Specialists In:
Meniscal Tear
What is a Meniscal Tear?
The Meniscus is a cartilage layer like shock absorber in the middle of the knee joint between the heads of the femur and tibia.
What causes a Meniscal Tear?
Tears can occur during sport where a jumping action or sudden change of direction, knee twists. The older generation can also suffer from Meniscal Tears due to degeneration of the cartilage and an accident or fall can contribute to further injury.
Symptoms include immediate pain from injury, swelling and the knee may lock due to the torn meniscus blocking flexion of the joint.
How is Meniscal Tear diagnosed?
Consultation and an MRI will be needed for a diagnosis.
Treatment and recovery
Conservative management is recommended if the Meniscus Tears can heal without surgical intervention. Rest, anti-inflammatory medication, physiotherapy and injection therapy. Ultrasound guided steroid injection, Platelet Rich Plasma injections are alternative therapies that can induce healing and prevent surgery. Please contact our team for more information on alternative treatment therapies.
Surgery is needed when the Meniscal Tears are large or unstable. Repairing the Meniscus surgically involves a knee arthroscopy. This procedure involves small incisions to insert a telescope and long instruments into the knee joint which reduces risk of infection and recovery time. During the knee arthroscopy, the torn Meniscus is assessed, repaired and damaged tissue or debris is removed from the joint. Recovery period ranges between patients and complexity of the damage. Physiotherapy is also part of the recovery and patients are usually weight bearing at 2-4 weeks, 6-8 weeks back to usual activity and at 3-6 months playing sports.