What is Meniscal Tear?
Your menisci are two crescent-shaped discs of shock-absorbing cartilage in your knee joint. They lie between your thigh bone (femur) and your shin bone (tibia). The medial meniscus lies on the inside and the lateral lies on the outside of your knee. They help to spread the load of your weight upon your shinbone. They also act as shock absorbers and help to stabilise your knee joint.
Tears of the meniscus are a common injury. They may happen when you play sports, but they can also happen as a result of normal age related changes as you get older. Tears of the meniscus may be accompanied with injury to other ligaments in your knees such as your anterior cruciate ligament.
What are the Symptoms of a Meniscus Tear?
If you tear a meniscus, you’re likely to have pain in your knee. Some people only have minimal pain, and for some itās intermittent. You will probably feel the pain along the joint line. You may also have some swelling, usually occurring several hours after the injury. You may feel as though your knee is clicking, catching or locking. It is also possible that your knee will feel unstable and may feel as though it is going to give way. You may find that movement of your knee is restricted, especially when squatting or twisting your knee.
What Causes a Meniscus Tear?
Tears of your meniscus are usually caused by twisting while your foot is planted on the ground. This may happen for instance while you are playing football or basketball. In older people, the menisci can become worn down and tears can result from more minor injuries. These are called degenerative tears.
What are the Treatment options for Meniscus Tear?
The treatment you have for your meniscus injury may depend upon how severely your injury is affecting your quality of life. The initial treatment will be to control your pain and swelling.
Your doctor will perform some clinical tests to find out if your meniscus has been injured and how severe the injury may be. There are different treatments that your doctor may suggest.
Although some small tears may heal with rest, most will need some form of treatment.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is an important treatment for meniscus injuries. The aim of physiotherapy is to help your knee recover its full range of movement, its strength and its stability.
Medicines
Your doctor may prescribe stronger anti-inflammatories or painkillers if your pain is severe. As well as easing your pain, anti-inflammatories may help to reduce inflammation and swelling.
Knee Arthroscopy for Meniscus Tear
If your injury is more severe, you may need surgery to repair the tear, followed by physiotherapy for rehabilitation to restore your normal function.
Make an Appointment to Speak to our Knee Specialist to Treat Meniscus Tear Today.
Knee Meniscus Tear Specialist
Dr Tan Chin Yik, Orthopaedic Specialist Treats Meniscus Tear
