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Recovery from meniscal injuries can take between 4 – 24 weeks if you start effective treatment early and you manage it well.

Minor to moderate meniscal tears, both acute (from traumatic injuries) and degenerative (from wear and tear), can heal with conservative treatment.

The more severe your symptoms and having other injuries like anterior cruciate ligament injuries with your meniscal tear, will increase your healing time.

What are the treatment options for a meniscal tear?

A conservative rehabilitation program for your knee that includes rest, ice, medication and a structured exercise program is often enough to heal a meniscal tear on its own.

If conservative treatment doesn’t improve your symptoms within three months, your tear may require surgical treatment.

Do all meniscal tears require surgery?

No, treatment of a meniscal tear depends on:

Symptoms

Age

Activity levels

Location and type

Age, symptoms, activity levels

Meniscal tears may cause mild to severe symptoms at first. For people over 40 years old, once the initial injury settles down, if your symptoms don’t interfere with daily activities, surgery is not recommended. Non-surgical treatment is preferred.

The younger you are, the less wear and tear there is in your knee joints, and the better your body heals from surgery. Surgery is a valid option if you’re young, have no other ligament injuries and your meniscal tear is from an acute injury.

Many of you have experienced extreme muscle soreness after pushing the pace during a race, running intervals or hills or trying a new weight lifting program. This painful condition is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS. 

The onset of DOMS after exercise is usually within 24 to 72 hours of completing a workout. Symptoms of DOMS include extreme muscle soreness and tenderness, mild swelling of muscle tissue and restricted range of motion.

What causes delayed onset muscle soreness?

While the research has not been conclusive on the causes of DOMS, there are two common theories. The first is based on an understanding of what delayed onset muscle soreness is — an accumulation of the lactic acid produced during exercise, which causes muscle pain. Lactic acid is a by-product of our cells that can exceed normal levels with strenuous exercise and create a painful acidic environment.

Most physiological studies do not support the lactic acid theory, however. This is because, after exercise, most of the excess lactic acid is flushed from your system within 30 minutes. Hence lactic acid should not cause muscle soreness one to two days after exercise. Additionally, similar blood levels of lactic acid in cyclists and swimmers do not produce the same symptoms that runners experience, further debunking the theory that lactic acid causes DOMS.

The more widely accepted cause for the symptoms of DOMS is that the muscle pain is due to extreme trauma to our muscle tissues. Running, at its essence, is controlled falling. We use our muscles to decelerate our joints as they absorb impact. 

These types of muscular contractions are called eccentric contractions. Eccentric muscle contractions are performed with weight-bearing activities (walking, running, weightlifting). As the muscle fibers slow down and control the rapid deceleration of a runner’s body weight (especially with a new or harder than normal workout), they tear.

About 24 hours after the bout of exercise, the effects of inflammation appear as pain, swelling and stiffness. The inflammatory process basically cleans up damaged tissue and repairs and/or produces new tissue. The pain is caused by inflammatory enzymes and chemical by-products that sensitize pain receptors and cause cellular swelling. The cellular swelling can be extremely painful and can last about 72 hours.

The new muscle fibers that are produced are usually more adaptable to the stress and strain of running. In other words, it is out with the bad and in with the better. This is not news to many experienced runners. Tough runs and workouts make us stronger. So, for those who ask the question, “Is DOMS good?” the simple answer is yes, it can be.

Running, at its essence, is controlled falling. We use our muscles to decelerate our joints as they absorb impact.

Understanding DOMS: the role inflammation plays

Traditionally, inflammation has a bad reputation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) are common medications used by runners to reduce post-run inflammation and pain. Some runners will even take NSAIDS prior to a run to prevent inflammation. However, studies have shown that not only are NSAIDS tough on your stomach and kidneys, but they also impair the normal healing process.

So, while popping an NSAID might give you temporary relief from the pain of DOMS, it is likely leading to weaker muscle fiber formation. In fact, it could be argued that controlled inflammation is a runner’s best friend. After an abnormally long or hard run, the body has a short window of time to take advantage of the inflammatory cycle’s process of muscle fiber rebuilding and remodeling. Rather than popping a pill to soothe sore muscles after exercise, consider a natural, proactive approach to relief and recovery.

DOMS recovery: how to get relief for sore muscles

Try these practices to optimize your body’s potential while your body recovers:

Ice Bath:

Soaking from the hips down in a cold stream, lake or in a tub full of ice for 15-20 minutes within 30 minutes of your run reduces the painful cellular swelling produced by inflammation without affecting the healing components of the inflammatory cycle. I have found that getting in the tub first and then adding the ice is the least painful method.

Active Rest:

Move! If you sit around during the healing process the remodeled muscle tissue will be stiff and shortened which over time leads to postural imbalance and injury. For example, prolonged sitting can result in tight hamstrings which could lead to a hamstring strain when you try to go for your first post-DOMS run. Walking, yoga class, cycling, elliptical trainer and pool running are all good options for exercise while recovering from DOMS. Try the Downward Dog stretch to address tightness in the hamstring, hip and calf muscles. See Fig.1 for instructions on this common yoga technique.

Stretching Lightly:

Stretching during the 24-72 period of DOMS is very different from normal stretching. The healing muscle fibers are very delicate. You do not want to overstretch and tear previously damaged muscle fibers. Take your stretches just to the threshold of discomfort and then back off a bit. Hold for up to 60 seconds. See Fig. 2-3 for instructions on how to stretch the quadriceps and hip flexor muscles.

Massage:

Seeing a massage therapist for a gentle massage, or utilizing self-massage using a foam roller, helps increase blood flow and flexibility of healing tissues. Avoid deep tissue massage for at least a week after the onset of DOMS to avoid further traumatizing healing muscles. See Fig. 4 for directions on using a foam roller on the outer leg and hip muscles.

The benefits of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

As a physical therapist, I work with patients to improve their strength and flexibility through various treatment approaches and prescribed exercise. am constantly trying to make changes to patients’ bodies by prescribing exercises to improve flexibility and strength. During the short period of DOMS, the body is primed for making these types of changes in a relatively short time.

I have described running as a sport that causes countless tissue tears and profound inflammation. So why should we run? Why would I recommend such a traumatic activity that can lead to such extreme muscle soreness?

Weekly, I have patients ask me if running is bad for them. Often, someone has told them not to run because it is too hard on their body. Knowing what causes DOMS, and that running is one type of workout that can lead to the condition, prompts people to question their decision to run. However, the human body is designed to adapt and grow stronger to the stresses we put on it. If we do not stress our tissues, they weaken and become prone to disease and injury.

So, I ask, “Why wouldn’t you run?”

Most Olympic marathoners spend their youth focused on running. They join track clubs, compete in national championships, and pursue the sport from an early age.

Julia Mayer’s journey was very different.

Today, Mayer is Austria’s marathon record holder, a multiple national record holder on the roads, and an Olympian. Yet for much of her athletic life, running was not her primary sport.

For 16 years, she played soccer.

Then she discovered something that would change her life.

“I noticed that I was really fast in the fun runs and that it was really, really fun,” Mayer said when reflecting on her transition from soccer to distance running.

What began as curiosity quickly became a passion. She eventually made the bold decision to leave soccer behind and focus entirely on running. It was a move that surprised many people around her, but Mayer believed she had found her true athletic calling.

The decision proved to be the right one.

Within a few years, Mayer developed into one of Europe’s top marathon runners. Her steady improvement carried her from local races to the international stage, where she began rewriting Austria’s record books.

She now holds Austrian records in the marathon, half marathon, and road 10K. Her marathon best of 2:26:08 established her as the fastest female marathoner in Austrian history. Her performances in the half marathon and 10K have further cemented her place among the country’s all-time great distance runners.

Her rise culminated with qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Competing in the Olympic marathon represented the realization of a dream. On one of the most challenging marathon courses ever used for the Olympics, Mayer ran courageously against the strongest field in the world and finished 55th in her Olympic debut.

Behind the scenes, success has come through extraordinary dedication. During marathon preparation, Mayer trains twice a day and covers approximately 200 kilometers, or 124 miles, each week. The workload demands discipline, patience, and a deep commitment to continuous improvement. 

What makes her story especially inspiring is not simply the records or the Olympic appearance.

It is the fact that she found her greatest talent later than many elite runners.

In a sport where athletes are often identified at a young age, Mayer’s journey serves as a reminder that potential does not always reveal itself early. Sometimes it takes years of experience, a willingness to try something new, and the courage to follow a different path. 

The former soccer player who once chased a ball across a field is now chasing history on the roads of Europe.

And according to those closest to her, her best performances may still be ahead.

For runners of every age and ability, Julia Mayer’s story delivers a powerful lesson: it is never too late to discover what you are capable of.

From soccer player to Olympian, her journey proves that remarkable achievements can begin when least expected.

Megan Keith produced the performance of her career in Oslo on Thursday night, shattering one of Scotland’s longest-standing distance running records and cementing her place among Britain’s greatest female 3000m runners.

The 24-year-old clocked a sensational 8:28.35 over 3000m, breaking the Scottish outdoor record that had stood for nearly four decades. In doing so, Keith eclipsed the previous mark of 8:29.02, set by Scottish legend Yvonne Murray back in 1988, ending a record reign that had lasted 38 years.

Keith’s breakthrough run was more than just a national record. The performance also propelled her to third on the UK outdoor all-time list, placing her behind only two of Britain’s most celebrated distance runners — Paula Radcliffe, who leads the rankings with 8:22.20, and Laura Weightman, whose 8:26.07 remains the second-fastest outdoor mark by a British woman.

The significance of Keith’s achievement is amplified by the calibre of athletes she now joins in the record books. For decades, Murray’s mark stood as one of Scottish athletics’ most untouchable records, surviving generations of elite competitors. Keith has now succeeded where many outstanding runners have fallen short, announcing herself as one of the leading distance talents in British athletics.

Her time also compares favourably with the best performances produced indoors. Olympic medallist Laura Muir ran 8:26.41 indoors in Karlsruhe in 2017, underlining just how exceptional Keith’s outdoor effort in Oslo truly was.

The run continues a remarkable rise for the Scottish star, whose progression over recent seasons has transformed her from a promising prospect into a genuine force on the international stage. Running with confidence and composure against elite competition, Keith demonstrated both the speed and endurance required to challenge the very best in Europe and beyond.

With the World Championship season gathering momentum, Keith’s record-breaking display sends a powerful message. Not only has she etched her name into Scottish athletics history, but she has also established herself as a serious contender in one of the sport’s most competitive events.

In Oslo, Megan Keith did far more than break a record. She ended a 38-year wait, climbed into the upper echelon of British distance running, and delivered a performance that may prove to be a defining moment in her career.

British middle-distance talent Phoebe Gill took another significant step forward in her return to top form, producing a determined victory over 800 metres at the Meeting de Marseille in France on Wednesday.

Competing in challenging, wind-affected conditions, the 19-year-old demonstrated both resilience and composure as she held off a late charge from Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo to secure the win in 2:00.81. Vancardo finished just three hundredths of a second behind in 2:00.84, underlining the fiercely contested nature of the race.

While the margin of victory was narrow, the result represented another encouraging milestone for Gill as she continues to rebuild momentum following her injury setback. The young Briton showed impressive race awareness and strength in the closing stages, maintaining her advantage despite the difficult conditions that made fast running a challenge throughout the evening.

The Marseille triumph adds to a growing body of evidence that Gill is steadily progressing toward her best form. Earlier in her comeback campaign, she clocked 2:01.50 for 800m in Bydgoszcz before demonstrating her versatility with a strong 4:05.53 performance over 1500 metres at the BMC Grand Prix meeting in Trafford.

Those performances have highlighted not only her improving fitness but also her ability to compete across multiple distances as she carefully builds her season. The Marseille victory now provides further confirmation that the European junior star is moving in the right direction.

Gill emerged as one of Britain's most exciting middle-distance prospects through a series of breakthrough performances as a teenager, earning widespread recognition for her fearless racing style and remarkable maturity. Injury temporarily interrupted that upward trajectory, but her recent results suggest she is steadily rediscovering the form that made her one of the sport's brightest young talents.

With each race, the signs of progress become increasingly evident. Winning in difficult conditions and under pressure from a quality field is often a stronger indicator than a fast time alone, and Gill's latest success demonstrated exactly those qualities.

As the summer season gathers pace, the Marseille victory offers another confidence boost for the British teenager, whose return continues to gain momentum. If her recent progression is any indication, Gill could soon find herself back among the leading names on the European middle-distance circuit. 

The NCAA Track and Field Championships delivered a moment few could have predicted as Ja’Kobe Tharp produced one of the most astonishing performances in the history of sprint hurdling, rewriting the record books in spectacular fashion.

Competing in the opening round of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, the Auburn star stunned the athletics world by clocking an incredible 12.75 seconds, becoming the first athlete ever to break the 12.80-second barrier. In doing so, he eclipsed the long-standing world record of 12.80 set by Aries Merritt in 2012, a mark that had stood as one of the sport’s most revered achievements for more than a decade.

What makes Tharp’s breakthrough even more remarkable is the scale of his improvement. Entering the championships, the defending NCAA and U.S. champion had recorded a season-best of 13.05 seconds. Yet under the brightest spotlight, he unleashed a performance that exceeded every expectation, slicing an extraordinary 0.26 seconds from his personal best in a race that instantly became one of the greatest ever run.

The achievement sent shockwaves throughout the track and field community. While Tharp arrived in Eugene as one of the leading contenders for the NCAA title, few envisioned a performance capable of redefining the limits of the event. Instead, the American hurdler delivered a race for the ages, combining flawless technique, explosive speed, and impeccable rhythm from the first hurdle to the finish line.

The historic run not only secured his place in athletics history but also transformed the outlook of the championship. With the world record now in his possession, Tharp advances to the final as the overwhelming favorite, carrying momentum that could make an already unforgettable weekend even more extraordinary.

For years, the 12.80 barrier appeared untouchable. On a stunning day at the NCAA Championships, Ja’Kobe Tharp proved otherwise, producing the kind of performance that reminds fans why sport remains so unpredictable. In a matter of seconds, he turned a routine qualifying round into a landmark moment that will be remembered for generations.

The world record no one saw coming is now a reality—and Ja’Kobe Tharp is the man who changed history.

A new chapter in middle-distance running may have begun in Oslo after American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus produced one of the most remarkable performances of the season, narrowly defeating reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling men's 800m contest at the Diamond League meeting.

The 17-year-old sensation shocked a world-class field by crossing the finish line first in a race that came down to the smallest of margins. After an intense battle over the final metres, Lutkenhaus held off Wanyonyi by just one hundredth of a second, producing a dramatic finish that left the packed stadium in disbelief.

From the opening lap, the pace was relentless as the leading contenders positioned themselves for a fierce showdown. As the athletes entered the home straight, Wanyonyi appeared poised to unleash his trademark finishing kick. However, Lutkenhaus refused to be intimidated, matching the Olympic champion stride for stride before producing a perfectly timed lean at the line to secure a historic victory.

The result marks a breakthrough moment for the young American, who continues to establish himself as one of the brightest talents in global athletics. Defeating an Olympic champion at a Diamond League event is a feat many athletes spend entire careers pursuing, yet Lutkenhaus achieved it before reaching adulthood.

For Wanyonyi, the narrow defeat does little to diminish his status as one of the world's premier 800m runners. The Kenyan once again demonstrated his exceptional class and competitiveness, pushing the race to a world-class standard and forcing his young rival to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Beyond the result itself, the race offered a glimpse into what could become one of the sport's most exciting rivalries in the years ahead. With established stars and emerging talents now pushing each other to new heights, the men's 800m continues to evolve into one of athletics' most captivating events.

On a memorable night in Oslo, the spotlight belonged to Cooper Lutkenhaus. At just 17 years old, he stood toe-to-toe with an Olympic champion and emerged victorious, announcing himself to the athletics world in spectacular fashion.