The knee is the largest and most complex joint in the human body.
It is an oft-injured area of the body because it is used so heavily and because of its complex structural nature.
There are so many different parts to the knee, which means a whole host of things can go wrong.
A meniscal tear is a common knee injury involving torn cartilage in the knee.
The injury is more common among athletes, but can occur in anyone at any age.
Anatomy of the Knee Three bones converge in the knee area where they are connected to form the knee joint.
The meniscus is horseshoe shaped piece of cartilage that is there to adsorb shock.
Each meniscus (there are two) is tough and rubbery allowing it to cushion properly when the knee is in motion.
Meniscus Tear Menisci can tear in a variety of ways.
There are different types of tears involving different parts of the meniscus as well as how the tear looks.
Tears are referred to as longitudinal, flap, bucket handle and so on.
Sports related meniscus tears often occur congruently with other knee injuries such as an ACL tear.
A torn meniscus can occur as a result of one incident such as falling, bending or being struck.
These are known as acute injuries, and are common among active adults and athletes who participate in sports.
Older people are much more prone to degenerative tears of the meniscus as the cartilage weakens over time.
Symptoms of a Meniscus Tear Many people say they hear a popping noise when the tear occurs.
It is common for people to be able to walk on the injury after it occurs.
Over the next 24-48 hours the knee swells and becomes very stiff.
Symptoms include: · Stiffness · Swelling · Pain · The knee locking up · Sensation of the knee about to collapse or give way · Lack of full range of motion There are a variety of surgical treatments for torn menisci.
Doctors will typically start with nonsurgical options first depending on the severity of the tear.
Arthroscopic knee surgery is the most common surgery to treat a torn meniscus.
The surgery involves the physician inserting a small camera through an insertion in the knee.
From there, the physician can clean up the tear by trimming or repairing it.
Recovering from a meniscus tear typically involves rehabilitation after the initial healing takes place.
Most people are able to regain pre-injury ability in their knee following surgery.
It is an oft-injured area of the body because it is used so heavily and because of its complex structural nature.
There are so many different parts to the knee, which means a whole host of things can go wrong.
A meniscal tear is a common knee injury involving torn cartilage in the knee.
The injury is more common among athletes, but can occur in anyone at any age.
Anatomy of the Knee Three bones converge in the knee area where they are connected to form the knee joint.
The meniscus is horseshoe shaped piece of cartilage that is there to adsorb shock.
Each meniscus (there are two) is tough and rubbery allowing it to cushion properly when the knee is in motion.
Meniscus Tear Menisci can tear in a variety of ways.
There are different types of tears involving different parts of the meniscus as well as how the tear looks.
Tears are referred to as longitudinal, flap, bucket handle and so on.
Sports related meniscus tears often occur congruently with other knee injuries such as an ACL tear.
A torn meniscus can occur as a result of one incident such as falling, bending or being struck.
These are known as acute injuries, and are common among active adults and athletes who participate in sports.
Older people are much more prone to degenerative tears of the meniscus as the cartilage weakens over time.
Symptoms of a Meniscus Tear Many people say they hear a popping noise when the tear occurs.
It is common for people to be able to walk on the injury after it occurs.
Over the next 24-48 hours the knee swells and becomes very stiff.
Symptoms include: · Stiffness · Swelling · Pain · The knee locking up · Sensation of the knee about to collapse or give way · Lack of full range of motion There are a variety of surgical treatments for torn menisci.
Doctors will typically start with nonsurgical options first depending on the severity of the tear.
Arthroscopic knee surgery is the most common surgery to treat a torn meniscus.
The surgery involves the physician inserting a small camera through an insertion in the knee.
From there, the physician can clean up the tear by trimming or repairing it.
Recovering from a meniscus tear typically involves rehabilitation after the initial healing takes place.
Most people are able to regain pre-injury ability in their knee following surgery.