Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint. Inability to fully extend or bend the knee joint. Limping.
McMurray's Test
Lie down on your back with your knee bent. Ask a friend to rotate your foot to the inside of your leg and slowly extend your knee. If you feel pain or an inability to do so (like there's a block) this could be a sign you have a meniscus injury.
The injury won't heal on its own, which means it may continue getting worse without proper care. For example, a partial tear may continue to worsen until it's a complete tear. Continuing to walk on the affected leg can aggravate your symptoms, making pain and stiffness worse in as little as a few days.
Initial symptoms of a torn meniscus include well-localized pain and swelling in the knee. The pain is usually either on the inner or outer side of the knee, not around the kneecap.
Not everyone with a meniscus tear will have severe pain. In fact, many of you may have no pain at all if you give your knee a few weeks to rest. If your pain persists despite a few weeks of rest or PT then we may consider repairing your tear. Many more tears are repairable than we previously thought.
Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee. Difficulty straightening your knee fully. Feeling as though your knee is locked in place when you try to move it. Feeling of your knee giving way.
Management and Treatment
In the days following your injury, you should also follow the RICE protocol. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Rest: Keep your weight off the injured knee as much as possible.
What happens if you leave a torn meniscus untreated? Untreated tears can progress and become worse over time. Progressive meniscus loss can increase the risk that a person will develop degenerative knee arthritis. It is important to get a diagnosis and seek treatment early.
Fully extend your leg—there should be no or little bend in your knee.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that provides pictures of organs, bones, and joints. It makes these images by using a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy. MRI gives a good picture of the size of a meniscus tear and where it is. It also shows ligaments, cartilage, and tendons.
Although knee braces do not heal or treat your meniscus tear directly, they can provide extra support and stability for your knee while your meniscus injury heals. A good brace will protect your knee and take the pressure off your meniscus, allowing it to rest.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen can help to reduce inflammation and pain caused by a meniscus tear. Acetaminophen can also help to manage pain but does not reduce inflammation.
You may need surgery to restore full knee function. Untreated meniscus tears can increase in size and lead to complications, such as arthritis.
Avoid positions and activities that place excessive pressure on knee until pain and swelling resolve. Problematic positions include squatting, pivoting, repetitive bending (eg, climbing stairs, rising from seated position, operating clutch and pedals), jogging, and swimming using the frog or whip kick.
Recovery will take about 6 to 8 weeks if your meniscus tear is treated conservatively, without surgery.
“You can live with a meniscus tear,” Dr. Parker says. “And it may heal on its own, or just not cause you problems.” However, you'll know pretty quickly when it is a problem.
Ordinarily, your doctor or physical therapist will ask you to reduce your sports activities while your meniscus tear heals. Healing could take between four and eight weeks. However, the time depends on the severity and position of the tear.
If your doctor's exam shows your meniscus tear is mild (Grade 1 or 2), you may not need surgery. If it's Grade 3, you probably will. Your doctor might choose to do any of the following: Arthroscopic repair.
Range of motion may be limited due to pain, swelling, and/or mechanical limits from the tear. Daily activities such as walking up and down the stairs, walking down a hill, kneeling, and squatting are often made difficult due to increased pain in the knee.
What does a torn meniscus feel like? Most meniscus tears lead to knee pain in the area of the tear, on the inside or outside of the knee. Swelling of the knee may also occur, as well as pain that can radiate down the leg.
Because a torn meniscus is made of cartilage, it won't show up on X-rays. But X-rays can help rule out other problems with the knee that cause similar symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This uses a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of both hard and soft tissues within your knee.
Symptoms of a meniscus tear may be different for each person, but some of the most common symptoms are: Pain in the knee joint: usually on the inside (medial), outside (lateral) or back of the knee. Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint.
If you have a minor or partial meniscus tear, you may be able to bear weight on the affected knee, but it will feel unstable. More severe tears may make you unable to stand on the affected leg, and your knee will be painful to the touch.