What is the meniscus in the knee?
The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of rubbery cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between your shinbone and thighbone.
What Causes a Torn Meniscus?
A torn meniscus can result from forcefully twisting or rotating your knee, such as strong pivoting or sudden stops and turns. Kneeling, deep squatting or lifting heavy objects can also lead to a torn meniscus. In older adults, degenerative changes of the knee can contribute to a torn meniscus with little or no trauma.
Signs and Symptoms of a torn meniscus:
- Swelling or stiffness
- Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee
- Difficulty straightening your knee fully
- The knee feeling “locked” or “stuck”
What Acumen does for meniscus injury:
- A thorough history and evaluation exam is performed
- X-ray to rule out any bony abnormality
- MRI is most often performed to best diagnose a meniscus tear. In many cases, meniscus tears can be diagnosed through history and physical examination.
Meniscus tear treatment options:
- Physiotherapy can help strengthen the muscles around the knee for support.
- Surgery: The meniscus can be repaired for relief and knee function improvement. This is done arthroscopically through small incisions.