Meniscal tear

A Meniscal tear is a painful knee joint disease, mostly caused by sports that put a lot of stress on the knees. These include soccer and skiing. In the course of a meniscus tear, permanent damage occurs to the cartilage disc in the knee joint (meniscus). Furthermore, a meniscus tear can also develop in old age.

What is a meniscus tear?

The human knee joint has two menisci, which serve to cushion pressure and transfer force between the two bones of the leg.

If one or both menisci tear, this is called in medicine Meniscal tear designated. It is characterized by pain in the knee, which is more or less severe depending on the crack, and the knee can no longer be straightened. The diagnosis must be made clinically, using methods such as magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy.

causes

In most cases it hangs Meniscal tear related to the wear and tear of the menisci. The inner meniscus tears much more often than the outer one. The menisci is a layer of cartilage between the two bones of the knee joint. They also wear out over the course of life - this is a component of osteoarthritis and is known as meniscopathy.

It can happen that older people get meniscus tears due to excessive stress on the stressed material. This can be the case in particular during sport, when no protective devices such as spring-loaded shoes are worn. With diseases such as osteoarthritis, however, even minor stresses in everyday life can be dangerous.

Cracks are also possible at a younger age. This is especially true when the knee joint has to withstand exceptionally high loads. Different sports carry a high risk - in the event of injuries or accidents, even people with healthy joints can injure the menisci.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

A meniscus tear is usually a very painful affair, so that affected people are significantly disturbed in their own movement. Typical signs of a meniscus tear are severe pain in the knee. The entire joint can no longer be moved properly with an existing meniscus tear, so that even the smallest movements cause severe pain.

In the case of an acute or sudden meniscus tear, the stabbing pain occurs immediately after the respective load. Strong and clearly visible swellings] are also possible, which occur directly on the knee joint. With degenerative changes, the pain gets worse and worse over a longer period of time until the meniscus ruptures. If the muscle is torn, the pain is by no means that bad.

The only pain is when you apply pressure. The movement sequence is very rarely restricted when the meniscus is torn. Pain only occurs with explicit movements and positions of the joint, so that a crack is often not recognized as such. Anyone who completely refrains from medical and medicinal support must expect the symptoms to worsen considerably. Permanent damage is also possible if you do not see a doctor in good time.

Course of disease

In general, one does not experience major complications or serious discomfort Meniscal tear. Only the known dangers and risks associated with an operation on the meniscus can arise. Nerve injuries or cartilage and ligament damage only rarely occur during the course. The early detection of a joint stiffening requires an early visit to the doctor. However, osteoarthritis can occur.

Complications

Due to the meniscus tear, those affected primarily suffer from relatively severe pain. The pain itself is burning and stinging and can spread to the surrounding regions of the body and lead to pain or swelling there as well. The affected regions are also swollen and there is swelling and pain in the joints themselves.

It is not uncommon for the joints to become inflamed, leading to restricted mobility. As a rule, the meniscus tear significantly reduces the quality of life and there are various restrictions in the patient's everyday life. In most cases, complications arise when the person concerned continues to strain his body after the meniscus tear.

This can lead to irreversible consequential damage. However, even after successful treatment, the body is not fully able to cope with stress. However, the life expectancy of the patient is not reduced by this disease. There are also no further complications when treating the crack. With the help of surgical interventions, the symptoms can be limited relatively well. In some cases it is necessary to insert implants.

When should you go to the doctor?

A meniscus tear is a serious injury that should always be treated by an appropriate doctor. Such an injury usually results from an unusual or heavy load. Affected people immediately complain of a sharp and long-lasting pain that does not subside even when the patient is resting. As a result, normal movement is no longer possible, so a visit to the doctor is essential. Anyone who opts for medical treatment can count on a complete and quick healing. However, if a visit to the doctor is delayed, then considerable complications can be expected.

In many cases, surgery is even possible to ensure full recovery. Otherwise, this injury cannot heal properly, which can even lead to permanent consequential damage. In addition, an untreated meniscus tear can even lead to inflammation or the formation of an abscess. The result is pus, which in particularly bad cases can even lead to blood poisoning. So the following applies: A meniscus tear should always be treated medically and with medication. Only then can healing be possible without complications.

Treatment & Therapy

Treating a Meniscal tear The first thing to do is to do a knee examination to define the exact nature of the tear. The knee joint is flushed through, then an objective is inserted through which the meniscus tear can be examined. This is important in order to then select the correct surgical procedure, as MRI images, for example, do not provide an exact indication of which clinical picture is present.

Then three options are available. The simplest solution is the meniscus suture. The meniscus is brought back to the right place with suture material or special meniscus arrows, the material then dissolves by itself. This method makes it most likely that a sporting activity can be fully resumed.

The second option is treated as a partial resection. Part of the meniscus is removed. The advantage of this is that the healing process is faster. However, heavy loads afterwards are critical for the joint. In severe cases, a donor terminus or an implant is transplanted. Athletes can also use it to train again, but run a higher risk of osteoarthritis.

Outlook & forecast

If certain guidelines are observed, the meniscus tear has a favorable prognosis. Normally, you will be free of symptoms within a few months. Nevertheless, it can happen that normal sporting activities or physical stress can only be resumed after several years. Without medical care, there is severe pain and significant impairment of locomotion. Unsteady gait and a decrease in physical performance occur. Lifelong disorders occur if treatment is not initiated.

In addition to medical care, subsequent physiotherapeutic treatment supports a good prognosis. The patient learns here how he can gradually bring his body back to its previous performance level. Movement sequences are trained and specific exercises to strengthen the knee joint are learned. For optimal further development, the patient should also integrate the training sessions into everyday life outside of the sessions taking place. This improves the general state of health and shortens the healing process.

In spite of everything, it must be taken into account that the risk of secondary diseases is increased if the person continues to exercise too much. Many of those affected subsequently suffer from osteoarthritis in the course of their lives. This fact must be taken into account when making the prognosis that osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that leads to a significant loss of mobility.

prevention

To one Meniscal tear To prevent early prevention, it is primarily important to protect the knee joint from osteoarthritis. In this way, wear and tear becomes an issue late in life or not at all, and the menisci remain resilient for a long time.

For example, good shoes are important for sports or activities that put a lot of stress on the joint. Dangerous sports with an extreme risk of injury (e.g. football) for the knee should ideally not be practiced at all - if so, the right protection is important. If greater wear is known, greater, risky loads should be avoided completely if possible.

Aftercare

The healing process for a meniscus tear is long and sometimes complex, so aftercare focuses on dealing positively with the injury.The physical limitation can be very troublesome for those affected, so it is important to accept the situation and adopt a positive attitude. This sometimes stimulates the recovery process and maintains the quality of life despite the difficult circumstances.

The meniscus tear significantly reduces the quality of life and there can be many restrictions in everyday life that those affected must take into account. Further complaints usually occur when the body continues to be heavily strained despite the meniscus tear, so physical activities should only be started very carefully and in consultation with the treating doctor.

You can do that yourself

In everyday life, movements should be controlled and well reflected on throughout life. Correct movement sequences can hold back joint wear for as long as possible. If cartilage and joints are already damaged, it is possible that even a less than optimal movement will lead to a meniscus tear. Wearing healthy footwear is recommended for all age groups in order not to cause false stress or excessive strain. In order to minimize unnecessary wear and tear on the bones as a whole, it should be ensured that the dead weight is within the normal range. Being overweight increases the likelihood of joint damage and thus the functional activity of the menisci immensely.

Since the meniscus tear does not heal on its own without a medical intervention, the person affected should contact a doctor as soon as possible if they have complaints. Early diagnosis will reduce the size of the crack and have implications for further health. The patient's cooperation is helpful during the healing process. Medical advice must be followed in order not to cause permanent complaints. In the first few days after the procedure, you should remain calm and the affected knee should be relieved almost completely. The healing process is then accompanied by physiotherapy exercises, which the person affected can independently accompany in everyday life. Sports activities should only take place after the healing process has been completed to avoid relapse.