable movement that settles within 24 hours, not pain you have to push through.⁵ ⁶ Common aggravators to limit early on:
Deep squats or deep lunges, especially with heavy weight or high reps.⁵
Twisting on a planted foot, like quick pivots or sharp direction changes.⁵
Fast, repetitive stair workouts or steep hill repeats if they cause swelling after.⁵
High-impact jumping or running if your knee is flaring, swelling, or feeling unstable.⁶
If you want to return to these activities, the safest path is usually to rebuild strength first, then reintroduce deeper bending and pivoting in small steps.⁵
Clinical insight
For degenerative meniscus tears, people with “mechanical symptoms” like clicking or catching do not reliably gain more benefit from surgery. That is one reason many guidelines and consensus statements recommend starting with exercise-based rehabilitation and reserving surgery for true locking or carefully selected cases after a full rehabilitation trial.⁴ ⁵
Noorduyn JCA, van de Graaf VA, et al. Effect of physical therapy vs arthroscopic partial meniscectomy at 5 years. JAMA Netw Open. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.20394
2
Berg B, et al. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy versus exercise therapy for degenerative meniscal tears, 10-year follow-up of the OMEX RCT. Br J Sports Med. 2025;59(2):91–100.
3
Sihvonen R, et al. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy versus sham surgery for a degenerative meniscal tear (FIDELITY). N Engl J Med. 2013;369:2515–2524.
4
Wijn SRW, et al. Individual participant data meta-analysis, no subgroup (including mechanical symptoms) derives added benefit from arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2023;31:557–566.
5
ESSKA Meniscus Consensus Projects. Degenerative and traumatic meniscus management, prioritize preservation and define indications for repair versus resection. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2017/2020.
6
AAOS. Clinical practice guideline: Management of acute isolated meniscal pathology. 2024. URL: aaos.org.
7
Pak SS, Janela D, Freitas N, et al. Comparing digital to conventional physical therapy for chronic shoulder pain: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2023;25:e49236. doi:10.2196/49236.
8
Cui D, Janela D, Costa F, et al. Randomized-controlled trial: digital care program vs conventional physiotherapy for chronic low back pain. NPJ Digit Med. 2023;6:121. doi:10.1038/s41746-023-00870-3.
