A meniscus injury is an injury to the cartilage in the knee. This cartilage is called a meniscus and it helps with stability and mobility of your knee joint. If you have pain associated with a meniscus injury, you may want to consider surgery. We will help you understand what a meniscus does in the body, possible causes for a rip or tear, symptoms of this condition and how it can be treated. What are menisci (articular discs)? These are cartilage discs that line the knee joint. They help with stability and movement. Injuries to the meniscus can lead to pain and swelling.
Cartilage is the connective tissue in your body. It helps you move, function, get around in life and put things in their proper place. Without cartilage you would likely not be able to move your joints or even stand up to move around. There are 3 different types of articular discs. These include (1) meniscal disc types I and II, (2) the patella spongiosa disc type, the (3) retro-patellar ligament disc type and the posterior Cruciate Ligament disc type.The meniscus is composed of two layers of cartilage that help with stability and mobility to allow for smooth movement.
How Menisci (articular Discs) Can Ease Your Pain :
1. Do meniscus injuries lead to pain?
Yes. A meniscus injury may lead to pain and swelling at the joint between your knee cap and thigh bone (tibia). A tear in the cartilage can lead to a loss of stability or movement. Your knee cap has a hole in it where your meniscus lies, this hole allows for smooth movement of the joint. A couple of other important things about the common meniskas are that they are found on both knees and they are what allows your kneecap to move with each step you take.
The first thing that you will probably notice is a sudden ” POP” when you make even slight movements such as putting something down or standing up from a sitting position. You will probably feel a stabbing pain at the joint and see discoloration of the knee (black & blue).
2. What causes a meniscus injury?
The meniscus is susceptible to irritation and trauma, causing several conditions such as:
- Non-traumatic synovial plica syndrome.
- Traumatic rupture of the meniscus with or without ligamentous injury to the knee.
- Infection of the joint (septic arthritis). For example Chlamydia trachomatis , Toxoplasma gondii , cytomegalovirus , herpes simplex virus are some common organisms found in patients with a meniscal tear.
- Radiculopathy , which is an irritation of the nerve root caused by injury.
- Bony growth of surrounding tissue.
- Chronic infection with osteoarthritis type II.
3. What are the symptoms of a meniscus injury?
You may notice an immediate ” POP” when you make even slight movements. The pain may subside momentarily and then return once you are on your feet. You may have swelling of the knee either right away or some hours after the injury. Then as time goes by you will experience swelling even without injury, also often experienced with a meniscus tear. There may be a feeling of instability when walking. You may have difficulty bending your knee beyond 90 degrees (flexion). Your knee feels like it is locking up and not moving freely. You may have swelling that is more evident after you have been standing on your feet for a while.
- The most common place to injure the meniscus is between the knee joint and thigh bone at the back of the knee. This area can be easily injured if there is not a lot of padding in this area. The second most common place to injure the meniscus is between the knee cap and thigh bone. This area is most susceptible to injury when it comes into contact with another object or if you land awkwardly from a jump, raising your chance of injury by 15-30%.
- Swelling and pain are usually seen within 24 hours of an injury .
4. How can a meniscus be treated?
There are several ways to treat a meniscus injury. The first step of treatment is to rest, ice, elevate and compress the knee joint in order to decrease pain and inflammation. If there is any noticeable instability with your knee joint this will also need to be addressed as well. You may need crutches to assist you when walking or using a cane on just one side of your body. Stretching exercises such as knee bends or quadriceps stretches are important to help keep the knee flexible and strong. Physical therapy treatments can help you regain strength and flexibility of your knee joint after an injury has been diagnosed or for those who want to prevent injury from occurring in the first place.
