Your knee contains two C shaped pieces of cartilage. The function of these cartilages are designed to act as a cushion between your thigh bone and the bones of your shin. Tearing a miniscus will prevent you from playing in sporting events.
Causes
Miniscus tears are caused by any forceful twist or pivoting of the knee. Deterioration cause by degenerative bone disease will increase the likelihood of tears. This time of movement is common in sports such as hockey, soccer, football and basketball. Athletes have an elevated risk for tearing their miniscus. An athlete who has a torn miniscus will experience extreme pain when attempting to play.
Symptoms
The first symptom of a miniscus tear is hearing a pop while twisting your knee. Miniscus tears also present with stiffness, swelling, pain and an increase in pain when you attempt to twist your knee. Some people feel a block in movement when attempting to straighten their knee if they have a torn miniscus.
Diagnosis
Miniscus tears are diagnosed by your physician by conducting a thorough interview and physical examination. Your physician will also use a number of tests including X-Rays, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. In some cases, an arthoscopy procedure may be conducted.
Treatment
Resting and icing your knee are the first line of treatment for miniscus tears. During your recovery, you should avoid all movements that aggravate your knee.This type of treatment is usually combined with the use of pain medication. In extreme cases where the knee does not heal with rest, reconstructive surgery is used to mend a miniscus tear.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Torn Meniscus
- "Guyton & and Hall Text Book Textbook of Medical Physiology"; A.C. Guyton; 2002
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