Knee injuries account for approximately 30 to 40 percent of all alpine ski injuries. Meniscus tears account for approximately 5 to 10 percent of those and are usually, but not always, associated with further injury to your knee. The injury is usually caused by a twisting or squatting motion while you are bearing weight on your knee while it is in a flexed or extended position. It can also be caused by degenerative changes in your knee.
Your Mensicus
Your meniscus is made up of two wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage that act as shock absorbers between your femur and your tibia, otherwise referred to as your thighbone and your shinbone. The outer portion of your meniscus has a blood supply to it while the inner two thirds does not. Tears of your meniscus are classified according to where they are located and their size or shape. When you tear your meniscus, you may hear a popping sound, experience pain and swelling or feel an instability in your knee. Not all of these symptoms always occur in every person.
Meniscus Tears
Longitudinal meniscus tears are located on the outer third of your meniscus and can sometimes heal on their own. Your health care provider will be able to explain to you the risks and benefits of allowing a tear to heal on its own and the treatment. Other types of tears that can occur to your meniscus may be called bucket handle, flap tear or torn horn, each describing the location or shape of the tear. A transverse tear is a tear across the body of the meniscus. A description of how your injury occurred can be helpful in diagnosing your tear. Your health care professional will examine your knee and may maneuver your leg in various positions as part of the evaluation. Typically, magnetic resonance imaging is done to accurately diagnose the nature of the injury.
Goal of Treatment of Meniscus Tear
The overall goal to treat your torn meniscus is to preserve as much meniscus as possible while trimming, repairing and stabilizing the damaged area. Your health care provider should explain the types of surgeries for each type of tear so that you can make an informed decision on your treatment plan. The most common method to repair your torn meniscus is through a procedure called an arthroscopy, which allows the surgeon to see the inside of your knee and further diagnosis and treat it.
Returning to Skiing After Meniscus Tear
Because many meniscus tears occur in the presence of more significant injury, it is important to discuss when you can return to skiing with your health care providers. The degree of healing and the stability of your knee will help guide this decision.
