Meniscus Tear

Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries. Athletes and general public alike are at risk for, meniscus tears. Meniscus are two half moon shaped [semi-lunar] structures between your thigh bone[femur] and leg bone[tibia] and act as shock absorbers in the normal knee. They are called the medial and the lateral meniscus.

Meniscal tears can happen at any age, however athletes and elderly population are more common sufferers. One may feel a pop or click when the meniscus tears. Most people can walk on a torn meniscus and some can even play to some extent. Most patients usually have pain in deep sitting  [like which squatting in the restroom and on cross legged sitting]. Patients may also experience sounds from the knee and may occasionally have locked knee.

A torn meniscus acts like a sandpaper in the knee and will rapidly wear out the normal smooth articular cartilage and will result in early onset arthritis. The patient may be asked to get an MRI scan of his\her knee to confirm the diagnosis.

A torn meniscus is best treated with arthroscopy, during which the torn meniscus may be repaired or trimmed with arthroscopic  instruments. The patient is free to resume all his usual activities in 1 week to 10 days after the surgery if the meniscus is trimmed. If the meniscus is repaired it will need a longer duration of rest.

Disclaimer: These are  general description of the medical condition . This does not constitute medical advice. Each patient is different and the patient’s treatment has to be undertaken after consultation with your Orthopaedic Surgeon.

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