Meniscus tear, also known as meniscus jury or torn meniscus, is a knee injury like an ACL tear or PCL tear. The meniscus tear can also be painful like other knee injuries. Although athletes and sportspeople have a high risk of meniscus tears, an ordinary person who performs things like getting into a squatting position too fast can also suffer from meniscus tears.
The meniscus is a wedge-shaped portion of cartilage that functions as a “shock absorber between the shinbone and the thighbone.” It also protects the bone of the knee from wear and tear. But the question is, if the meniscus protects bones from tearing, how can it be torn. If you want to know the answer to this question, you have to read this article as you will get all the information about meniscus tears in this article.
What is a meniscus tear?
The meniscus tear is a meniscus injury that causes several symptoms, including knee pain and swelling. The knee’s cartilage wears down when someone gets older, causing a meniscus tear.
Arthritis can also be the reason for the meniscus tear. People who play sports like tennis, football, and basketball are most likely to suffer from meniscus tears as these games involve sudden twist movement of the body. For example, meniscus injuries can happen when a person changes direction while running simultaneously.
Symptoms of Meniscus tear
Pain and swelling are common signs of various knee injuries. So it is not easy to determine whether a person is suffering from a meniscus tear or not unless you know other symptoms. The following are the symptoms of meniscus tears-
- Pain
- Swelling
- Popping sensation
- Difficulty in bending and stretching the leg
- Lock knee
Treatment of meniscus tear
Several treatments will help you in healing from a meniscus tear. The treatment is dependent on the severity of the injury. If your tear is minor, then the doctor can give you NSAID medicine and suggest you the following practice to reduce swelling and pain in your knee-
- Rest
You should rest as much as you can to reduce pressure on your knee. You can avoid activities involving twisting, movements, etc. If the tear is severe, you can use crutches to reduce pressure on the knee and helps in healing.
- Ice
You should also keep an ice pack on your knee at least for 20 minutes multiple times a day, as ice can reduce pain and swelling of the knee.
- Wrap
You should also wrap your knee with a compression bandage as it can also help in reducing the swelling.
- Elevate
You can also elevate your leg higher than your heart to decrease the swelling of the knee.
Consult your doctor if you did not feel any recovery in the meniscus tear. Your doctor can suggest surgery to recover the meniscus tear as surgery is an effective way to repair a meniscus tear.
Conclusion
You should immediately consult a doctor after having initial symptoms of the meniscus injury instead of trying a home remedy. A minor delay can result in the tear becoming worse. The recovery time of the meniscus depends on the severity of the tear. It may take 4 to 6 weeks to recover after the surgery.
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