Torn meniscus : Causes-Symptoms-Diagnosis-Treatment
What is a Torn meniscus?
The menisci sit between the leg bone (lower leg bone) and therefore the thigh bone (thigh bone) and shield the lower part of the leg from the shock created by our weight. The medial gristle sits on the within of the knee and therefore the lateral gristle sits on the skin of the knee.
Meniscus tears sometimes occur once associate jock twists or turns their higher leg whereas their foot is planted and their knee is bent.
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| Torn meniscus |
Occasionally menisci will develop as a block or roundness, that is named a circular gristle. A circular gristle is additionally doubtless to tear and usually presents in childhood.
Like a heap of knee injuries, a gristle tear will be painful and debilitating . sadly, it's quite common. In fact, a meniscal tear is one among the foremost ofttimes occurring animal tissue injuries of the knee.
So what's the meniscus? It is a piece of animal tissue in your knee that cushions and stabilizes the joint. It protects the bones from wear and tear. however all it takes could be a sensible twist of the knee to tear the gristle. In some cases, a chunk of the sliced animal tissue breaks loose and catches within the knee, inflicting it to lock up.
Meniscus tears square measure common in-tuned sports like soccer similarly as noncontact sports requiring jumping and cutting like volleyball and association football. they'll happen once an individual changes direction suddenly whereas running, and infrequently occur at identical time as alternative knee injuries, like associate anterior symmetric ligament (ACL) injury. Gristle tears square measure a special risk for older athletes since the gristle weakens with age. over four-hundredth of individuals sixty five or older have them.
Medical terms
A torn meniscus is one among the foremost common knee injuries. Any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, particularly once you put your full weight thereon, will result in a torn gristle.
Each of your knees has 2 C-shaped items of gristle that act sort of a cushion between your shin and your femoris. A torn gristle causes pain, swelling and stiffness. you furthermore might possibly feel a block to knee motion and have bother extending your knee absolutely.
Conservative treatment — like rest, ice and medicine — is usually enough to alleviate the pain of a torn gristle and provides the injury time to heal on its own. In different cases, however, a torn gristle needs surgery.
It’s important to know where your pain is coming from when you have knee pain In most cases knee pain indicates that there is a problem with the cartilage in your knee joints When this happens simple injuries such as swelling and bruising can develop into more serious problems The first place that your joint will begin to feel the pain is at the outer part of the knee joint near the top of your leg or on the inside of your thigh just above your kneecap Depending on where it hurts and what causes it a tear in either meniscus can occur anywhere between one spot to another all around our.
Symptoms Torn meniscus
Initial symptoms of a torn gristle embody well-localized pain and swelling within the knee. The pain is sometimes either on the inner or outer aspect of the knee, not round the kneecap.
When the patient recollects a particular injury that crystallizes the pain and swelling, the swelling typically doesn't occur till the day of the injury. The swelling isn't essentially within the same space because of the pain.
A torn gristle may manufacture catching or protection of the knee. typically the knee is stuck in midrange for days at a time. Typically the patient will "unlock" the knee by bending and twisting it before making an attempt to straighten it.
If you've torn your gristle, it'd take twenty four hours or a lot of pain and swelling to start, particularly if the tear is tiny. you would possibly develop the subsequent signs and symptoms in your knee:
A popping sensation
Swelling or stiffness
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
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor if your knee is painful or swollen, or if you can't move your knee in the usual ways.
Causes Torn meniscus
Meniscus tears will occur together with age teams. Traumatic tears square measure commonest in active folks from age 10-45. chronic tears square measure commonest in folks from age forty upward.
A torn cartilage may end up from any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, like aggressive pivoting or fulminant stops and turns. Even motility, deep squatting or lifting one thing serious will typically result in a torn cartilage.
In older adults, chronic changes of the knee will contribute to a torn cartilage with very little or no trauma.
Risk factors Torn meniscus
Performing activities that involve aggressive twisting and pivoting of the knee puts you in danger of a torn cartilage. The danger is {especially} high for athletes — especially those that participate in touch sports, like soccer, or activities that involve pivoting, like lawn tennis or basketball.
Wear and tear on your knees as you age will increase the danger of a torn cartilage. thus will blubber.
How do I know if I tore my meniscus?
A meniscus is a C-shaped rubbery pad of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber for the knee joints This shock absorber also helps keep the knee surfaces from rubbing against one another When you tear your meniscus it means that fragments or loose pieces of cartilage have been torn away from their normal positions You will usually experience severe pain when this happens which may continue even after you stop moving your knees around Sometimes you can feel a “pop” in your knee followed by swelling and bruising in the area surrounding the torn meniscus.
Will a knee brace help a torn meniscus?
People who suffer a torn meniscus in their knee typically have difficulty walking and have pain when putting weight on their leg In most cases medical treatment will be unnecessary for a patient with a tear to this cartilage tissue as the injury can heal itself given enough time and rest However depending on the severity of the tear some people may require surgery to repair or replace the meniscus tissue Regardless of whether or not you receive medical attention you should always wear a knee brace after suffering from a torn meniscus in your knee so that it can properly heal and reduce discomfort over time.
Does a torn meniscus hurt constantly?
A torn meniscus can be incredibly painful It will hurt when you walk run and get up from a chair However the pain is often worse after exercising or sitting for long periods of time so it may not affect your daily activities that much to begin with Your knee may swell up over the course of a day as well You should discuss the specifics of your injury with your doctor or physical therapist in order to develop an effective treatment plan to address both symptoms and underlying causes while working toward re-establishing strength and flexibility in order to prevent future injuries.
Complications Torn meniscus
A torn gristle will cause a sense of your knee giving means, inability to maneuver your knee as you always do or persistent knee pain. you would possibly develop arthritis within the abraded knee.
Diagnosis Torn meniscus
If a meniscal tear is suspected, your medical specialist can conduct an intensive health history and analysis of the knee and will additionally order X-rays and resonance imaging (MRI) to verify the identification and more.
A torn cartilage usually is often known throughout a physical communication. Your doctor may move your knee and leg into completely different positions, watch you walk, and raise you to squat to assist pinpoint the reason behind your signs and symptoms.
Imaging tests
X-rays. Because a torn cartilage is formed of gristle, it will not show au fait X-rays. However X-rays will facilitate rule out different issues with the knee that cause similar symptoms.
MRI. This uses a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of both hard and soft tissues within your knee. It's the best imaging study to detect a torn meniscus.
Arthroscopy
In some cases, your doctor would possibly use an instrument called associate endoscope to look at the within of your knee. The endoscope is inserted through a small incision close to your knee.
The device contains a light-weight and atiny low camera, that transmits an associated enlarged image of the within of your knee onto a monitor. If necessary, surgical instruments are inserted through the endoscope or through extra tiny incisions in your knee to trim or repair the tear.
Treatment Torn meniscus
Treatment for meniscal tears depends on the scale and placement of the tear. Different factors that influence treatment embrace age, activity level and connected injuries. The outer portion of the cartilage, usually observed because of the “red zone,” encompasses a sensible blood supply and might typically heal on its own if the tear is tiny. In distinction, the inner 2 thirds of the cartilage, referred to as the “white zone,” doesn't have a decent blood offer. Tears during this region won't heal on their own as this space lacks blood vessels to usher in healing nutrients.
Treatment for a torn cartilage usually begins cautiously, counting on the sort, size and placement of your tear.
Tears related to inflammatory disease usually improve over time with treatment of the inflammatory disease, thus surgery typically is not indicated. Several different tears that are not related to protection or a block to knee motion can subsided painful over time, in order that they additionally do not need surgery.
Your doctor may recommend:
Rest. Avoid activities that irritate your knee pain, particularly any activity that causes you to twist, rotate or pivot your knee. If your pain is severe, victimization crutches will take pressure off your knee and promote healing.
Ice. Ice will cut back knee pain and swelling. Use a chilly pack, a bag of frozen vegetables or a towel stuffed with ice cubes for a quarter-hour at a time, keeping your knee elevated. try this each four to six hours the primary day or 2, then as usually PRN.
Medication. Over-the-counter pain relievers also can help ease knee pain.
Therapy
Physical therapy can help you strengthen the muscles around your knee and in your legs to help stabilize and support the knee joint.
Surgery
If your knee remains painful despite rehabilitative medical care or if your knee locks, your doctor may suggest surgery. It's typically attainable to repair a torn gristle, particularly in kids and younger adults.
If the tear cannot be repaired, the gristle may well be surgically cut, presumably through small incisions mistreatment AN endoscope. when surgery, you'll ought to do exercises to extend and maintain knee strength and stability.
If you've got advanced, degenerative joint disease, your doctor may suggest a knee replacement. For younger those who have signs and symptoms when surgery however no advanced inflammatory disease, a gristle transplant may well be acceptable. The surgery involves movement of a gristle from a dead body.
Surgery is the definitive treatment for torn gristle. The surgery is finished arthroscopically and can embody either removal or repair of the torn part of the gristle. Repairs are often done only when the tear lies in or simply adjacent to the vascular zone of the gristle.
Lifestyle and home remedies
Avoid activities that irritate your knee pain — particularly sports that involve pivoting or twisting your knee — till the pain disappears. Ice and over-the-counter pain relievers are often useful.
- Healthy foods for the musculoskeletal system
- Rehabilitation program and health tips for the musculoskeletal system
Preparing for your appointment
The pain and incapacity related to a torn cartilage prompt many of us to hunt for emergency care. Others create a rendezvous with their family doctors. relying upon the severity of your injury, you may be named a doctor specializing in medical specialty or a specialist in bone and joint surgery (orthopedic surgeon).
What you can do
Before an appointment, be prepared to answer the following questions:
When did the injury occur?
What were you doing at the time?
Did you hear a loud "pop" or feel a "popping" sensation?
Was there much swelling afterward?
Have you injured your knee before?
Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
Do certain movements seem to improve or worsen your symptoms?
Does your knee ever "lock" or feel blocked when you're trying to move it?
Do you ever feel that your knee is unstable or unable to support your weight?
General summary
Walking on a torn meniscus is bad because the cartilage cushion between your bones will get further damaged This may lead to more serious knee problems in the future.
