162. Three top tips for treating runners with a meniscal injury. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom
Apr 5, 2024
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Tom Goom, a specialist in treating runners, discusses managing meniscal injuries in runners without surgery. Topics include pain and swelling management, restoring range of movement, rebuilding muscle strength, impact control, and gradual return to running. Emphasizes individualized treatment plans and collaboration with surgeons.
Asymptomatic runners with meniscal tears can manage marathons, emphasizing non-surgical management's effectiveness.
Rehabilitation for runners with meniscal injuries includes pain reduction, range of motion restoration, muscle strength building, and gradual impact tolerance improvement.
Deep dives
Managing Meniscal Injuries in Runners
Runners often present with meniscal injuries characterized by knee pain, swelling, and discomfort, especially in middle-aged individuals. Conservative management is increasingly preferred over surgical options, with research indicating commonality of meniscal tears in asymptomatic runners. Asymptomatic runners with meniscal tears have been found to manage marathons without worsening their condition, highlighting the importance of appropriate management strategies to ensure comfortable running.
Rehabilitation Strategies for Meniscal Injuries
In rehabilitating runners with meniscal injuries, focusing on pain and swelling reduction is essential, potentially involving rest from running and transitioning to non-impact cross-training. Restoring knee range of movement, particularly extension, through gentle mobilizations and isometric exercises helps maintain and improve joint flexibility. Building strength in key muscle groups, such as quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, plays a crucial role in enhancing knee stability and function.
Preparing for Return to Running
Preparing runners with meniscal injuries for a return to running involves gradually increasing impact tolerance through exercises addressing both vertical and horizontal forces. Establishing return-to-running criteria, including pain control, full knee extension, strength symmetry, and impact tolerance, guides the progression. Additionally, optimizing general health, weight management, and correcting movement patterns, like excessive knee extension avoidance, contribute to a successful recovery process.
How can you treat patients who experience knee pain and swelling during and after running? If you suspect their symptoms are caused by a meniscal injury, how can you rehab and return these patients to running without surgery?
In this Physio Edge: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom, you’ll explore meniscal injuries in runners, recent research on runners with meniscal tears, and how to provide effective non-surgical management. You’ll discover:
Initial steps for managing pain and swelling in affected runners.
Techniques to restore and maintain range of movement.
Strategies for rebuilding strength in key muscle groups.
Approaches to improve impact control and tolerance, preparing runners for a gradual return to their sport.
When to manage these patients non-surgically, and when to refer for a surgical opinion.
Tom explores the physical aspects of recovery, along with the impact of general health, weight management, and gait retraining on knee health. With a realistic timeline for recovery and a focus on individualised treatment plans, this podcast is a must-listen for therapists who treat runners.
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