Warning signs that your meniscus may be in trouble from an overuse injury include: Pain in the knee joint. Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint.
Avoid activities that aggravate your knee pain, especially any activity that causes you to twist, rotate or pivot your knee. If your pain is severe, using crutches can take pressure off your knee and promote healing.
The pain may come and go over a period of years if the tear isn't treated. Larger tears usually cause more pain and immediate swelling and stiffness. Pieces of the torn meniscus can float into the joint space. This can make the knee catch, pop, or lock.
A torn knee meniscus often has similar symptoms to knee osteoarthritis, making it difficult to know the cause of the pain. Common symptoms of both osteoarthritis and a torn meniscus include: Pain around the knee joint, especially after activity, such as walking, running, or climbing stairs.
A tear is usually labeled as severe if the meniscus has a big tear. Loose pieces may cause the knee joint to lock or catch. This level of injury may also keep you from bending or straightening your leg and can make walking difficult. Severe tears usually require surgery to repair.
If you have a small tear at the outer edge of the meniscus (in what doctors call the red zone), you may want to try home treatment. These tears often heal with rest. If you have a moderate to large tear at the outer edge of the meniscus (red zone), you may want to think about surgery.
You will have a physical examination to find out if you have a torn meniscus and to rule out other knee injuries. Your doctor will check both knees for tenderness, range of motion, and knee stability. X-rays are usually done. Based on your symptoms and the physical examination, your doctor may diagnose a meniscus tear.
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.
Those in severe pain and for whom basic treatments don't work may be candidates for meniscus surgery. The best way to ensure that this is the right course to take is by receiving an MRI. A physician may also look at the tear with an arthroscope, a thin tool with a camera and a light at the end.
Individuals with a meniscus tear often complain of pain along the joint line. They often have pain or weakness with bending the knee and sometimes they have a catching or locking sensation. With an acute tear, individuals may notice a lot of swelling in the knee and often report that they heard or felt a pop.
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.
A common question about this injury is: “Can you still walk with a torn meniscus?” The answer will depend on the severity of the injury and other individual factors, but there is a chance that a meniscus tear may cause pain when walking.
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.
Arthroscopic meniscus repair typically takes about 40 minutes to perform, and usually you will be able to leave the hospital the same day. There are three main types of meniscus repairs. Your surgeon chooses a technique based on the location of the tear and his or her experience with the techniques.
“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.
Most people can walk with crutches soon after meniscus surgery. Many return to normal activities within six to eight weeks. Your healthcare provider may recommend low-impact activities rather than high-impact (such as walking rather than running). If you have a physical job, you may need extra time off work to recover.
The patient should avoid pivoting and squatting and should work on keeping the quadriceps muscles strong. If the swelling and pain have not resolved in 6 weeks, they usually won't without surgical intervention.
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.
Sleeping positions
This is especially true if you're a stomach or side sleeper, and you can't lay in your regular position due to the location of the incisions on your knee. Generally, learning how to sleep after meniscus surgery means sleeping on your back with your leg slightly elevated.
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.
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.