Physical therapy for my torn meniscus

I’m back to physical therapy for my knee.  There’s been a lot of progress.  Today’s routine was very similar to what i had to do when dealing with my other knee’s Patella Femoral Syndrome and included:

• On the Pilates Reformer machine:
  • basic one leg pushing exercises
  • bridges
  • leg extensions
• Using the resistance band:
  • walking side squats
    • How to Do It:
      Step 1: Attach a resistance band to each ankle.

      Step 2: Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart. You may need to shorten the band in order to get the right resistance.

      Step 3: Get into a squat position, knees at roughly a 45-degree angle, and walk sideways. Take 5 to 10 steps to the left, then right, keeping your knees bent and maintaining resistance on the band throughout. Repeat. Try keeping your arms outstretched in front of you, which will provide balance as you do the exercise. “Slower and better quality is more important than attempting to do this fast with poor quality,”

  • clam shell exercises
  • side leg raise
    • How to Do It:Lie on your right side and lift your left leg to 45 degrees in a controlled manner, then lower it back down to the starting position. Make sure your pelvis remains in a neutral position. A more advanced version includes a loop of rubber tubing around your ankles for added resistance. Perform 20-30 reps.

• back leg lifts, lying down
  • How to Do It:
  • Lie face down, head rest­ing on the backs of your hands, elbows out at your sides
  • Gently pull in your lower abs, then squeeze your but­tock muscle tightly on one leg and lift that leg off the ground
  • As you lift, take care not to tip your body over to the other side, as that’s cheat­ing
    Hold your leg briefly in the air, then lower.
  • Now do the same with the other leg.

The knee is getting stronger and the only sharp pains occurred during the walking side squats.  I think it was because my feet were not always in the correct position.

The therapist said the mild burning discomfort in my knee while walking on the beach was normal and caused by the uneven surface.  As long as I don’t overdo it, the knee should improve fairly quickly.  Yes!  Hopefully, I can get to a point where I can do some of the resistance band exercises I had previously tried.