Arthroscopic Meniscus Surgery

A meniscus injury develops when there is damage to the special cartilage that lines the knee joint.
Meniscus tears may develop suddenly due to an injury, or come on gradually over time due to wear and tear.
The most common meniscus tear symptoms are knee pain, swelling, stiffness, instability and sometimes locking - where the knee gets stuck in one position.
It can take a long time to recover from a torn meniscus as the blood supply to the region is generally poor, resulting in slow healing.

Causes of a Meniscus Injury

A meniscus injury may be caused by:

1. Knee Injury

A meniscus injury commonly occurs in sport where the foot is fixed and the knee twisted , usually happens during sporting activities e.g. football.
Medial meniscus tears are more common than lateral meniscus tears and often the medial collateral ligament (MCL) is injured at the same time.

2. Wear & Tear

Wear and tear at the knee joint associated with aging can also cause a meniscus injury. Cartilage tends to become more brittle with age and everyday use of the knee can result in meniscus tears. Often this affects the edges of the meniscus which get frayed and torn.

Meniscus Tear Symptoms

The three most common meniscus tear symptoms are:

1. Knee Pain

With a meniscus injury there is often a lot of pain in the knee, especially when trying to straighten the leg fully or when bearing any weight though it. Activities such as coming down stairs and squatting down are often painful.

2. Knee Swelling

Knee swelling usually accompanies a meniscus injury Swelling usually develops gradually over the first 48 hours after a meniscus injury. The amount of swelling will depend on the severity and location of the injury.

3. Knee Locking

With a more severe meniscus injury the knee may lock. This is where the joint gets stuck in one position and can’t move. A meniscus tear is the most common cause of a locked knee.

Meniscus Injury Treatment

Meniscus injury treatment usually consists of:

1. PRICE

PRICE is the best place to start for the first few days after a mensicus injury before moving on to a rehab programme to strengthen the knee and regain any loss of movement and function. PRICE stands for Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate.

2. Meniscus Tear Exercises

Strengthening exercises can help reduce the weight going through the knee and are therefore a vital part of the recovery process following a meniscus injury
Exercises are a really important part of meniscus tear treatment. Building up the strength of the muscles surrounding the knee joint helps to reduce the amount of weight going through the knee and therefore through the cartilage, and can really help to reduce the effect of a meniscal tear.
Muscle weakness of the glutes and kneecap muscles often causes excess force to go through the medial meniscus resulting in an injury, so strengthening these muscles can particularly help.

3. Ice

Ice can really help to reduce the pain and swelling associated with a meniscus injury which helps to speed up healing. By reducing the inflammatory response, you reduce the density of inflammatory chemicals that irritate the torn meniscus, making it easier for it to heal. But when used incorrectly, ice can actually make things worse.

4. Knee Brace

Knee braces provide much more stability, so can be really useful after a meniscus injury, especially if the knee feels unstable.
Usually a basic advanced brace basic or advanced knee brace will provide enough support. If your meniscus injury is associated with a ligament injury you may need an Elite brace.