Meniscus is a disease that is more common in soccer players and occurs as a result of knee strain. Meniscus symptoms are usually manifested by pain and swelling. With the developments in knee surgery, meniscus tears are now more easily treated. When it is diagnosed early, it can be treated without the need for an operation, but when it is not treated, it will cause great pain in the person. Therefore, when symptoms such as pain, swelling and stiffness in the knees are seen, appropriate treatment should be started by consulting a specialist before it is too late.
What is a meniscus?
The C-shaped cartilage structure in the knee joint (between the thigh and shin bones) is called the meniscus. There are two menisci in each knee, the inner and outer meniscus. The meniscus acts as a cushion that ensures that the cartilage surfaces are compatible with each other.
Meniscus is the name of the disease seen in the cartilage structure between the joints in the knee, it is a disease that restricts mobility. Meniscus is a disease usually seen in athletes. It can be seen in young people, adults and the elderly. In young people, it usually occurs as a result of sports injuries, while in the elderly, it occurs due to the aging of the cartilage due to aging and the decrease in the fluid in the joints.
How is a meniscus formed?
It is a disease caused by the tearing of the tissue called meniscus in the knee. Meniscus tear is the most common type of cartilage injury in the knee region. These tears occur due to trauma. Forces applied to the knee, such as turning the knee while standing, can cause tears in the meniscus and degenerative tears can be seen in older people. Diagnosis can be easy when meniscus symptoms are observed. In addition to physical examination, imaging such as MRI can accurately detect the tear. When meniscus is not treated, it can cause great pain to the patient. It prevents daily activities from being performed.
What are the Causes of Meniscus?
- Lifting heavy loads
- Standing all the time
- Sitting all the time
- Intensive house cleaning
- Excess body weight
- Traffic accidents
- Falls on the knee
- Old age
How to prevent meniscus?
A meniscus tear is difficult to prevent because it is normally caused by an accident. However, some precautions can reduce the risk of knee injury. Regular light exercise helps to strengthen the thigh muscles. Warm-ups should be done before exercising and the body should be rested between exercises. The footwear used should provide adequate support and fit the foot properly when wearing it. Care should be taken to preserve flexibility and avoid strenuous movements as much as possible. The intensity of the exercises should not be increased suddenly.
What are the Symptoms of Meniscus?
The first symptoms of meniscus tear are pain and swelling. Difficulty in opening and closing the knee fully is among the prominent features. In this case, it is understood that the meniscus prevents the movement of the joints. Noise and sudden stabbing pain when moving the joints are also among the symptoms of meniscus.
- Pain in the knees
- Swelling occurs in the knees
- Stiffness is felt in the knees
- Knees lock up
- Mobility is restricted
- Difficulty standing up and sitting down
- Difficulty going up and down stairs
- Joints make noise
- Knees cannot be fully bent or straightened
- Fluid collects in the knee
- A feeling of ejaculation occurs in the knee
How is Meniscus Diagnosed?
When diagnosing a meniscus tear, the doctor first performs a physical examination of the patient. Details about how the injury occurred are evaluated. X-rays may be required for bone fracture and muscle tissue problems that may occur after trauma. In some cases, an MRI scan may be performed to examine the cartilage in the knee in more detail.
How is Meniscus Treatment?
When meniscus symptoms are observed, a specialist should be consulted as soon as possible. Because meniscus is a disease that causes pain and makes it difficult to perform daily activities. In meniscus treatment, surgical intervention is not required for every case. When meniscus treatment is diagnosed early, it can be performed without the need for surgical operation. If the knee is not locked, the pain does not intensify and the symptoms improve, treatment methods other than surgery may be sufficient. In fact, the determinant of surgical operation is the size of the meniscus tear. When the meniscus tear is small, the meniscus tear can be treated with medications and exercises recommended by the doctor. However, simple methods and medication may not be sufficient for every case. In cases where the tear is large, the tear can be treated by surgical operation. With the developing technology, meniscal tears can be treated with closed (arthroscopy) surgery and the patient can recover in a short time. In order to ensure complete recovery, the patient is recommended by the specialist to rest for a certain period of time. The person in the healing process should take a break from activities such as running and jumping. The fact that there are no scars left on the patient's body with closed surgery shows us one of the plus sides of closed surgeries.
Care should be taken not to rush during the treatment process. The person should be able to bend and unbend his/her knee comfortably to return to his/her previous physical activities, the swelling in the knee should disappear completely and he/she should not feel pain in movements such as walking and running. Using the knee as normal without complete healing can lead to further injury to the knee and permanent loss of mobility and flexibility. Even after recovery with medication or surgery, the patient should be careful not to develop meniscus again. Meniscus can be prevented with appropriate light exercises.
The recovery time for a meniscus tear depends on many factors such as the severity of the knee trauma. Complete recovery after surgery can take up to 4-6 weeks, depending on the person's normal recovery time, the type of procedures performed and other factors. In many cases, physical therapy is used after surgery to minimize complications and accelerate recovery. At the same time, with the recommendation of the physician, the person in the recovery process can engage in new and different sports activities that will not exacerbate knee pain, such as running for swimmers.
What is Meniscus Surgery and the Surgical Process?
Thanks to today's technology, meniscus surgeries are now performed by closed method. In this treatment method called Arthroscopic Surgery, the torn meniscus tissue is sutured and its place in the joint is preserved. Early intervention at this stage is extremely important to achieve good results. Depending on the shape and area of the tear, if the meniscus cannot be sutured, the damaged part or the entire meniscus is removed. Symptoms caused by a meniscus tear disappear with partial or complete removal of the meniscus. However, especially in young people, cartilage abrasion at older ages can cause further damage over time.
Meniscus surgery using the arthroscopy method is performed under regional anesthesia in as little as 15-30 minutes. Patients can start walking after 2-3 hours when the feeling of numbness disappears and can be discharged on the same day. The return to daily life takes 1-2 weeks depending on the interventions performed and the condition of the person.