Postoperative rehabilitation after medial meniscus posterior root repair: a scoping review of published protocol descriptions and evidence gaps

Postoperative rehabilitation after medial meniscus posterior root repair (MMPRR) is inconsistently described. This scoping review aimed to map published rehabilitation protocols and identify evidence gaps. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidance, four databases were searched through July 2, 2026. Eligible clinical studies reported identifiable MMPRR rehabilitation protocols without independent restrictions from concomitant procedures. Protocol descriptions were the primary analytical unit, supplemented by institution–protocol cluster sensitivity analyses. Sixty-nine studies yielded 78 protocol descriptions and 39 institution–protocol clusters. Weight-bearing management (100.0%), range-of-motion (ROM) management (98.7%), and bracing/immobilization (88.5%) were frequently reported, whereas formal strengthening (28.2%), closed-chain exercise (23.1%), gait and neuromuscular training (3.8% each), and activities of daily living (6.4%) were less consistently described. Median initiation times were 2 weeks for partial weight bearing and 6 weeks for full weight bearing, formal strengthening, and closed-chain exercise. At the cluster level, bracing reporting was 87.2% versus 88.5% at the protocol level, while return-to-sport/activity reporting was 46.2% versus 30.8%. Median ROM and partial weight-bearing initiation shifted from 1 to 2 weeks and from 2 to 3 weeks, respectively, whereas full weight-bearing initiation remained at 6 weeks. Published MMPRR rehabilitation protocols emphasize early protection, while active and functional rehabilitation is less consistently reported. Commonly reported milestones reflect published descriptions rather than actual clinical implementation or validated progression thresholds. A review protocol was developed before the review commenced but was not prospectively registered or made publicly available.