- What can cause the injury
- Symptoms of meniscus injury
- Treatment to recover the meniscus injury
- Pain Relief Remedies
- How food can help
- How is the surgery to recover the meniscus
- Signs of improvement and worsening
- Complications
Among the symptoms of meniscus injury are knee pain when walking, going up and down stairs. The pain is located in the front part of the knee, and may reach the most lateral part if the lesion is of the lateral meniscus or in the inner part of the knee if it is an injury of the medial meniscus.
Treatment for meniscus recovery can be done through orthopedic surgery followed by physical therapy. At the beginning of the physical therapy treatment, the individual should rest, avoiding moving the leg, putting ice to reduce the pain. After a few days you can walk with the aid of crutches and a knee brace. Gradually, with the work of physiotherapy, the individual will be able to return to their daily life normally.
The meniscus is a cartilage structure present in the knee that serves to protect the knees when there is an impact or in a blow directly on the knee or leg, for example. This cartilage is very prone to injury in athletes, overweight people, with arthritis, osteoarthritis or another problem that affects the knee joints.
What can cause the injury
Meniscus injuries usually arise from a strong blow to the knee, as in many types of sport, such as football, basketball or tennis. However, there are some day-to-day situations that can also damage the meniscus, such as:
- Turn the body very fast on one leg; Do very deep squats; Lift a lot of weight using your legs; Hold your foot while walking.
With age, the cartilage of the meniscus becomes more weakened due to constant use and decreased blood circulation to the site, which can cause easier injuries after age 65, even when going up or down stairs, for example.
Generally, rupture of the lateral meniscus is associated with rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, while rupture of the medial meniscus is associated with the formation of a Baker's cyst. Injury to the lateral meniscus is more common in sudden movements as in a soccer game, whereas in the medial meniscus the injury is formed by repetitive movements, and the injury begins at the back of the meniscus and can heal spontaneously, without specific treatment..
Symptoms of meniscus injury
The main symptom of an injury to the meniscus is pain in the anterior and / or lateral side of the knee, which worsens or makes it difficult to climb and descend stairs. The pain is localized and can get worse as the days go by and can even hinder walking. In addition there is swelling of the sore region.
The orthopedist may request an x-ray to assess the knee, but the best test to diagnose an injury to the meniscus is magnetic resonance imaging.
The physiotherapist will be able to identify an injury to the meniscus through specific pain provocation tests performed in the office.
Treatment to recover the meniscus injury
The treatment for an injury to the meniscus can be done with physiotherapy or surgery, in the most severe cases, when it is necessary to have surgery to sew or cut the affected part of the meniscus, probably after the surgery the doctor will leave the leg immobilized with a splint and it will indicate the use of crutches and this immobilization must be maintained throughout the day and night, being removed only in the bath and in physiotherapy. Find out what can be done in physical therapy and exercises for meniscus injury.
After about 2 months of treatment, the person's need should be checked and if there is still local pain or limited movement in order to adjust the treatment. When the person no longer feels pain, but is unable to bend the knee completely, exercises should have this objective. A good exercise is to do squats, increasing the degree of knee flexion, the goal may be to try to squat as much as possible, until you can sit on your heels.
Pain Relief Remedies
Medicines should only be used after medical advice and are especially recommended after surgery. In the first days after the operation, the doctor may recommend the use of Paracetamol or Ibuprofen to relieve pain.
Ointments such as Cataflan and Voltaren can help with pain control but should not be applied until the wound is completely healed. A good way to relieve knee pain and swelling naturally is to apply a cold compress to the area while resting with your legs elevated.
How food can help
During the recovery phase one should avoid consuming foods rich in sugar and increase the consumption of foods rich in proteins to facilitate tissue regeneration. It is also recommended to drink plenty of water to keep the body properly hydrated, which is also important to maintain lubrication of the knees. Fast food, soft drinks and fried foods should be avoided to avoid being overweight, which can impair the recovery of this joint. See examples of healing foods.
How is the surgery to recover the meniscus
In ruptures of the lateral meniscus, the orthopedist may indicate that surgery should be performed soon to remove the affected part. However, when there is an injury to the medial meniscus, if it is longitudinal and small in size, the doctor may choose to indicate physical therapy to see if the tear can be healed.
When the meniscus is broken at its edges or when there is a lesion in the middle of the meniscus, which separates into two parts, forming a kind of bucket handle, the doctor also immediately indicates surgery to prevent the injury from getting worse.
Surgery to repair the meniscus is usually done under local anesthesia, with arthroscopy, where the doctor makes only 3 holes in the knee, through which the necessary equipment to sew or remove the broken part of the meniscus enters. The surgeon can choose between these forms of treatment:
- Sew the outermost part of the meniscus, because it is irrigated by blood and therefore it can regenerate; Remove the affected part of the meniscus, keeping the part healthy to prevent arthrosis from forming early.
It is not necessary to stay in the hospital, but the recovery time varies from 2 to 3 weeks for the medial meniscus and 2 months for the lateral meniscus.
Signs of improvement and worsening
The signs of improvement appear with the beginning of the treatment and when the person follows all the instructions of the doctor and the physiotherapist, doing the necessary rest and therapeutic exercises.
Complications
If the treatment is not carried out, it is possible that the lesion worsens, and in case of rupture of the meniscus and pain it can limit the person's life, making it necessary to resort to analgesics and anti-inflammatories and to get used to the pain throughout life. An injury to the meniscus can also lead to the formation of early osteoarthritis in the affected knee.
