Full Answer
When should I be concerned about a torn meniscus in my knee?
Contact your doctor if your knee is painful or swollen, or if you can't move your knee in the usual ways. Causes. A torn meniscus can result from any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, such as aggressive pivoting or sudden stops and turns.
Are more meniscus tears repairable than we thought?
Many more tears are repairable than we previously thought. Knee pain is very common. It can occur out of the blue, after a long tennis match, a long walk, or following a sports injury or an accident. One of the more common reasons for knee pain is a meniscus tear.
Can a meniscus tear cause knee pain?
In general, there are many types of meniscus tears, and the type of tear you have will determine the type of pain you will have, and how long you will have it. The meniscus itself does not have any nerves in it. So how does a meniscus tear cause knee pain?
Does meniscus pain go away on its own?
The pain from a meniscus tear might go away on its own or with physical therapy, though certain parts of the meniscus do not heal on their own. Meniscus tears are a very common cause of knee pain. That pain might be mild or it might be severe. In some patients who develop a meniscus tear and also have arthritis, the pain can be due to both issues.
Does a torn meniscus have long-term effects?
Left untreated, a meniscus tear can limit your daily life and ability to participate in exercise and sports. In serious cases, it can develop into long-term knee problems, like arthritis.
Why do I keep getting torn meniscus?
A torn meniscus can result from any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, such as aggressive pivoting or sudden stops and turns. Even kneeling, deep squatting or lifting something heavy can sometimes lead to a torn meniscus.
What aggravates a torn meniscus?
Lifestyle and home remedies. Avoid activities that aggravate your knee pain — especially sports that involve pivoting or twisting your knee — until the pain disappears.
Can you repair a torn meniscus twice?
An attempt should be made to preserve meniscal function by repairing tears, but even after arthroscopic confirmation of stable healing repaired menisci may tear again.
What is the best painkiller for knee pain?
Over-the-counter medications — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) — may help ease knee pain. Some people find relief by rubbing the affected knee with creams containing a numbing agent, such as lidocaine, or capsaicin, the substance that makes chili peppers hot.
Can a meniscus tear lead to knee replacement?
Conclusions: In patients with knee osteoarthritis arthroscopic knee surgery with meniscectomy is associated with a three fold increase in the risk for future knee replacement surgery.
What happens if you don't repair a torn meniscus?
An untreated meniscus tear can result in the frayed edge getting caught in the joint, causing pain and swelling. It can also result in long term knee problems such as arthritis and other soft tissue damage.
Does a knee brace help a torn meniscus?
Will a knee brace help a torn meniscus? Yes. Although knee braces do not heal or treat your meniscus tear directly, they can provide extra support and stability for your knee while your meniscus injury heals. A good brace will protect your knee and take the pressure off your meniscus, allowing it to rest.
How do you relieve meniscus pain?
What's the Treatment for a Meniscus Tear?Rest the knee. ... Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling. ... Compress your knee. ... Elevate your knee with a pillow under your heel when you're sitting or lying down.Take anti-inflammatory medications. ... Use stretching and strengthening exercises to help reduce stress to your knee.More items...•
How do you know if you Retear your meniscus?
Individuals with a meniscus tear often complain of pain along the joint line. They often have pain or weakness with bending the knee and sometimes they have a catching or locking sensation. With an acute tear, individuals may notice a lot of swelling in the knee and often report that they heard or felt a pop.
Do I need another meniscus surgery?
When possible, it's better to fix the meniscus than to remove it. If the meniscus can be fixed, you have a lower risk of future joint problems. Your doctor will likely suggest the treatment that he or she thinks will work best for you based on where the tear is, the pattern of the tear, and how big it is.
How often do meniscus repairs fail?
Results: A total of 954 meniscal repairs were performed on 918 patients (536 male patients [58%]; 382 female patients [42%]) with a mean age of 26 years (range, 12-60 years). The failure rate for the entire cohort was 22.5%.
Why Do Meniscus Tears hurt?
Knee pain is very common. It can occur out of the blue, after a long tennis match, a long walk, or following a sports injury or an accident. One of...
Do All Meniscus Tears hurt?
Yes, at some point in time most all meniscus tears will hurt. But that doesn’t mean they will hurt for a long time. In many cases the pain from a m...
Knee Pain — When Do Meniscus Tears hurt?
In many situations your knee pain will improve dramatically over the course of a few days to a few weeks (one reason not to rush into an MRI machin...
Your Knee 101: What’s A Meniscus Tear?
Formed by three bones, the knee joint is typically a tough, strong joint. But it is not necessarily the most flexible when it comes to rotating in...
Can A Meniscus Tear Heal On Its Own?
Endurance is an important part of sports. For some athletes, playing through a little pain is a badge of honor. In the case of meniscus tears, some...
How Are Meniscus Tears Treated?
The first step in treating a torn meniscus is getting the injury examined by a physician who specializes in orthopedics. During the exam, they may...
How to tell if you tore your meniscus?
If you've torn your meniscus, you might have the following signs and symptoms in your knee: 1 A popping sensation 2 Swelling or stiffness 3 Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee 4 Difficulty straightening your knee fully 5 Feeling as though your knee is locked in place when you try to move it 6 Feeling of your knee giving way
What is a torn meniscus?
Torn meniscus. The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of tough, rubbery cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between your shinbone and thighbone. It can be torn if you suddenly twist your knee while bearing weight on it. A torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries.
What happens if you twist your knee?
A torn meniscus causes pain, swelling and stiffness.
What does it mean when your knee is popping?
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.
Can a torn meniscus be caused by a squat?
A torn meniscus can result from any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, such as aggressive pivoting or sudden stops and turns. Even kneeling, deep squatting or lifting something heavy can sometimes lead to a torn meniscus. In older adults, degenerative changes of the knee can contribute to a torn meniscus ...
Can a torn meniscus be a risk?
Performing activities that involve aggressive twisting and pivoting of the knee puts you at risk of a torn meniscus. The risk is particularly high for athletes — especially those who participate in contact sports, such as football, or activities that involve pivoting, such as tennis or basketball.
How to treat a torn meniscus?
The first step in treating a torn meniscus is getting the injury examined by a physician who specializes in orthopedics. During the exam, they may check the tenderness of your knee joint and move your leg to get a measure of your knee’s range of motion.
How to preserve meniscus?
The goal of surgery is to preserve the meniscus by repairing or removing the torn part. The procedure is typically done arthroscopically, meaning a small camera is inserted into a tiny incision in the knee to guide the surgeon in repairing or removing the tear using small instruments inserted into another tiny incision.
What is the cartilage between the thigh and shinbone?
During some activities — especially contact sports — the force and degree of twisting your knee can tear some of the wedge-shaped cartilage that provides cushioning between your thigh bone and shinbone. This cartilage is your meniscus. Each of your knees has two meniscus wedges.
How to heal a tear?
Non-surgical treatment for tears that can heal on their own may include: 1 Physical therapy 2 RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation 3 Anti-inflammatory medications
How many meniscus wedges are there in each knee?
Each of your knees has two meniscus wedges. Meniscus tears are common among athletes, especially those who play sports that require a lot of squatting, twisting, and changing positions. You will feel a pop when your meniscus is torn. Afterward, you may experience:
What happens if you bend your knee?
Pain in the knee joint that comes and goes and gets worse when putting pressure on the joint. The feeling that your knee is giving way, locking, or catching when you bend it. If not treated, part of the meniscus may come loose and slip into the joint. You may need surgery to restore full knee function.
What test is used to determine the severity of a tear?
They may also order imaging test, such as an MRI or X-ray, to determine the exact location and severity of the tear. The best course of treatment will be determined based on the location, degree, and type of tear, as well as your age and activity level.
Why does my knee hurt after meniscus surgery?
Other reasons for knee pain after meniscus surgery is the fact that there is a retained piece or maybe the tear was fixed and the sutures have not held and the repair failed. So, there are many reasons why you may still have pain following surgery for a meniscus tear. Some of it may be simple to explain. Some of it may not be simple to explain.
What is the most common way to perform meniscus surgery?
Occasionally you will have persistent pain that interferes with your quality of life and you choose to have an arthroscopy, which is the most common means of performing meniscus surgery.
Do meniscus tears hurt on MRI?
That means that not all meniscus tears hurt.
Why does my knee hurt after meniscus surgery?
What Happens to the Knee After Meniscus Surgery? Another reason for knee pain 1 year after meniscus surgery is new-onset arthritis. As per the research, the knee is more susceptible to arthritis after meniscus surgery (7). The researchers looked at structural changes on knee MRIs over an 18-month period after surgery.
What is regenerative knee surgery?
Regenerative procedures can be used to treat a wide range of knee injuries and conditions. They can even be used to reduce pain and delay knee replacement for more severe arthritis. Knee Meniscus Tears. Knee ACL Tears.
Can meniscus tear again after surgery?
Can the Meniscus Tear Again after Surgery? A possible cause for knee pain 1 year after meniscus surgery would be a retear of the meniscus. Realize that, as discussed above, the torn part of your meniscus was removed. That means that the remaining meniscus is smaller, but still taking the same pressure. Hence, that remaining meniscus is more and not ...
Can a meniscus be a shock absorber?
In fact, when parts of the meniscus are removed the meniscus is not able to be a good shock absorber. Hence, more force is placed on the cartilage, leading to more wear and tear (2,3). Get a Second Opinion on Your MRI or X-ray and Avoid Unnecessary Surgery.
Is a meniscus tear repaired?
More than 95% of meniscus tear surgeries are partial meniscectomies (1). This means that the doctor removes the torn part of the meniscus. The meniscus is NOT repaired. When I tell this to patients, they’re often surprised, as they thought that they were getting their meniscus repaired.
Is a blog a substitute for medical advice?
All content provided in this blog, website, or any linked materials, including text, graphics, images, patient profiles, outcomes, and information, are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Is meniscus surgery better than physical therapy?
Yep, we have multiple high-level studies showing that partial meniscectomy is no better than physical therapy or fake surgery. Meaning, knee meniscus surgery doesn’t help a patient’s pain or function.
How to treat knee pain?
The first step to treating knee pain is finding the cause. Injury to the meniscus can often be spotted when a doctor performs a small series of tests to diagnose it. This may include watching the patient walk, bending the knee, and finding where the pain is located.
Why do meniscus tears occur?
The meniscus also provides stability to the joint and helps with weight distribution. Injury to the cartilage can occur during sports, a car accident, a fall, and many more. Meniscus tears occur most commonly in athletes who participate in high-impact sports that involve twisting the knee.
What is the cartilage between the knees?
Between the knee bones is cartilage which acts as protection from the bones – without cartilage, bones can rub against one another, causing pain and damage to the surrounding area. There are two major types of cartilage in the knee joint, each with a particular function: 1 Articular Cartilage: located at the ends of the bone, articular cartilage acts as a barrier between bones. This prevents the discomfort that comes with bones rubbing against each other. Articular cartilage can become damaged from long-term use or sudden injury. 2 Meniscus: located between the thigh and shin bones, the meniscus absorbs shock in the joint. There are two types of meniscus, medial and lateral. The medial meniscus is larger and more prone to injury. The lateral meniscus is smaller and less prone to injury, though it is not immune. The meniscus also provides stability to the joint and helps with weight distribution.
What is the purpose of tendons in the knee?
Tendons are used to form connections like ligaments, but tendons connect muscles to bones. Between the knee bones is cartilage which acts as protection from the bones – without cartilage, bones can rub against one another, causing pain and damage to the surrounding area.
How long does it take for a knee to heal?
Some minor injuries can heal on their own, but when knee pain persists after several weeks and begins to impede daily activities, it is time to consult a doctor.
What tests are needed for meniscus surgery?
Doctors will order new tests to determine the cause of persistent pain. These may include blood tests and images such as MRI. Some medical professionals are skeptical of the efficacy of meniscus surgery, with some studies implying that it is ineffective and unnecessary.
How long does it take to recover from knee surgery?
Surgery is often considered a “last resort” for patients with knee pain. Though many patients begin to recover after only six weeks , it can be a difficult process. Every surgery comes with a set of risks that should be discussed thoroughly with doctors and surgeons before the operation begins.
The Biggest Mistake People Make After Knee Meniscus Surgery
Why is my knee still stiff and mobility limited 8 weeks after meniscus surgery?
What Happens During Arthroscopic Meniscus Surgery
The most common procedure for a torn meniscus is knee arthroscopy. It usually takes less than an hour.
Recovery From Arthroscopic Knee Repair Surgery
Recovery times vary depending on each persons circumstance. Age, injury, health status and the ability and commitment to follow through with physical therapy will all impact healing time. However, it is important to understand that it may take many months to feel better.
Can You Still Walk With A Torn Meniscus
Simple walking and other activities that do not require twisting, pivoting, rapid change of direction, etc., are generally well-tolerated after a meniscus tear. Tears can progress over time, but the rate of progression is generally gradual and highly variable. Pain is the guide.
What Can You Do If You Have Pain
First, dont get another meniscus surgery! Second, consider new orthobiologic treatments rather than more surgery. Platelet-rich plasma has been shown to be effective in many different high-level clinical trials .
How Long Is Non Weight Bearing After Meniscus Repair
As this healing occurs, patients progress towards bearing weight, increasing their range of motion, and leaving the knee brace behind. How quickly this progress occurs varies by surgeon, but a typical range is 4-8 weeks. Patients are usually out of the brace and walking without crutches around 2-3 months.
What Kind Of Complications May Occur After Surgery
Although complications are rare and the surgery is considered low-risk, the following list are possible complications of having meniscus surgery.