What Is a Medial Meniscus Injury?
The medial meniscus is an important structure of the knee, located in the medial portion of the joint, which is responsible for the absorption and support of the weight of your body. A medial meniscus injury involves the rupture of the meniscus, due to direct trauma or a sudden twist of the knee. Usually, this condition is more common than lateral meniscus injury and commonly affects young athletes.
Medial Meniscus Injury Common Signs and Symptoms
Medial meniscus injury, most of the times causes an intense pain right after the lesion, which is reproduced with the movement of the joint, and as time pass by, other symptoms can appear, including:
- Swelling and popping sensation.
- Locked knee sensation while trying to move your knee.
- Stiffness, which increases gradually over 2 to 3 days.
Medial Meniscus Injury Common Causes
A medial meniscus injury usually occurs when the knee is suddenly twisted or rotated while having your foot on the floor, causing the rupture of the thin meniscus tissue in your knee joint. This condition is commonly seen in athletes who practice some sports like football, tennis, rugby, and basketball. Due to the mechanism of the lesion, the medial meniscus injury is usually associated with an anterior cruciate ligament lesion, which makes the case even more serious.
Medial Meniscus Injury Treatment & Tissue Preservation
Since most cases of medial meniscus injury are related to some other knee structure injuries and cause severe pain and limitation, surgery is the most common treatment in these cases.
Medial meniscus surgery involves the resection of the injured portion of the meniscus, a procedure known as partial medial meniscectomy. This procedure can be associated with some common complications like osteoarthritis in the future
However, in younger people with a healthy and appropriate remaining tissue, making a more conservative surgery that preserves the entire meniscus and repairs the damaged one is possible, which clearly results in better incomes in the future and prevents complications.
Recovery Period and Physical Therapy
The most important part of the treatment after surgery is physical therapy, which should be initiated as soon as possible, even the day after surgery. Physical therapy is centered on reactivating the muscles around your knee, in order to have a better movement and weight support. After surgery, doctors recommend avoiding any impact activity until a minimum of 6 weeks.
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