About Meniscus Tear
Meniscus Tears - Medical Meniscus Tear
Meniscus tear is an injury caused to the meniscus. The meniscus is a moon shaped cartilage that lies between the weight bearing surfaces of the knee joint i.e. the thigh bone and the shin bone. The meniscus is attached to the knee joint along its periphery. There are two menisci (plural for meniscus) in each knee joint. The meniscus on the outer side of the knee is called the lateral meniscus and the one on the inner side is called the medial meniscus. The menisci function as a shock absorber between the upper and lower leg bones and distribute the pressure evenly across the knee joint. The menisci also increase the stability of the knee joint.
If the menisci do not function, the body weight will be distributed unevenly and excessive force on any specific area can cause harm to the bones. The common offshoot of meniscus tear is knee arthritis. Therefore, the menisci of each knee play an important part in the functioning of the body.
Symptoms of Meniscus Tear:
The common symptoms observed in Meniscus Tear are:
- Slight pain and swelling
- Sharp pain while sitting or squatting
- Tenderness around the meniscus area
- Inability to straighten the joint
- Limited motion of the knee joint
- Knee catch, popping or clicking within the knee.
Causes of Meniscus Tear
Traumatic injury and degeneration of meniscus are the common causes that lead to a meniscus tear. The known conditions that cause meniscus tear are:
- Twisting the knee
- Knee injuries such as torn ligament
- Age
- Degeneration of the meniscus
One of the main causes that impact this condition is that a majority of the meniscus do not have blood supply. As blood vessels speed the healing process, lack of blood vessels imply no healing unless the meniscus is repaired. Similarly, the torn piece of the meniscus floats within the joints and as it gets trapped in the small space it causes pain in the joints.
Treatment & Recovery of Meniscus Tear
The common ways to diagnose and confirm a meniscus tear are:
- X-ray
- MRI Scan
- Physical Examination
A health professional primarily assesses a meniscus tear by checking the mobility, stability and tenderness around the knee joint. The type of treatment suggested on confirmation of meniscus tear depends on:
- The extent of the injury
- Type of Injury: Traumatic or Degenerative
- Location of the injury
- Age
- Medical history
- Level of activity when injury occurred
The common modes of treatment suggested to treat meniscus tear are:
Non Surgical Treatments:
- Adequate Rest and Relaxation
- Ice Packs
- Compression
- Elevation
- Physical Therapy
Surgical Treatments:
- Surgical Repair
- Surgical removal of torn section (also known as partial meniscectomy)
- Surgical removal of the entire meniscus (meniscectomy)
