Meniscus Tear Treatments That ACTUALLY Work: The In-Depth Truth You Need to Know

Meniscus tear treatment approaches are a subject of significant controversy and debate within the medical community, often leading to patient confusion due to conflicting advice from healthcare providers. This summary explains the complexities involved in treating meniscus tears and highlights the transformative impact of orthobiologics and regenerative medicine on both surgical and non-surgical options. It also introduces a simple, home-based rehabilitation program suitable for addressing both acute injuries typical in young athletes and degenerative conditions common in older adults. The goal is to provide comprehensive information to help patients make informed decisions about treatments that will improve knee strength and quality of life.
00:00 Introduction
02:00 Meniscus Tears: Acute vs Degenerative
07:38 Meniscus Repair Surgery
10:28 Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy
14:43 Exercise and Physical Therapy
17:10 Knee Injections: Cortisone and Hyaluronic Acid
18:25 Platelet Rich Plasma Injections
20:48 Dietary Supplements
23:33 Knee Braces
25:18 Sample Exercise / Rehab Program
► Things my patients have found helpful:
Please note that I get a lot of requests and questions about what equipment is ‘best’ for treating a variety of conditions. The following is not meant to be an exhaustive or definitive list. Please use it as a starting point. If you have questions, please discuss with your healthcare provider. With that said, I have tried a number of the products below, but not all. I have included some based on positive feedback from many of my patients. As an Amazon Associate, Dr Peng earns from qualifying purchases. If you purchase any product using the below affiliate links, you are helping Dr Peng maintain this channel.
Supplements
The following are Thorne supplements which are NSF certified. NSF independently assesses products without being affiliated with the companies that produce them. Not only do they certify that what’s on the label is in the bottle, they also do toxicology review to certify product formulation and contaminant review to ensure the product contains no undeclared ingredients or unacceptable levels of contaminants.
Boswellia Extract: amzn.to/3L00rYn
Turmeric & Curcumin: ​​amzn.to/47NacD9
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Soft Tissue & Rehab
Theragun: amzn.to/4363zJG
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Braces & Supports
Hinged knee brace: amzn.to/3U6oyrH
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Volar wrist brace: amzn.to/3KawW55
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Superfeet orthotic inserts: amzn.to/436tRf5
Recommended Textbooks & Resources
The Trigger Point Manual: amzn.to/4340cTt
Trigger Point Wall Charts: amzn.to/47SjGft
► Be Active. Live Healthy. Subscribe for more free videos like this: / @jeffreypengmd
► ABOUT ME
Jeffrey Peng MD is a nonoperative orthopedist and sports medicine specialist. He focuses on maximizing non-surgical treatments for sports injuries and orthopedic conditions. He specializes in using orthobiologics and ultrasound guided minimally invasive techniques to treat osteoarthritis, tendinopathies, and musculoskeletal disorders.
Dr. Peng is board certified in sports medicine and family medicine. He completed residency with the Stanford family medicine residency program and completed his sports medicine training with the Stanford primary care sports medicine fellowship in San Jose. He is an active faculty member for both programs and is excited about training the next generation of physicians.
Dr. Peng’s sports medicine clinic is located in Campbell, California.
Twitter: @JeffreyPengMD; / jeffreypengmd
Website: www.jeffreypengmd.com/
► Disclaimer
My content reflects my own opinion and does not represent the views or opinions of my employers or hospital systems I am affiliated with. They are meant for educational purposes only. They do not substitute for the medical advice of a physician. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding your health.

[@antonionesci8356]

age 18: Netflix and chill age 27: Dr Peng and chill

[@lucasjay1000]

Same here but 28😂

[@JeffreyPengMD]

HA!

[@sarahbarron7868]

64!😆

[@floatyseagull9472]

I think one of the biggest issues with things like meniscus tears, myofascial pain syndrome, overuse injuries, etc is sleep quality takes a hit due to pain in sleeping positions. Without proper sleep in which your muscles are relaxed, you will never get better or it will take much longer

[@kathleenhack3897]

@@floatyseagull9472 Yep, pain during sleep hours keeps me awake. This year has averaged less than 1 or 2 hours a night. I'm weak and exhausted.⚕️🤔

[@gordonroberts5227]

Thankyou for another great episode you have the best way of explaining things . And are a great help please dont stop.

[@finiteloops8610]

An extraordinarily lucid, concise, well researched. Much appreciate the quotes from some of the most recent studies that you cite. Thanks so much this illuminating video.

[@paulettev9993]

Best content. Very informative and useful . Thank you very much!

[@magda7224]

You are awesome. Thank you for the valuable information and your diction. I'm not English but I can understand every single word. I am enjoying listening to you. ❤❤❤

[@JeffreyPengMD]

Happy to hear that! Thanks!

[@calidreamin2441]

Excellent video Dr. Peng! I wish your office was in my area! You are very thorough and your communication skills are such that your information is quite simple for the general population to understand! I admire your dedication and I am appreciative that you have a YT channel! Thank you for so very much for sharing your knowledge/professional opinions with us! 👍🏽

[@PNWUte]

Dr. Peng, that was awesome. I have a Worker's comp patient that I'm going to use it on, especially given that insurance is dragging their knees to pay for anything /rant

[@Tonner1888]

I find the quad extension machine quite useful too.

[@kathleenhack3897]

Dr. Peng; Years ago I had a hyperextension of my knee. A truck bumper pushed my knee backwards so far all I could hear was loud popping sounds. Being a MD's kid I tried to doctor the horrible swelling with ice and heat. So I've had knee pain ever since. The doctor I went to years later said I needed knee replacement, but started me on Cortisone shots every 3 months. I no longer take those shots. Should this Hyperextension of the knee been addressed first. Yes I do have Arthritis in the knee and I'm 75 now but not a whimp. I'm able to chace down my grandkids. I have always been an athlete person so am in good shape. I waited to have my knee injury looked at because I had no insurance years ago. Would like to know your thoughts. Kathleen By the way, you are the most informative MD on Utube and can explain things in plain terms, thank you. Kathleen 💉🥃

[@EricVelazquez22]

Great info! Have you had any experience with BPC-157 or TB-500 and meniscus tears?

[@kevinorr6880]

I have had many injuries to the knees due to work and after the first knee surgery have opted to do “self-care” thereafter for each surgery recommendation. Turmeric has been a staple in my supplementation. I noted that the brand supplement that you have recommended is substantially more costly than other brands comparatively.

[@JeffreyPengMD]

Thorne is NSF certified and is probably (?) the purest on the market. Athletes who get tested regularly by the world anti doping agency all use Thorne to ensure there are no contaminants.

[@anna_m59]

Because he is promoting only tested products which he explained in his last video.

[@ofroaddude5859]

Seriously thank you

[@ziraguenwilliams2843]

Your clinic says you only do in person appointments. Is there a way to send you MRI results and do a phone consultation with your clinic? Texas is pretty far from California.

[@nikoroqueza]

Hi Dr Peng, I have a lateral meniscus bucket handle tear that’s flipped but I’ve never experienced and locking or catching of the knee. I can straighten my knee and bend it. Do I still need surgery? Thank you

[@anl3020]

Hello Dr Peng. Do you do online consultations for people overseas who are unable to visit your clinic?

[@navonparag2516]

Great Video !! thank you. You mentioned that: " usually surgery is needed when having Bucket Handle tear". I am 53 and have a bucket handle tear ( MRI) , after rehab for 3 months, I can straighten and fold my knee with out limitation and with only minimal pain ( 2 out of 10), have no locking or give away, Should I consider Meniscectomy ? or more physical therapy ? thanks

[@JeffreyPengMD]

Key word is usually :) In general, the need for surgery is if the knee is locked up. Can't PT around that. But for my patients without a locked knee, definitely can be treated successfully with non surgical management.

[@guduruushareddy2895]

Is research done in transplanting meniscus from healthy knee to the damaged knee

[@rossi19931]

So since i was a kid, about 13, .y right kneecap has randomly dislocated. 4 weeks ago it popped out, my right knee was essentially facing east. Since then it has still be painful and a lump behind the knee, doctor today said its not a clot or classic signs of a bakers cyst but has put me forward for a mri to rule in or out what it could be...couldnt they put a mesh Over the kneecap to keep it in place?

[@zeushii9235]

From the US living in Hungary is there any recommendations for trigger point injection treatments in Hungary? I’ve been suffering and feeling miserable for two years. This past month has been the worst and I wake up nauseous every morning.

[@MarieGraceDelaCruz-wu2gq]

I was injected steroids shots on my 2 knees las sat..and doctor suggested that after 2 wks I need to undergo PRP for 3 sessions..is there any alternative way to heal mye iscus tear?I'm 54 yrs old weighing 80kgs at my 4'21 height

[@diverbelow27]

One thing you don’t mention is shockwave therapy ? What do you think of it for meniscus tear ? Been done on rat meniscus and it healed. Could it help ?

[@garypond3451]

Another excellent video that I have booked marked. I am 60 years old and 10 months into a complex meniscus tear that is slooowly getting better I think. Very little signs of OA and two doctors have stated I am a candidate for a meniscus knee scope. It's tough to commit when I have no loss of range of motion, just pain and discomfit. I can do anything but just not for long. One question I have, should you include a good hamstring strengthening exercise to prevent muscle imbalance?

[@paulhogsten2613]

What exercises are best as I have two knees with torn? I am walking with the aid of crutches. The left knee has two meniscus tears and an old damaged ACL connection point to the knee from 1987. The right knee has a single meniscus tear and was injured in October of 2023.

[@kevinorr6880]

Knee Over Toes Guy. Watch him and daily activity

[@diverbelow27]

Spinning bike with no resistance 15 mn a day every day

[@yourbud123]

I hurt my meniscus doing body weight squats been a week i can barely bend the leg with wait on it not much pain just some stinging in the miniscus . Should i do more squats now or wait another week ? Just squats seem so hard on my knees i squat everyday for my job and then randomly one day boom a stinging pain and weakness

[@amalali3772]

I am from Canada I have all parts and I feel pain all over my bones. Please what can I help me with . Thanks .