Meniscal Tear

“Meniscal tears are common as they make 78% of all knee injuries in India among athletes. If this condition is neglected, it can progress and cause persistent knee complications. Prompt intervention makes a huge difference for the better. Axis Clinics provides expert care to help restore your health.” – Science Direct

What is a Meniscal Tear?

A meniscal tear is a common knee injury involving the meniscus. It is a C-shaped piece of cartilage that cushions and stabilizes the joint. The meniscus acts as a shock absorber between the thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia). Meniscal tears occur during activities that twist or rotate the knee forcefully, such as pivoting, squatting, or lifting heavy objects.

Meniscal Tear Symptoms

Meniscal tear symptoms vary based on the injury level. You must note and address these symptoms early with an expert doctor. This will avoid serious damage and complications to your knees. Untreated meniscal tears will cause long-term knee problems, which include arthritis, immobility, and chronic pain.

Common Symptoms:

Pain: Pain is one of the earliest, if not the first, indicators of a meniscus tear. It is usually localized on either the inner or outer side of the knee, depending on the affected meniscus. The pain can be low or sharp and stabbing, especially with movement. Bending, twisting, or squatting usually exacerbates the pain.
Swelling: Swelling is expected in a patient to occur after hours or days the injury. The knee may be swollen in appearance and may feel warm to the touch. Sometimes, excess fluid is produced inside the knee joint, wearing out its cushioning properties, which restricts the free movement of the joint.
Limited Motion: Patients with meniscal tears often have an inability to fully extend or flex their knee joint. It is because of knee stiffness or immobility. It may be difficult to bend over a knee, with some patients stating it feels too “tight,” and other activities such as kneeling or squatting are lost owing to lack of motion.
Locking Sensation: A torn piece of the meniscus may lock within the knee joint, resulting in the feeling that the knee is “locked.” In such cases, the knee cannot move, and extension or flexion cannot be achieved. Such sensations can be distressful, especially if they happen unexpectedly when one is engaged in physical activity.
Popping Sound: A few patients will report a “pop” during the injury, especially if the injury occurs with a rapid twisting motion of the knee at the time of injury. This sound is associated with the movement of the menisci in the joint or, more usually, with the alteration of the normal movement of the knee.
Instability: The knee may feel unstable or weak, particularly if weight is applied. This is explained by the inability of the meniscus to perform its shock absorption and stabilization roles at the knee joint. They may also feel a “giving way” sensation with or without actual buckling of the knee during activities like walking, running, and stair climbing.

Meniscal Tear Causes and Risk Factors

A knee meniscal tear happens in sports due to sudden twisting and turning. The strain causes degenerative changes that can fracture older people.

Other causes include:

Squatting or lifting heavy objects: Knee joints are put under a lot of stress when squatting or lifting heavy objects. Such stress increases the chances of suffering a meniscus tear as it puts an unnecessary load on the knee’s shock absorber, known as the meniscus.
Sudden changes in direction while running: Most sports, especially ones that involve running, like football or basketball, often feature rapid changes in direction. Such sudden movements combined with a high level of stress on the knee can result in injuries such as a meniscus tear.
Direct impact injuries during accidents: A meniscus tear can be triggered due to any direct force trauma applied to the knee such as a fall, car collision, or a sport-related injury. The impact of stress can lead to meniscal rupture or tear, especially in cases where the knee is twisted or bent unnaturally during the injury.

Risk Factors:

Age: The risk increases with advancing age owing to deterioration.
Sports: Sports such as football, basketball, and skiing.
Obesity: Added tension on knee joints.
Previous Knee Injury: Past experiences involving torn ligaments or surgical operations.

What are the diagnostic criteria for a meniscus tear? Diagnosis of Meniscal Tear

To check for a meniscal tear in the knee, expert doctors perform some physical examinations and imaging tests.

Common diagnostic methods are:

Physical examination
McMurray’s test
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
X-rays
Arthroscopy

What is the best treatment for a meniscus tear? Meniscal Tear Treatment

Since meniscal tears can vary in severity, there are a range of treatments for them. Firstly, there are conservative meniscal tear treatments, like the RICE method. In this method, rest, ice, compression, and elevation are the four steps involved in letting the meniscus heal on its own. Pain relief medicines may also be combined to provide instant relief from pain. For knee stabilization, doctors often recommend physical therapy, which helps to build the knee muscles stronger to release stress from the meniscus.

Regenerative ortho biologics treatments using your own bone marrow or plasma in high concentration have shown good results in meniscal injuries; it is a minimally invasive procedure and has better recovery time for clients.

There are surgical meniscal treatment options as well, which are opted for in rare cases. Basically, if there’s a severe case of instability, then the doctor will do a minimally invasive hybrid arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus which includes arthroscopy combined with Regenerative orthobiologics and Axis clinics is a pioneer in this field, or in a few cases, the replacement of the meniscus is done. Consult our experts at Axis Clinics to know more about the treatment.

Meniscal Tear Recovery and Rehabilitation

The extent of recovery from different meniscal tear types is subjective and depends on the degree of damage:

Minor Injuries: Usually heal within 4-6 weeks with adequate bed rest and physiotherapy.
Moderate Injuries: The healing process, on average, may take about 8-12 weeks.
Severe Injuries: The time required to recuperate from meniscal tear surgery can range from three to six months.

Rehabilitation Tips

Adhere to a well-organized rehabilitation physical therapy schedule.
Implement the use of crutches first to avoid putting too much strain.
Engage in the practice of shedding weight by enhancing the surrounding muscles.
Refrain from indulging in aggressive exercises until recovery is complete.

How do you prevent a meniscus tear? Meniscus Tear Prevention Tips

Meniscal tears can be prevented by ensuring adequate muscle strength and flexibility, along with using proper movement patterns.

How to Prevent Meniscal Tears?

Warm Up Properly: Get your muscles ready for exercises well in advance.
Strengthen Leg Muscles: Targets the quadriceps and hamstring to provide knees with stability.
Use Correct Techniques: Get trained on the right ways to twist and lift any objects.
Wear Supportive Shoes: Prefer light shoes whose insoles can absorb enough impact.
Avoid Overexertion: Take a break when necessary to avoid stressing the body.

Following these tips will offer some protection to the knees. Visit us at Axis Clinics for consultations on knee-related issues and an effective Meniscal tears treatment.

When to See a Doctor?

If you have pain, swelling, or instability, seek a meniscal tear treatment without any delay. Delaying treatment for a meniscal tear may worsen it further. It may then need complex rehab to be treated completely. Axis Clinics provides modern, high-quality techniques to treat meniscal tear injuries for successful healing.

Conclusion

in conclusion, it is important to seek help for meniscal injuries within the shortest time possible to avoid any damaging effects on the knee. Trust Axis Clinics for professional meniscus treatment and meniscal tear surgery and support. Schedule an appointment with us now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a meniscus tear heal without surgery?

Your meniscus tear may heal on its own without surgery, depending on its size and location. To ease pain and reduce swelling, your doctor could advise taking an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

How long does a meniscus tear take to heal?’

It may take a long time for a meniscus damage to heal. For younger individuals in particular, a small meniscus tear might heal in four to twelve weeks. However, for older people or anyone over 35—it can take anywhere from three to six months, sometimes even more.

Can I live with a meniscus tear?

Meniscus tears do not pose a hazard to life. However, before it harms the knee's articular cartilage, a meniscal tear that frequently or chronically causes swelling, catches, or locks the knee should be removed or corrected.

Is it okay to exercise with a torn meniscus?

Running with a torn meniscus can cause long-term pain and damage to the meniscus, as well as delay the healing process. Waiting until the irritation and unsteadiness have subsided is the recommended course of action.