One of the most common injuries of the knee is the tearing of the meniscus. The meniscus itself performs an important function in the human body. First, it evenly distributes the load, secondly, it stabilizes the knee joint, and thirdly, it is the shock absorber of all tremors in the movements. Doctors, after conducting a series of studies, are confident that this trauma is more common in people aged 20 to 40 years. Male gender in this list takes the leading place. But in children and elderly people this trauma does not actually occur.
Symptoms of a meniscus rupture
For the most part professional sportsmen are faced with this disease. According to one of the Russian sports clinics, where only world-class athletes are being treated, meniscus injuries are more common, about 65% for 3034 people. Of these, one third are patients with an internal meniscus, which we will discuss later in the article.
It is not difficult to understand the causes of meniscus tears. Basically, this is a sharp turn of the thigh with respect to the fixed shank under the force of body weight. Regardless of the reasons, the most important symptom that should make you think is periodic or permanent pain in the knee joint.
There are three types of meniscus injuries that have different symptoms:
- Partial rupture of the meniscus is more often accompanied by swelling of the knee bend, as well as pain during movement. With proper treatment, the healing process does not exceed three weeks.
- Swelling can also lead to a loss of the ability to flex the knee - this is a symptom of the lateral meniscus rupture. In this trauma, the ability to walk is preserved, but every movement will be accompanied by pain. If you start on time treatment, then the ailment will be gone within two to three weeks, although the pain can periodically occur for several more years. On the other hand, if you postpone healing, the meniscus injury can go into a more serious form.
- The most severe degree of injury, when fragments fall into the articular space - the rupture of the medial meniscus. At the same time, it becomes impossible to straighten the leg, so the freedom of movement is reduced to "no". After the break, there is a sharp pain and swelling in the knee joint, which can lead to its blockage. Walking at the rupture of the inner meniscus without support is already becoming impossible, the knee itself becomes shaky, it can suddenly bend. Such injuries are often addressed to a doctor by athletes engaged in sports with sudden changes in movements - basketball, hockey, football, tennis, etc.
Treatment of a meniscus tear
Meniscus rupture and surgery are not always the result of each other. This depends on the end of the diagnosis of the patient's knee, after which appropriate treatment is prescribed and
In the case of an acute stage of the meniscus, although more than two months have elapsed since the onset of the injury, a plaster bandage is applied, which is worn for about three weeks. Also, a medical-diagnostic knee joint puncture is prescribed for physiotherapy, magnetotherapy. After the removal of the plaster bandage, physical procedures and phonophoresis with hydrocortisone are prescribed.
If the meniscus of the knee joint has passed into a chronic stage, surgical treatment can not be avoided. In this case, meniscus arthroscopy is performed, which has enough advantages over the operation. This is the avoidance of large incisions, and early rehabilitation, and time in a stationary mode will spend less.
Carrying out all the necessary steps on the way to recovery in a month and a half you can restore normal movement.