ORTHOPEDICS/HIP & KNEE/MENISCUS INJURIES
This frequent knee cartilage damage may be treated non-surgically
The meniscus is C-shaped cartilage kind that sits within the knee joint between the thighbone and shinbone.
Each knee joint has two meniscus, one on the knee outside (called the lateral meniscus) and one on the knee inside (called the medial meniscus).
The medial and lateral meniscus perform as shock-absorbers and also provide cushioning and steadiness to the knee, which is the reason that any tear or damage occurring to a meniscus results in pain, inflammation, with rarely, a feeling that the knee is giving out.
In order to diagnose a meniscus tear, the specialist your will recommend a medical history, a physical exam, and eventually one or more imaging tests.
Once diagnosed, a therapy plan is decided and often focuses on non-surgical alternatives such as taking anti-inflammatory medicines and undergoing physical therapy.
If signs remain, although the conservative measures, doctor may recommend surgery.
Signs
A meniscus tear first sign is pain in the knee front.
Remarkably, with a torn meniscus, a person is still able to walking and even continue to playing. However, within a day or two, the knee becomes uncomfortably inflamed and inflexible.
Along with pain, inflammation and rigorousness, other signs may include:
A clicking feeling when walking
An incapability to curving or completely extending the knee
A feeling of a knee unsteadiness
Causes
Most frequently, a meniscus tear results from a severe damage to the knee, often from a sudden knee twisting.
Here some examples of sports that may increase a person’s risk for a menisci tear: Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Skiing and Wrestling
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a meniscal tear involves a medical history, physical examination, and imaging.
Medical History
Where precisely is your knee pain positioned?
Did your knee inflammation arise abruptly or did it progressively develop over days?
Are you undergoing any other signs besides pain and inflammation, like your knee giving out or an incapability to curve or extend your knee?
Have you suffered any trauma or injury to the knee?
Do you have a identified history of knee osteoarthritis?
Physical Exam
A physical exam will be performed after the medical history in order to evaluate inflammation, soreness, motion range, and joint clicking.
The leg muscle strength will also be checked to evaluate walking and the ability to completely extend or curve the knee.
One more traditional test used to access for meniscus damage is called the McMurray test.
How the McMurray Test Is Performing
Imaging
An X-ray of the knee is firstly performed to access for any concomitant bone breaks or other knee pain sign, such as osteoarthritis.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will follow for diagnosing and evaluating a meniscus tear.
Diagnoses
Other knee-related diagnoses may cause pain and signs that mimic a meniscus tear.
Two classic examples include:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear may happen when an athlete abruptly modifies direction or lands from a jump inaccurately. Sometimes an ACL tear happens accompanied by a medial meniscal tear.
Collateral Ligament injury
Collateral ligament injuries may also cause knee pain and inflammation, similar to the meniscus tears.
Ligament damages tend to happen due to a direct shock to the knee (like during a football tackle), and similar to an ACL tear, they may happen in combination with a meniscus tear.
Therapy
Most of the time, non-surgical therapies are all that is needed to heal the meniscus.
Non-Surgical Alternatives
The traditional therapy of a meniscus tear is the R.I.C.E. protocol:
Relaxation, Ice applying, Compressing the knee and Elevating the leg.
After the R.I.C.E. protocol and a suitable diagnosis, physical therapy frequently follows.
Torn Meniscus/physical therapy
Surgery may be recommended if pain persist after four to six weeks of modified activity and physical therapy.
Torn Meniscus/Surgery
There are three surgery kinds used to treat a meniscus tear:
- Arthroscopic Meniscectomy
A meniscectomy is a technique to remove the torn portion of the meniscus.
The meniscectomy is performed to remove the damaged portion of the meniscus while leaving as much healthy meniscus as possible. The meniscectomy typically has a fast recovery.
Meniscus Repair
A meniscus repair is a surgical technique performed to repair the damaged meniscus. The meniscus repair can reestablish the knee normal anatomy and has a better long-term prognosis when successful.
Note that the meniscus repair is an important surgery and the recovery is noticeably longer.
- Meniscus Transplant
Meniscus transplantation consists of placing the meniscus from a deceased donor patient into an individual who has had their meniscus removed.
Long-Term Prognosis
The advantage is that you can make lifestyle modifications to decrease your risk of developing arthritis after having sustained a meniscus tear. Some of these lifestyle preventive strategies include:
Weight loss, Low-impact exercise, Prevention of further shock to the joint
A Final Word
Not all the torn meniscus are the same, and not all the meniscus tear necessitates the same therapy type. With appropriate physical therapy and care, most people heal well and get back to their favorite sports and activities.