The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in the knee, often injured in sports. You can't walk right after surgery. How long recovery takes depends on the type of meniscus surgery and the severity of the injury, but expect two weeks down time, at minimum.
Meniscus repair recoveryIf your job mostly involves sitting at a desk, you may be able to get back to work in a week or two. If your job requires being on your feet, you could be off work four to six weeks. For a very physically active job or a return to sports, plan on a three- to six-month recovery period.
A meniscus repair involves suturing the torn edges back into place and allowing the meniscus to heal on its own. Only 10 percent of menisci are repairable using this method. In the majority of cases, a partial meniscectomy is required where part of the meniscus is removed and the healthy tissue is left intact.
If not treated, part of the meniscus may come loose and slip into the joint. You may need surgery to restore full knee function. Untreated meniscus tears can increase in size and lead to complications, such as arthritis.
MRI gives a good picture of the size of a meniscus tear and where it is. It also shows ligaments, cartilage, and tendons. MRIs of the knee are helpful to identify a meniscus tear and to find any related injuries to the ligament, cartilage, and tendons.
Most of the patients do not require a knee brace after a meniscectomy, but if the patient undergoes a meniscus repair done, a knee brace or a knee immobilizer is provided to prevent the bending of the knee while bearing weight which can cause retearing of the repair of the meniscus.
Surgery to repair tears in the meniscus relieves symptoms 85% of the time. That means that of 100 people who have this surgery, 85 have relief from pain and can use their knee normally, while 15 do not. Surgery to repair tears may reduce the risk of long-term joint problems.
Meniscus surgery may be done with general anesthesia or regional anesthesia. Your surgeon considers a few factors, such as your age and overall health when deciding which type of anesthesia to use.
Can a knee brace help with a meniscus tear? Most doctors discourage the use of braces because they keep the leg straight, which increases the pressure on the tear (and makes it hurt more).
Symptoms of a meniscus tearAfterward, you may experience: pain, especially when the area is touched. swelling. difficulty moving your knee or inability to move it in a full range of motion.
You can fully bend and straighten your knee without pain. You feel no pain in your knee when you walk, jog, sprint, or jump. Your knee is no longer swollen.
Conservative treatment — such as rest, ice and medication — is sometimes enough to relieve the pain of a torn meniscus and give the injury time to heal on its own. In other cases, however, a torn meniscus requires surgical repair.
Locking or catching sensations can be experienced following a meniscal tear as well. The leg may feel some weakness and cause a sense of buckling or “giving way,” since the displaced torn fragment and swelling in the knee can affect the thigh muscles that support knee function.
Once you have your doctor's approval to begin exercising, try some of these exercises to enhance your strength and stability following a meniscus tear.
- Quadriceps setting.
- Mini-squats.
- Straight leg raise.
- Hamstring heel digs.
- Leg extensions.
- Standing heel raises.
- Clams.
- Hamstring curls.
Riding a stationary bike may be an important component of your knee meniscus tear exercise program. Bike riding can have many benefits, including: It can improve your knee range of motion.
The most common problem caused by a torn meniscus is pain. This can be very severe with a combination of an ache and also sharper pains. The pain can be very bad at night. In the majority of cases it improves over six weeks and is much better at three months, although may last longer.
It's sometimes possible to repair a torn meniscus, especially in children and young adults. If the tear can't be repaired, the meniscus might be surgically trimmed, possibly through tiny incisions using an arthroscope. After surgery, you will need to do exercises to increase and maintain knee strength and stability.
What will treatment consist of for a Meniscal Tear? Massage – Encompassing a variety of techniques with sufficient pressure through the superficial tissue to reach the deep lying structures. It is used to increase blood flow, decrease swelling, reduce muscle spasm and promote normal tissue repair.
During the first 3 days after the injury, your doctor may recommend applying ice to your knee 3 times a day for 15 minutes at a time to reduce swelling. After this, applying a heating pad or another heat source, such as a heat wrap, can increase blood flow to the injured area and speed healing.
To test for a suspected medial meniscus tear, you'll be asked to turn your toes outward, externally rotating the knee. You'll then squat and slowly stand back up. The person who examines your knee will be on the alert for an audible and/or palpable click or pain in the area of the meniscus.
