How Long Does Meniscus Recovery Take to Be Able to Play Sport Again

• Facts
  • Torn meniscus facts
• What Is It?
  • Introduction to the genu
  • What is a torn meniscus?
• Causes
  • What causes a meniscus to tear?
• Symptoms/Signs
  • What are symptoms and signs of a torn meniscus?
• Diagnosis
  • How do doctors diagnose a meniscus tear?
• Doctor Specialists
  • What types of doctors treat a torn meniscus?
• Treatment
  • What is the handling for a torn meniscus?
• Surgery
  • Tin a meniscus tear heal without surgery?
• Recovery
  • What is rehabilitation and recovery like for a patient with a meniscus tear?
  • What are recommended exercises once a torn meniscus has been repaired?
• How to Prevent
  • What is the prognosis of a torn meniscus? Is it possible to preclude a torn meniscus?
• Eye
  • Torn Meniscus Center
• Comments
  • Patient Comments: Torn Meniscus - Symptoms
  • Patient Comments: Torn Meniscus - Treatment
  • Patient Comments: Torn Meniscus - Surgery to Repair

A torn meniscus is damage from a tear in the cartilage that is positioned on top of the tibia to allows the femur to glide when the genu articulation moves. Source: Bigstock

Torn meniscus facts

• The medial and lateral menisci are two large C-shaped cartilages that are positioned on the meridian of the tibia bone at the knee.
• The knee is the largest joint in the body.
• Cartilage within the knee joint joint helps protect the joint from the stresses placed on it from walking, running, climbing, and angle.
• A torn meniscus occurs because of trauma caused by forceful twisting or hyper-flexing of the knee joint.
• Symptoms of a torn meniscus include knee pain, swelling, popping, and giving way.
• Treatment of a torn meniscus may include ascertainment and physical therapy with muscle strengthening to stabilize the knee articulation. When conservative measures are ineffective treatment may include surgery to repair or remove the damaged cartilage.

Meniscus Tear Recovery After Arthroscopy

When Volition My Knee joint Feel Better?

For several days after arthroscopy, patients will generally be asked to remainder and elevate the joint while applying ice packs to minimize hurting and swelling. After surgery, an practise program is gradually started that strengthens the muscles surrounding the joint and prevents scarring (contracture) of surrounding soft tissues. The goal is to recover stability, range of motion, and strength of the articulation rapidly and safely, while preventing the build-upwards of scar tissue. This programme is an essential part of the recovery process for an optimal outcome of this procedure.

Anatomy illustration of the knee. Source: MedicineNet

Introduction to the knee

The knee is the largest joint in the body. The knee allows the leg to bend where the femur (thighbone) attaches to the tibia (shinbone). The knee flexes and extends, allowing the body to perform many activities, from walking and running to climbing and squatting. There are a variety of structures that surround the knee and allow it to bend and that protect the knee joint from injury.

The quadriceps and hamstring muscles are responsible for moving the knee joint. When the quadriceps muscles (located on the front the thigh) contract, the knee extends or straightens. The hamstring muscles, located on the dorsum of the thigh, are responsible for flexing or angle the knee. These muscles are besides important in protecting the knee from being injured past acting to stabilize the genu and preventing it from beingness pushed in directions that it isn't meant to get.

There are four ligaments that also stabilize the knee at rest and during movement: the medical and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL, LCL) and the inductive and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL, PCL).

Cartilage inside the joint provides the cushioning to protect the bones from the routine stresses of walking, running, and climbing. The medial and lateral meniscus are two thicker wedge-shaped pads of cartilage attached to top of the tibia (shin bone), called the tibial plateau. Each meniscus is curved in a C-shape, with the front part of the cartilage called the inductive horn and the back part called the posterior horn.

At that place is also articular cartilage that lines the joint surfaces of the bones inside the knee joint, including the tibia, femur, and kneecap (patella). The terminology torn articulatio genus cartilage refers to harm to one of the C-shaped menisci of the knee between the femur and tibia.

As with whatever injury in the body, when the meniscus is damaged, irritation occurs. If the surface that allows the bones to glide over each other in the human knee joint is no longer smooth, pain tin occur with each flexion or extension. The meniscus can exist damaged because of a single result or it tin gradually wear out because of historic period and overuse, causing degenerative tears.

Analogy of a torn meniscus. Tears are normally described past where they are located anatomically in the C shape and by their appearance. Source: MedicineNet

What is a torn meniscus?

A torn meniscus is harm from a tear in the cartilage that is positioned on top of the tibia to allows the femur to glide when the articulatio genus joint moves. Tears are usually described by where they are located anatomically in the C shape and by their advent (for case, "bucket handle" tear, longitudinal, parrot beak, and transverse). While concrete test may predict whether it is the medial or lateral meniscus that is damaged, a diagnostic procedure, like an MRI or arthroscopic surgery, can locate the specific part of the cartilage anatomy that is torn and its appearance.

Because the blood supply is different to each part of the meniscus, knowing where the tear is located may assistance decide how easily an injury might heal (with or without surgery). The better the blood supply, the better the potential for recovery. The outside rim of cartilage has amend blood supply than the central part of the "C." Blood supply to knee joint cartilage also decreases with age, and up to 20% of normal claret supply is lost by age twoscore.

Meniscus tear injuries often occur during athletic activities, specially in contact sports like football game and hockey. Source: BigStock, iStock

What causes a meniscus to tear?

A forceful twist or sudden stop can cause the end of the femur to grind into the top of the tibia, pinching and potentially tearing the cartilage of the meniscus. This knee injury can as well occur with deep squatting or kneeling, particularly when lifting a heavyweight. Meniscus tear injuries frequently occur during athletic activities, peculiarly in contact sports similar football and hockey. Motions that require pivoting and sudden stops, in sports like tennis, basketball, and golf, can too crusade meniscus damage. The sports injury does not have to occur during a game but can also occur in practice, where the same motions lead to meniscus damage.

The risk of developing a torn meniscus increases with age because cartilage begins to gradually wear out, losing its blood supply and its resilience. Increasing torso weight also puts more stress on the meniscus. Routine daily activities like walking and climbing stairs increment the potential for habiliment, degeneration, and tearing. It is estimated that six out of 10 patients older than 65 years have a degenerative meniscus tear. Many of these tears may never cause bug.

Because some of the fibers of the cartilage are interconnected with those of the ligaments that environment the knee, meniscus injuries may be associated with tears of the collateral and cruciate ligaments, depending upon the mechanism of injury.

While the normal cartilage is "C" or crescent-shaped, there is a variant shape that is oval or discoid. This meniscus is thicker and more than prone to injury and fierce.

IMAGES

Torn Meniscus See a medical analogy of the human knee's beefcake plus our entire medical gallery of human anatomy and physiology See Images

Meniscus tear injuries often occur during able-bodied activities, particularly in contact sports like football and hockey. Source: Veer

What are symptoms and signs of a torn meniscus?

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Very often, meniscal tears practise not cause symptoms or problems. All the same, some people with a torn meniscus know exactly when they injure their knees. There may be the astute onset of knee pain and the patient may actually hear or feel a pop in their knee joint. Every bit with whatsoever injury, in that location is an inflammatory response, including pain and swelling. The swelling within the human knee from a torn meniscus ordinarily takes a few hours to develop and depending upon the corporeality of pain and fluid aggregating, the genu may go difficult to movement. When fluid accumulates within the enclosed area of the human knee joint, it may exist difficult and painful to fully extend or straighten the human knee, since the knee has the nearly space available when it is about fifteen degrees flexed.

In some situations, the corporeality of swelling may non necessarily be plenty to observe. Sometimes, the patient isn't aware of the initial injury simply starts noting symptoms that develop afterward. Moreover, there may not exist an acute injury. The knee cartilage may get damaged as a consequence of aging, arthritis, and wearing away of the meniscus causing a degenerative meniscal tear.

After the injury, the knee articulation irritation may gradually settle down and experience relatively normal as the initial inflammatory response resolves. Still, other symptoms may develop over time and may include any or all of the post-obit:

• Pain with running or walking longer distances
• Intermittent swelling of the knee joint articulation: Many times, the genu with a torn meniscus feels "tight."
• Popping, particularly when climbing upward or downstairs
• Giving mode or buckling (the sensation that the genu is unstable and the feeling that the knee will give way): Less commonly, the knee really will give way and cause the patient to fall.
• Locking (a mechanical block where the articulatio genus cannot be fully extended or straightened): This occurs when a slice of torn meniscus folds on itself and blocks the total range of motion of the knee joint. The knee gets "stuck," usually flexed between 15 and 30 degrees, and cannot bend or straighten from that position.

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A md examines a man'southward genu. Source: BigStock

How do doctors diagnose a meniscus tear?

The diagnosis of a knee injury begins with the history and physical examination. If there is an acute injury, the physician will enquire about the mechanism of that injury to help understand the stresses that were placed on the knee. With chronic knee complaints, the initial injury may not be remembered, but many patients who participate in able-bodied events or training tin can pinpoint the specific timing and details of the injury. Non-athletes may remember a twist or deep bend at piece of work or doing chores effectually the business firm.

There is a true art to the physical exam of the articulatio genus. From inspecting (looking), palpating (feeling), and applying specific diagnostic maneuvers, the doctor, trainer, or concrete therapist may often make the diagnosis of a torn meniscus.

Concrete test often includes palpating the joint for warmth and areas of tenderness, assessing the stability of the ligaments, and testing the range of movement of the knee joint and the power of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles. There have been many tests described to assess the internal structures of the knee. The McMurray test, named after a British orthopedic surgeon, has been used for more than than 100 years to make the clinical diagnosis of a torn meniscus. The health care professional person flexes the knee and rotates the tibia while feeling along the joint. The test is positive for a potential tear if a click is felt.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the test of pick to confirm the diagnosis of a torn meniscus. It is a noninvasive test that can visualize the inner structures of the knee, including the cartilage and ligaments, the surface of the bones, and the muscles and tendons that environment the human knee joint. One additional benefit of the MRI earlier surgery is that past knowing the beefcake the orthopedic surgeon tin plan a potential knee surgery and talk over alternative treatments with the patient earlier the operation begins.

Plain 10-rays cannot be used to identify meniscal tears but may be helpful in looking for bony changes, including fractures, arthritis, and loose bony fragments inside the joint. In older patients, X-rays may be taken of both knees while the patient is continuing. This allows the joint spaces to exist compared to assess the caste of cartilage clothing. Cartilage takes up infinite within the joint and if the joint space is narrowed, it may be an indicator that there is less cartilage nowadays, likely from degenerative disease. Plain X-rays may also uncover other causes of knee joint pain, including arthritis and pseudogout.

Prior to the widespread apply of MRI, knee arthroscopy was used to confirm the diagnosis of a torn meniscus. In arthroscopy, the orthopedic surgeon inserts a small scope into the human knee and looks directly at the structures within the joint. The added do good of arthroscopy is that the injury may exist repaired at the same time using additional tools that are inserted into the articulation. The disadvantage of arthroscopy is that it is a surgical procedure with all the potential risks that are associated with surgery.

What types of doctors care for a torn meniscus?

The diagnosis of a torn meniscus may be made by a master care provider with the patient is often referred to an orthopedic surgeon to either help with the diagnosis or to help with treatment decisions.

While many types of wellness care providers can diagnose and care for a torn meniscus, it is an orthopedic surgeon who would perform the arthroscopic surgery. For those who do not need, or choose not to take surgery, their primary intendance provider, the orthopedic surgeon, or a sports-medicine specialist may continue care. Often a physical therapist is involved, whether or not meniscus surgery is function of the handling.

SLIDESHOW

Pain Management: Knee Pain Dos and Don'ts See Slideshow

A adult female ices her knee afterwards injury, and a surgeon performs human knee arthroscopy. Source: Getty Images/PhotoAlto, iStock

What is the treatment for a torn meniscus?

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The treatment of a meniscus tear depends on its severity, location, and underlying affliction within the knee joint. Patient circumstances also may affect the treatment options. Often it is possible to treat meniscus tears conservatively without an operation using anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy rehabilitation to strengthen muscles around the knee to foreclose joint instability. Frequently, that is all a patient needs. Patients involved in a sport or whose piece of work is physically enervating may require firsthand surgery to go along their activity. Most patients fall in between the ii extremes, and the determination to use conservative treatments or proceed with an functioning needs to be individualized.

Torn meniscus due to injury

The first steps in treatment after the acute injury normally include residual, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). This may assistance ease the inflammation that occurs with a torn meniscus. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), may help relieve pain and inflammation. It is important to call up that over-the-counter medications can have side effects and interactions with prescription medications. Information technology is reasonable to ask a wellness care professional or pharmacist for directions as to which over-the-counter medication might be best for someone'due south particular situation. Rest and tiptop may also require the use of crutches to limit weight-bearing.

A caryatid is often not used initially considering nearly concord the knee in full extension (completely straight) and this can worsen the pain by decreasing the space within the genu articulation capable of accommodating any fluid or swelling. Many patients choose initial bourgeois or nonsurgical treatment for a meniscus tear. Once the injury symptoms accept calmed, the health care professional may recommend specifically guided exercise programs; concrete therapists are especially helpful, to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee joint and add to the stability of the joint. Maintaining an ideal body weight volition likewise assist lessen the forces that tin can stress the knee joint. Shoe orthotics may be useful to distribute the forces generated by walking and running. Braces tend not to be effective because the meniscus injury does not crusade the genu to become structurally unstable.

If conservative therapy fails, surgery may exist a consideration. Knee arthroscopy allows the orthopedic surgeon to assess the cartilage tear and potentially repair it. During an operation, the goal is to preserve as much cartilage every bit possible. Procedures include meniscal repair (sewing the torn edges together), partial meniscectomy (trimming away the torn area, and smoothing the injury site), or total meniscectomy, removing the whole meniscus if that is deemed advisable.

Microfracture surgery is another surgical option to stimulate new cartilage growth. Modest holes are drilled into the surface of the bone and this can stimulate articular but not meniscus cartilage development. The articular cartilage that grows as a result of surgery is non as thick or as strong as the original meniscus cartilage.

Degenerative joint disease

In older patients with the degenerative joint illness (also known equally osteoarthritis) where the cartilage wears out, treatment options may exist considered over a longer timetable.

Exercise and muscle strengthening may be an option to protect the joint and maintain range of motion. As well, anti-inflammatory medications may be considered to subtract swelling and hurting arising from the articulatio genus joint.

Cortisone medication injections into the knee may be used to subtract joint inflammation and to bring temporary symptom relief that tin last weeks or months. A variety of hyaluronan preparations are approved for mild to moderate knee degenerative arthritis and include Hylan One thousand-F twenty (Synvisc), sodium hyaluronate injection (Euflexxa, Hyalgan), and hyaluronan (Orthovisc).

Other injection options are existence investigated to assistance regrow or repair meniscus injuries. Platelet-rich plasma and stem cell injections are potential alternative handling options to knee joint arthroscopy surgery, however, consensus does not even so exist that the treatments are effective. At that place are ongoing studies to assess whether or non they tin be effective in treating knee meniscus injury instead of, or in conjunction with, arthroscopic surgery.

The use of dietary supplements, including chondroitin and glucosamine, has yet to accept their effectiveness proven, but many people find relief with their utilise.

Every bit a last resort, joint replacement may be an option for patients who have substantial degeneration of the knee with worn-out cartilage. These individuals typically have recurrent or constant pain and limited range of motion of the knee, preventing them from performing routine daily activities.

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A homo wears a knee joint brace. Source: Getty Images

Tin can a meniscus tear heal without surgery?

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Injuries that occur in parts of the cartilage that take better blood supply take a meliorate chance to heal than those where there is niggling blood supply. With meniscal injuries, if the knee is stable and if the symptoms do not persist and practise non limit lifestyle, nonsurgical treatments remain an option. Yet, the decision to defer surgery depends upon whether the knee joint joint remains functional and allows the patient to participate in their preferred activities.

A man undergoes rehabilitation exercises for his knee. Physical therapy is an important part of the surgery process. Source: iStock

What is rehabilitation and recovery like for a patient with a meniscus tear?

If a conservative, not-surgical approach is taken, the pain and swelling of a torn meniscus should resolve within a few days. Recovery and rehabilitation become a long-term commitment, as does making certain that the muscles surrounding the knee are kept strong to promote joint stability. Maintaining ideal body weight, and fugitive activities that cause pain are adjuncts that are oft recommended.

If knee arthroscopy is performed, the rehabilitation process balances swelling and healing. The goal is to return the range of motion to the knee equally soon as possible. Physical therapy is an important role of the surgery process, and about therapists work with the orthopedic surgeon to return the patient to full function equally before long as possible. Since the procedure ordinarily is planned in advance, some health care professionals advocate pre-hab. With rehabilitation prior to the procedure, the patient begins strengthening exercises for the quadriceps and hamstring muscles before surgery to prevent the routine muscle weakness that may occur immediately after an functioning.

Subsequently surgery, once the swelling in the knee joint resolves, the goal of therapy is to increase the force of the muscles surrounding the genu, return the range of move to normal, and promote and preserve the stability of the articulation.

Elite athletes render to practice inside one to two weeks afterward surgery, simply they are a motivated group of people who spend hours each 24-hour interval in rehabilitation. For most other patients, return to mild routine activity occurs in less than six weeks.

Nigh patients do well after surgery. The prognosis for return to normal activity is adept but depends upon the motivation of the patient to work difficult with their physical therapist and to continue that work at home later on formal therapy has been completed.

What are recommended exercises once a torn meniscus has been repaired?

Rehabilitation subsequently an operation depends upon the private patient and the response to surgery. Specific recommendations regarding weight-bearing and exercises volition be customized for the patient by the surgeon and therapist.

Ordinarily, the goal is to render the knee to normal function within four to half dozen weeks.

A couple stretches by a lake in the woods. Once the cartilage is damaged, it cannot be repaired to be as good as the original. Source: N/A

What is the prognosis of a torn meniscus? Is it possible to prevent a torn meniscus?

Nearly patients have their goals met by either conservative or surgical treatment, meaning that they are able to render to a normal level of part. This even includes both elite and recreational athletes who are able to return and compete in their sports.

Complications may occur during surgery. For meniscectomy, where the damaged cartilage is surgically removed, the rate of complication is less than 2%. This includes anesthetic complications, infection, and failure to prevent long-term stiffness, swelling, and recurrent pain. Other complications include deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the leg) and the associated risks of the coldhearted. In patients who undergo meniscus repair, complications can occur in up to 1-third of patients.

In one case the cartilage is damaged, information technology cannot be repaired to be as good equally the original. For that reason, prevention may actually be the all-time treatment for a torn meniscus. A lifelong commitment to maintaining a salubrious weight and avoiding injury volition decrease the stress placed on the cartilage of the human knee during daily activities. Keeping muscles strong and flexible will likewise help protect joints. For the knee joint, this includes non only the quadriceps and hamstring muscles but likewise those in the core and back.

Medically Reviewed on 3/xi/2021

References

Beaufils, P., R. Becker, et al. "The knee meniscus: direction of traumatic teares and degeratvie lesions." Attempt Open Review ii.5 (2017).

Dutton, Grand. Dutton'southward Orthopedic Examination, Evaluation and Intervention, 3rd Edition. McGraw Loma Medical, 2012.

Johnson, D.H., and D.A. Pedowitz. Applied Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007.

Rodriguez-Fontan, F., et al. "Stem and Progenitor Cells for Cartilage Repair: Source, Safety, Evidence, and Efficacy." Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine 25 (2017): 25-33.

Tsujii, A., et al. "Age related changes in the knee joint meniscus." The Knee 24.6 (2017): 1262-1270.

Zhang, J.Y., et al."Utilization of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Musculoskeletal Injuries." Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine 4 (2016): 12.

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