The Facts About Meniscus Tear Surgery and Other Treatment Options

June 9, 2022 11:26 am Published by

man with knee pain

You consider yourself a weekend warrior, hitting the gym and the basketball court regularly on the weekends—but the last time you played in a pickup game, you hurt your meniscus. Is meniscus tear surgery the solution for you?

The short answer is: Maybe not. Treatment for a meniscus tear depends on a number of factors, and surgery isn’t always required. Here’s what you should know.

What Happens When You Tear the Meniscus

The meniscus is a type of cartilage found inside the knee, located between the femur and the tibia. This cartilage helps shield the bones in the knee and the knee joint, cushioning them from the impact of walking, jumping, running or even standing.

Over the years, the meniscus thins out some. As the cartilage gets thinner, it also becomes weaker, making it more likely to tear.

If you’re involved in activities where you may need to pivot—such as a pickup game of basketball, for example—your knee may move one way while your feet move another. This can lead to a tear of the cartilage.

The meniscus can also tear during more basic movements, such as moving from the sidewalk to the street when taking a walk. In rare cases, it may tear without any acute injury. This typically occurs in someone who has arthritis that has caused a breakdown in the structure of the knee.

A torn meniscus causes several distinctive symptoms, including the feeling that your knee may not be able to hold you up. You may hear a pop when the meniscus tears, and you may also experience stiffness, knee pain or an inability to fully straighten or bend the knee.

How a Meniscus Tear Is Diagnosed and Treated

If a torn meniscus is a possibility, your medical provider will examine your knee, checking for tenderness around the knee joint. They will also perform what’s known as the McMurray test to gauge whether you experience pain or other symptoms when the knee is bent, straightened and rotated. Imaging tests may be recommended to confirm a diagnosis.

If you have a torn meniscus, the best treatment option will depend on the severity of the tear and where it’s located. Why is the location of the tear important? The outer layer of the meniscus is blood-rich, so tears in this portion of the cartilage may heal on their own.

Tears located in the other two-thirds of the meniscus are less likely to heal without intervention since the cartilage there doesn’t receive adequate blood flow. Surgical treatment is typically recommended for tears in that location.

If surgery is not needed, your provider will likely recommend that you perform basic at-home care to relieve symptoms, including rest, icing, compression and elevation. Your provider may also recommend oral anti-inflammatory medications or steroid injections.

In cases where meniscus tear surgery is needed, one of the following procedures may be recommended:

  • Knee arthroscopy, which is a common, minimally invasive procedure during which the meniscus tear can be trimmed or repaired
  • Partial meniscectomy, which is a procedure during which the damaged portion of the meniscus is trimmed away
  • Meniscus repair, which is a procedure during which a meniscus tear is repaired by sewing (stitching) up the tear

Recovery time following meniscus surgery will vary depending on the type of procedure and other factors. Those who undergo meniscus repair often face a lengthier recovery than those who have other procedures since the stitched-up meniscus will require time to heal.

After surgery, your provider may recommend you perform exercises at home to help restore function of the knee and participate in rehabilitation therapy to restore range of motion and mobility. This type of therapy is key in helping you heal and get back on your feet.

 

When surgery is required, you may have the option of a minimally invasive procedure. Get the facts about what that means.

 

Magnolia Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
611 Alcorn Drive, Suite 100
Corinth, MS 38834
(662) 286-6369

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This post was written by Magnolia Regional Health Center

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