Meniscus Tears

There are three ways that the health care team can go about providing treatment for a patient that has experienced a meniscus tear; conservative treatment, surgical treatment and rehabilitation after the form of treatment has been decided upon.

Conservative treatment is the most popular and can include allowing the patient to use supports for the bracing of the knee as the meniscus is healing. Through the brace, that will evenly distribute the weight, the patient can have a reduced sense of pain and ensure that they able to

Aggressive treatment may be required in the case that conservative treatment is not effective in the treatment of the tear, or in the case that the pain is not subsiding or the joint is not healing as expected.

This type of treatment is different for the various types and causes of tears that occur and can include surgery to use arthroscopic measures to repair the tear, stitching the tear inside the knee to preserve the cartilage or, using surgical measures to insert a device into the knee for those suffering from degenerative meniscus tears, where the cartilage has completely worn away.

Once the tear has been assessed and the treatment plan has been determined, the patient will be required to undergo a rehabilitation program that include mobility exercises being completed through the knee to ensure that the entire range of motion has returned and that there has been no permanent damage to the knee. These exercises can often be completed between weeks and months after the tear has occurred through the meniscus, depending on the degree of the tear and the injuries that ensued.

How do you determine which type of treatment is right for your tear? Working with a health care professional to decide upon a treatment plan requires the patient to be informed. Learning about each type of treatment and the benefits and risks can help the patient to weigh the options and make the decision.

There are two common causes that are associated with a tear in the meniscus; trauma to the knee area causing the tear and degenerative disease causing the tear. Learning about the symptoms and the risks that can increase each type of injury that can occur through the knee can be an effective way to help the patient reduce their risks of tearing the meniscus and helping the patent to avoid the long months on the road to recovery after a meniscus tear.

Degenerative Meniscus Tears
Degenerative meniscus tears are often associated with arthritis and other types of diseases through the joints and bones in the body. These types of tears are from years of the cartilage wearing away through the knee joint and finally resulting in the depletion of the meniscus.

In many causes, in addition to the recovery time, the patient will often require components be surgically implanted into the knee to take on the role of the meniscus, providing the equal balance of the weight distribution through these synthetic parts.

Trauma caused Meniscus Tears
One of the more common causes of tears to the meniscus is damages that are caused by trauma. In many sports, the players are at a high risk of developing this type of injury, especially if they are hit on the outside of the knee. Resulting in immediate pain, this type of tear can take months of rehabilitation before the player is allowed back on the field.

Of course, there are many other people that suffer from the meniscus tears, even if they aren’t sports players. These people can experience the tears from traumas including accidents, falls and other incidents that can cause the knee to twist and extend.

Most times, the tears that have resulted from trauma can be rehabilitated in the matter of months, allowing the player to get back on the field and the person to get back to their life.

Medial meniscus tears are those that affect the outside of the knee and are most common for sports players that are coming into contact with another player on the field, like Football or Rugby players. These types of injuries can be quite complex, often leading to other tears that can be found in the meniscus and therefore require the individual to complete a rehabilitation program before they are cleared to return to their normal activities.

The medial meniscus is not only a more common injury, than a lateral meniscus tear, but also comes with the increased risk of being accompanied with other types of tears. It is essential that the person diagnosed with the tear undergo diagnostic procedures to ensure that the tear is only one present before treatment is begun.

There are two types of treatment options that are available for patients that have suffered from a medial meniscus tear. The first option includes a conservative treatment plan that will use exercises and support throughout the rehabilitation program to return the knee back to its original state by strengthen the meniscus and allowing it to heal.

The second type of treatment options for the medial meniscus tears is more invasive, using surgery to stitch the cartilage that has been damaged and begin the rehabilitation process. The surgery is completed through arthroscopic measures and can be an effective way to preserve the cartilage found in the meniscus.

Throughout the rehabilitation process of the medial meniscus tear, the patient will make use of knee braces and supports that can help to distribute the weight evenly by taking on the role of the meniscus, making use mobility exercises to ensure that the patient is able to retain the use of the knee throughout the treatment and use supplements that can be helpful through the healing process to quicken the speed in which the joint heals.

The lesser known type of tear that can occur through the knee, causing joint pain and swelling, is a lateral meniscus tear. It is most often caused by movements where there is a high level of exertion on the knee, like weight and through activities like jumping or taking sharp turns.

Patients that have suffered from a lateral meniscus tear often experience a high degree of pain while trying to turn or rotate the knee and suffer from swelling of the knee. This is the first indication that the patient may have suffered from a tear of the lateral meniscus and should be regarded as serious in the case that the symptoms are present, with immediate medical attention being obtained from a health care professional.

The treatment for the lateral meniscus tear will vary depending on the type of tear and the extent of the damage, but will range from cold being applied to the knee with ice, rest and exercises that can help to strengthen the cartilage in the knee. Physical therapy can help to restore the strength in the knee for minor or medium tears, where larger tears that are more extensive may require the use of surgery to repair the torn cartilage that is causing the joint pain.

Recovery time for the tear can range between as little as a few weeks and as much as a few months, depending on the extent of the injury that has been obtained. The patient should expect to be off of their feet for at least a few weeks, using crutches to assist with their movement. After this point, the health care professional will identify the damage that remains and determine the course of treatment that is going to best suit the need of the patient and the diagnosis that has been made.

Have you recently been diagnosed with a tear of the meniscus and are concerned about how long it is going to leave you out of the game or leave you with the inability to complete your regular, everyday activities?

The shortest period of time that the patient can expect to have assistance walking through the use of crutches is between three and four weeks. Throughout this time, the patient should avoid placing any weight on the knee or the leg, as this can cause the damage to worsen and extend the treatment.

Once the initial there weeks has been completed, the health care professional will assess the patient and determine whether the patient requires additional time for the meniscus to heal. In the case that more time is required, the patient will be put back on crutches for another one to two weeks, waiting for the injury to heal.

In the case that the injury that has been sustained to the meniscus is more involved, with a larger tear, surgery may be required. In these cases, the health care professionals will complete the surgery immediately after the diagnosis has been made and allow the patient to enter the rehabilitation program within days after the surgery has been declared successful. Through these types of programs, the patient will undergo activities that can help to retain the range of motion and restore the strength back to the knee joint.

The rehabilitation after surgery can take weeks, with a full recovery expected within three months of the injury. The patient that has undergone the treatment should be especially careful for up to six months, avoiding a repeat injury to the knee, as it can set back the rehabilitation and seriously injure the meniscus.

The recovery process is truly an individual estimate, depending on the type of injury and the extent of the injury that the patient has suffered from.

After a meniscus tear, it is important to establish a routine that is going to strengthen the joint and provide the patient with the previous strength that has been seen through the knee, allowing the patient in many cases to complete a full recovery and get back to their normal activities in less than a few months.

Some of the meniscus tears rehabilitation exercises that can be effective through the treatment include:

Mobility Exercises
Mobility exercises ensures that the knee is kept moving. Heel slides, calf stretches and other types of extension exercises can be an effective way to ensure that the injury is not irritated, but also to ensure that the mobility is going to return to normal in the knee once the treatment has been completed and the rehabilitation program has ended.

Low Impact Exercises
As the knee is being strengthened and repaired, it is important to avoid high impact exercises, as they can cause further damage to the meniscus. Using low impact exercises, many of which can be completed in the water, can be an effective way to ensure that the patient is going to be able to maintain an exercise program without putting excessive amount of strain on the injury that has been caused.

Gentle Muscle Building Programs
It is important to take part in gentle muscle building programs that are going to strengthen the knee and the area around the knee. In fact, using these types of strength building exercises can often allow the patient to have a quicker recovery.

It is important to choose exercises that have been recommended by a trainer or health care professional that understands the type of injury that has been sustained, this can ensure that the client is going to complete a program that is going to aid the recovery, rather than irritating the injury further.

A tear occurs between the menisci in the knee in one of two locations, between the femur and the tibia. Created from a thick type of cartilage, the menisci can become torn and results in pain in the joint, impacting the daily activities from walking to playing sports.

A meniscus tear is one of the most common injuries that occurs in the knee and can occur in one of two places, through the middle of the knee or the outside of the knee.
What is the function of the meniscus? The meniscus is created from a tough type of cartilage that can assist in the process of distributing the weight of the individual equally over the bones that are present in the leg. Without the meniscus or if it become torn, the stress can exert on one bone in the leg, causing pain throughout the joint.

There are two main causes of tears through the meniscus that include a traumatic injury causing the tear and natural degenerative damage throughout the knee causing the tear and the pain associated with the injury.

How do you know if you have suffered from a meniscus tear? To determine if you have suffered from the tear it is important to take into account the symptoms that are being experienced. Pain and swelling throughout the joint, as well as the inability to straighten or extend the leg are two of the most common symptoms. Other symptoms include the knee locking, allowing the patient to not move the leg at all.

In some cases, there is a popping or a clicking noise that can be heard while bending the knee. Suffering from any of these symptoms should prompt the patient to seek immediate medical attention and treatment for the knee and joint pain caused by a meniscus tear.

The tearing of the meniscus is one of the most painful injuries that can occur in the knee and often comes with months upon months of being enrolled in a rehabilitation program. Immediate treatment after the occurrence is required in order to ensure that the patient is going to recover fully, as well as reduce further damage and determine whether there are any other tears that have occurred.

Here are some of the common symptoms that accompany a torn meniscus:

• Pain and swelling throughout the knee area
• The inability to move the knee and the feeling as if the knee has been ‘locked into place’
• Difficulty or the inability to extend the leg
• Tenderness when pressure is applied to the meniscus
• A popping or clicking sound in the knee with movement

A tear through the meniscus is often associated with a high level of pain and causes the individual to have the inability to place weight on the knee without the pain being present. Any knee pain that has been associated with trauma to the knee area should be thoroughly investigated in the case that any of these symptoms are present.

Learning about the symptoms that are associated with a torn meniscus is essential for people that are taking part in sports where these types of injuries are common. This way, the player can be aware of the potential symptoms and can determine whether immediately medical attention is required to deal with the injury.

Taking note of the symptoms and the severity of the symptoms can be an effective way to inform the health care professional of the steps that should be taken next, allowing the health care professional to create a treatment plan to reduce the recovery time of the torn meniscus.