How Long Does a Meniscus Tear Take to Heal – FAQs and Answers

Life is strange.  You don’t even give a moment thought to particular parts of your body until it is affected by an injury or disease.

In this case, it may be that your knee is giving you grief and your specialist has diagnosed you with a torn meniscus.  Did you even know you had a body part called a meniscus?!

Once you have identified the problem, so many questions race around your mind.

Questions such as:

How long does a meniscus tear take to heal?

Do meniscus tears heal?  Or is this an injury that you will live with forever?

How to heal a meniscus tear?

can a torn meniscus heal? will a torn meniscus heal on its own? 

What is the meniscus repair recovery time?

In this article our aim is to answer all your questions about your torn meniscus.  We want you to feel reassured that, even though it is a pain, there are solutions to healing your meniscus tear, and we can help you along your journey.

Can a Meniscus Tear Heal on its Own?

A meniscus tear may not seem like a big deal and you could dismiss the tear.  Some people may even decide to play the waiting game, hoping that it will just go away on its own.  Believe us when we say that we are guilty of playing the waiting game.

The truth of the matter is that some meniscus tears will heal on their own, and some will not.

“…some meniscus tears will heal on their own, and some will not.”

To understand if your meniscus tear will heal on its own or whether it requires additional support and intervention will depend on the location of the meniscus tear.

If the tear is located towards the outer section of the meniscus, it has the potential to heal without intervention.  This is due to its proximity to the blood flow which can provide support to regenerate tissue.

However,  if the tear is located towards the inner parts of the meniscus (which is further away from the bloody supply), then it is likely it will require some external support.

How to Heal a Meniscus Tear?

Fortunately sustaining a tear in the meniscus does not mean the end of the world.

With modern technology and plenty of knee support aids, there are now quite a few options for healing a meniscus tear.  Lets take a look at some options available.

Knee Braces for Meniscus Tears

Knee braces are one of the best methods of assisting to heal a torn meniscus (especially partial tears).

A knee brace is an affordable, non-invasive option for individuals suffering from a meniscus tear.

A good knee brace will provide medial and lateral support to an injured knee, by surrounding it and applying compression to protect it from any further damage.

We have provided a detailed explanation of how knee braces assist with meniscus tears in our article “How Knee Braces for Torn Meniscus can Speed up Recovery“.

Lifestyle Changes To Heal Torn Meniscus

It may sound obvious to some, however we think it needs to be said – Resting immediately after you sustain the meniscus tear is vitally important.

Some people may choose to ignore the pain, or fight through it.  This would be extremely detrimental to your healing period and your question of how long does a meniscus tear take to heal will be prolonged indefinitely.  Adequate rest allows the tear to heal on its own or with the assistance of external support.

Immediate Aid

Immediately after the injury is sustained you can aid in the healing process by applying ice to the injured knee.  This will help to reduce the swelling as well as the pain.

How Long Does it Take for a torn Meniscus to Heal?

Once you have identified your meniscus is torn, it is only natural to wonder how long does a meniscus tear take to heal?

Generally speaking, the time it takes for a meniscus tear to heal without surgical intervention is approximately 6 – 8 weeks.

However, in truth there are quite a few factors that can influence the recovery time.  To name a few:

• location and degree of tear of the meniscus,
• what types of treatment options you are using,
• personal factors like age and lifestyle habits, or
• even small things like your work commitments and if you can rest.

It makes sense that if you are proactive with the treatments and advice to heal your meniscus tear, then you can expect the meniscus repair recovery time period to be shorter.

We firmly believe knee braces are critical in a proper treatment regime for healing a torn meniscus.  It not only shortens the recovery period for a tear, it also provides support to the knee so there is less stress and pressure placed on your injured meniscus.  Check out our recommended BEST KNEE BRACES for a meniscus tear to speed up your recovery period.

Final Takeaways for How long Does a Meniscus Tear Take to Heal

So how long does a meniscus tear take to heal?

We hope by now you already know the answer – it depends.

You should have been able to answer a few of the questions circling around your head like “can a torn meniscus heal?”, “can a meniscus tear heal on its own?”, “what is the recovery time for a meniscus repair?” and finally “how to heal a meniscus tear”.

If you are still unsure we recommend re-reading the article or consulting a medical professional for additional advice on your meniscus tear.