The knee can also be painful in the case of immobilization imposed by the treatment of certain conditions or trauma.
Meniscal injuries are among the most common knee injuries. Athletes, especially those who play contact sports, are prone to meniscus tears. However, anyone at any age can suffer a meniscus injury.

Anatomy

Joints, in general, are made up of the totality of the elements through which the bones join together. The knee, the largest joint in the human body, is made up of:
– articular surfaces, covered with cartilage: the distal end of the femur (epiphysis); the proximal end of the tibia and the posterior surface of the patella.
– Means of union: capsule and ligaments (medial and lateral collateral, anterior and posterior cruciate, patellar, etc.)
– Internal and external menisci, located between the articular surfaces, are two fibrocartilaginous fibrocartilaginous formations. Their role is to absorb shock and stabilize the knee.

Meniscal injuries (meniscal tears) – can be posttraumatic or degenerative.
The two menisci (internal meniscus and external meniscus) can be easily injured by a rotational movement of the knee during sustained exertion. Partial or complete rupture of the meniscus occurs with a sudden twisting or rotating movement of the thigh while the foot is standing still (for example, when turning abruptly to hit a tennis ball). The severity of a tear depends on the location and extent.

Description
Meniscus injuries are different. The most common meniscus injuries, are longitudinal, oblique or “parrot’s beak” and radial.
Sports-related meniscus injuries often occur along with other knee injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries, medial and lateral collateral ligament injuries, cartilage injuries.

Case

Meniscus injuries often occur while playing sports. Players may drop to their knees and twist their ankles, thus risking a meniscus injury. Direct contact, such as an attack, can also cause meniscus injuries.
Older people are more likely to get a degenerative meniscus injury. Cartilage weakens and thins over time. With age, the tissue wears away and is more prone to injury. Just a slight twist when getting up from a chair may be enough to cause an injury, if the meniscus is degenerated with age.

Symptom

The patient may hear a clicking noise when the meniscus injury occurs. Most people can continue to carry out their daily activities despite a meniscus injury. Many athletes continue to play with an injury. Over 2 or 3 days the knee will gradually become stiffer, swollen and painful.
The most common symptoms of a torn meniscus are:
– pain
– stiffness and swelling of the knee
– locking of the knee
– feeling of instability of the knee
– inability of the knees to make a full flexion/extension movement.

Without treatment, a piece of meniscus can detach and move into the joint. This can lead to locked knee (the patient is unable to fully flex/extend the knee).

Doctor’s examination

After discussing your symptoms and checking your medical history, the doctor will examine the knee.
One of the main tests for meniscus injuries is the McMurray test. The doctor will flex the knee, then do extension with internal/external rotation. This puts stress on a torn meniscus causing pain.

Imaging tests

Because other knee conditions cause similar symptoms, your doctor may order imaging tests to help confirm the diagnosis.
X-rays. Although X-rays don’t show meniscus lesions, they can show other causes of knee pain, such as gonarthrosis, tibial/femoral epiphyseal fractures, tumors.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This test can show more conclusive images of the soft parts of the knee joint.

Treatment

The orthopedist will treat the lesion according to its size and location.
One third of the meniscus is richly vascularized (also called the red zone of the meniscus). A lesion in this area can heal by itself, or can often be repaired by arthroscopic suture surgery.
On the other hand, two thirds of the meniscus is not supplied with blood (also called the white zone). Without the nutrients in the blood, injuries in this area cannot heal on their own or by surgical suture. These complex injuries are often in the thin part of the worn cartilage. Because the meniscus in this area cannot heal, it usually needs to be removed. .
Treatment is adapted to each patient depending on the type of lesion, age, activity level etc.

Non-surgical treatment

If the lesion is small and is located on the outer edge of the meniscus, it does not require surgery. As long as symptoms do not persist and the knee is stable, non-surgical treatment is the best alternative.

The RICE protocol is effective for most sports-related injuries. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

– Rest. Take a break from the activity that caused the injury. Your doctor may advise you to use splints to avoid putting weight on your leg.
– Ice. Use cold compresses for 20 minutes, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
– Compression. To prevent excessive swelling of the knee, wear a bandage that produces gentle elastic compression.
– To reduce knee swelling, lie on the bed and elevate your leg above the level of your heart.
Anti-inflammatory drugs. Medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen reduce pain and swelling.

Surgical treatment

If symptoms persist despite non-surgical treatment, your doctor may suggest arthroscopic surgery to solve the problem.
Knee arthroscopy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures. A miniature video camera is inserted into the knee joint through a small incision. This gives a clear view of the inside of the knee and any existing lesions. The orthopedist inserts small surgical instruments through other small incisions to treat the detected lesions.

After surgery, your doctor may rest your knee in a knee brace.
Once healing is complete, your doctor may recommend rehabilitation exercises. To restore knee mobility and increase muscle strength, regular exercise may be recommended.
Most patients can recover at home.
Meniscal tears are extremely common injuries. With proper diagnosis, treatment and optimal recovery, patients often return to their daily activities within a few weeks.