I tore the cartilage in my right knee several years ago. I tried rest, drugs, and exercise (in that order) but nothing worked. Now I’m going to have arthroscopic surgery to fix whatever’s wrong. The doctor is sending me to physical therapy afterwards. What’s this for? Won’t I be all better after the operation?

If you’ve had this problem a long time, chances are you’ve lost muscle strength and maybe even coordination. Once the cartilage is repaired and the knee has been realigned, strength and motion must be restored. This will help prevent uneven wear on the joint and prevent further injuries.

It’s likely you’ll only see the therapist a couple times. Once your strength, motion, and movement have been evaluated, a program of stretching and exercise can often be done at
home or at the gym. The therapist will also check your joint position sense and balance. These are also key to keeping a healthy knee.