Ep 214 - Meniscus Tears: Conservative Care vs. Surgery with Jill Monson

💭 "I think the biggest mistake is ignoring an irritable knee." - Jill Monson 💡 In this episode of PT Pro Talk, host Mariana Parks speaks with Jill Monson, a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience specializing in complex knee injuries at Twin Cities Orthopedics. This interview breaks down the clinical decision-making behind meniscus tear management, from navigating degenerative changes to handling complex root and radial tears. From avoiding the "downhill cellular spiral" of an irritable joint to setting strict objective criteria for returning to sport, Jill shares actionable insights on how to properly interpret mechanical symptoms, respect surgical timelines, and optimize both non-operative and post-op meniscus rehab. 👉🏻 Jill Monson, PT, OCS is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist highly focused on treating lower extremity injuries and complex knee conditions. She currently serves as the lead physical therapist for the Complex Knee Injury Clinic at Twin Cities Orthopedics, where she directs clinical care and research initiatives in collaboration with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert LaPrade. Beyond her clinical practice, Jill is a prominent figure in international medical education. She is a frequent conference speaker, a prolific author of scientific articles, and an active committee member for the AASPT. Her ultimate professional goal is to help patients overcome challenging orthopedic problems and return to their peak performance in both life and sport. 📚In this episode, you'll learn: • What actually makes someone a good candidate for conservative management, versus needing a surgical referral • How long conservative treatment should really be given before reconsidering the surgical option • How to structure post-op rehab from the first few weeks after repair through return-to-sport criteria • The biggest mistakes PTs make when rehabbing a meniscus repair 🔎Jill's Resource of Information: • Monson JK, Tollefson LV, et.al. Current Rehabilitation Principles Following Meniscus Repairs. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2025 Sep. PMID: 40343689 • Prill R, Ma CB, et. al. The formal EU-US Meniscus Rehabilitation 2024 Consensus: An ESSKA-AOSSM-AASPT initiative. PMID: 40501314 • Pujol N, Giordano AO, et. al. The formal EU-US Meniscus Rehabilitation 2024 Consensus: An ESSKA-AOSSM-AASPT initiative. PMID: 40353298 • Dr. LaPrade Website: https://drrobertlaprademd.com/ • Dr. Chala Website: https://www.jorgechahlamd.com/ 📲 Jill's contact information: https://www.instagram.com/jillmonsonpt/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillmonsonptocs/ 🚨Try Hanna Health free for 30 days - a customizable HEP platform where you can use your own videos, edit quickly, and track patient access. Start your trial here: https://bit.ly/4pSkYjP 📩 Don't miss out on podcast updates!📬: https://www.ptprotalk.com/ 👉 Share Your Feedback: https://forms.gle/YspLGAzHph2fVord8 🎙Listen on all platforms: https://bit.ly/45rzffO 🍁 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝐏𝐓 𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 🍁 In this channel, you will find Physical Therapy-related content, like interviews with experts that share their views and experiences, providing relevant information to help Physical Therapists to improve their practice and patient care! 📩 Don't miss out on podcast updates!📬: https://www.ptprotalk.com/ 🌐𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐞 𝐎𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 https://www.instagram.com/ptprotalk/ https://www.facebook.com/ptprotalkpodcast https://www.linkedin.com/company/pt-pro-talk/ https://twitter.com/MariHannaParks Spotify: http://bit.ly/3HFJcNQ ✅𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇 📧 📩Email: mariana@ptprotalk.com Support 💁‍♂️ PT Pro Talk Podcast is only possible with the support of forward-looking and innovative companies like: Hanna Health: https://hannahealthhub.com/hep.