What makes a torn meniscus feel better

Even people who do not consider themselves "athletes" can tear a meniscus. Some menisci plural tear during activities of daily living such as getting in and out of a car or squatting. Menisci also tear during participation in recreational activities such as skiing , dancing, or racquetball. Not all surgical cases are the same, this is only an example to be used for patient education. Initial symptoms of a torn meniscus include well-localized pain and swelling in the knee.

The pain is usually either on the inner or outer side of the knee, not around the kneecap. When the patient recalls a specific injury that led to the pain and swelling, the swelling often does not occur until the day after the injury.

The swelling is not necessarily in the same area as the pain. A torn meniscus can also produce catching or locking of the knee. Sometimes the knee is stuck in midrange for days at a time. Sometimes the patient can "unlock" the knee by bending and twisting it before trying to straighten it. A torn meniscus usually produces well-localized pain in the knee.

The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain. Other people find that the torn meniscus prevents them from participating comfortably in their usual daily activities. Over weeks, the pain and swelling may decrease and activities of daily living may become tolerable. However, athletic activities may reproduce pain and swelling. Sometimes even activities of daily living such as going up and down stairs or getting in and out of cars may produce pain in a knee with a torn meniscus.

A torn meniscus often causes the knee to make extra joint fluid. There is more room in the knee for fluid when the knee is slightly bent. Therefore, people with chronic swelling tend to hold the involved knee in a bent position and develop hamstring tightness and joint contracture. Also, a piece of torn meniscus that is moving in and out of place can damage the nearby articular gliding surfaces and lead to arthritis.

A torn meniscus can prevent normal pain-free motion of the knee and therefore can interfere with the patient's ability to climb stairs or get in and out of chairs and cars. Sometimes the pain in the knee causes the brain to shut off the quadriceps muscle at the knee and leads to a "giving way" sensation.

In addition to causing problems in activities of daily living, a torn meniscus usually interferes with the ability to participate in active sports, particularly when they involve twisting motions. A torn meniscus is certainly not life threatening.

Once treated, the knee will usually function normally for many years. A meniscal tear that catches, locks the knee, or produces swelling on a frequent or chronic basis should be removed or repaired before it damages the articular gliding cartilage in the knee. A meniscal tear that produces discomfort, but does catch, lock, or swell, may be less likely to damage the rest of the knee. One may choose to "live" with this type of meniscal tear instead of treating it operatively.

Depending on the severity of the injury, your age, activity level, and other factors, meniscus tear physical therapy may be the right treatment option for your meniscus injury. Initially, these meniscus tear exercises will focus on restoring knee flexibility, followed by strengthening the surrounding tissues to increase stability.

If you do undergo meniscus tear surgery, your treatment plan will include post-surgical meniscus tear exercises as well. At Sports Medicine Oregon, we are here to support joint health, without getting in the way of what your body does best. Nonetheless, meniscus tear surgery is often the best option to treat your full or partially torn meniscus and restore healthy function.

Arthroscopic meniscus tear surgery and partial meniscectomies are common procedures used to correct full or partial meniscus tears. These arthroscopic knee surgeries often involve shaving or removing damaged portions of the knee cartilage. During a partial meniscectomy, the surgeon will remove damaged portions of the meniscus and smooth over rough parts of the cartilage.

We also specialize in knee chondroplasty to repair knee cartilage damage. What is chondroplasty knee surgery? During a typical chondroplasty, damaged cartilage is removed via small incisions on the side of the joint, allowing new healthy cartilage to develop. On the other hand or knee, if you will , during a meniscus transplant surgery, the torn or damaged cartilage is replaced with a graft made from donor knee tissue.

Today, knee cartilage regeneration surgery is an increasingly popular option. The expected recovery time for each knee injury will depend on the patient and the severity of the injury. After arthroscopic meniscus surgery, most individuals should expect the rehabilitation process to last roughly three months.

With meniscectomies specifically, patients should anticipate a flexible recovery timetable of about one month. During this time, your doctor will prescribe a series of postsurgical knee exercises to help increase knee flexibility and also strengthen the surrounding tissues.

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Home Our Team Dr. Jonathan E. Greenleaf Dr. A torn meniscus can prevent your knee from working right. A meniscus tear is usually caused by twisting or turning quickly, often with the foot planted while the knee is bent. Meniscus tears can occur when you lift something heavy or play sports.

As you get older, your meniscus gets worn. This can make it tear more easily. With a minor tear, you may have slight pain and swelling. This usually goes away in 2 or 3 weeks.

A moderate tear can cause pain at the side or center of your knee. Swelling slowly gets worse over 2 or 3 days. This may make your knee feel stiff and limit how you can bend your knee, but walking is usually possible.

You might feel a sharp pain when you twist your knee or squat. These symptoms may go away in 1 or 2 weeks but can come back if you twist or overuse your knee. The pain may come and go for years if the tear isn't treated.

In severe tears, pieces of the torn meniscus can move into the joint space. This can make your knee catch, pop, or lock. You may not be able to straighten it. Your knee may feel "wobbly" or give way without warning. It may swell and become stiff right after the injury or within 2 or 3 days. If you are older and your meniscus is worn, you may not know what you did to cause the tear. You may only remember feeling pain after you got up from a squatting position, for example.

Pain and slight swelling are often the only symptoms. Your doctor will ask about past injuries and what you were doing when your knee started to hurt. A physical exam will help your doctor find out if a torn meniscus is the cause of your pain.

Your doctor will look at both knees and check for tenderness, range of motion , and how stable your knee is. X-rays are also usually done. You may need to meet with an orthopedic surgeon for more testing. These tests may include an MRI , which can give a clear picture of where a tear is and how serious it is. How your doctor treats your meniscus tear depends on several things, such as the type of tear, where it is, and how serious it is.

Your age and how active you are may also affect your treatment choices. Symptoms of a meniscus tear depend on the size and location of the tear and whether other knee injuries occurred along with it. Pain can also be due to swelling and injury to surrounding tissues.

With small tears, you may have minimal pain at the time of the injury. Slight swelling often develops gradually over several days. Many times you can walk with only minimal pain, although pain increases with squatting, lifting, or rising from a seated position. These symptoms usually go away in 2 to 3 weeks although pain may recur with bending or twisting. In a typical moderate tear, you feel pain at the side or in the center of the knee, depending on where the tear is.

Often, you are still able to walk. Swelling usually increases gradually over 2 to 3 days and may make the knee feel stiff and limit bending.

There is often sharp pain when twisting or squatting. Symptoms may diminish in 1 to 2 weeks but recur with activities that involve twisting or from overuse. The pain may come and go over a period of years if left untreated. Larger tears usually cause more pain and immediate swelling and stiffness. Swelling can develop over 2 to 3 days. Performing activities that involve aggressive twisting and pivoting of the knee puts you at risk of a torn meniscus. The risk is particularly high for athletes — especially those who participate in contact sports, such as football, or activities that involve pivoting, such as tennis or basketball.

A torn meniscus can lead to a feeling of your knee giving way, inability to move your knee normally or persistent knee pain. You might be more likely to develop osteoarthritis in the injured knee. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.

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