The meniscus or cartilage in your knee helps cushion and stabilize your knee joint. A minor tear to your meniscus may cause only mild symptoms, whereas a sever tear can lead to debilitating pain, swelling and a "giving way" feeling. With a minor meniscus tear, you may be able to play soccer wearing a knee brace without needing surgery. However, your physician may still recommend you undergo treatment and rehabilitation before returning to soccer.
Meniscus Tear
Your meniscus is located between your thighbone and shinbone, and it cushions and stabilizes your knee as well as helps the two bones move smoothly. Twisting your knee or an awkward fall can result in a tear to your meniscus. A minor tear means your meniscus has a "crack," but it is not displaced. When a tear causes a piece of your meniscus to shift off your bone or rip off, it is considered a severe tear. You may also sustain other knee injuries such as ligament sprains when you tear your meniscus.
Symptoms
A minor tear may cause few symptoms such as mild swelling and discomfort with knee movement or may be asymptomatic, or symptom-free. Asymptomatic meniscus tears often go undiagnosed and therefore untreated. Symptoms of a severe tear, on the other hand, include debilitating pain, swelling, stiffness, joint instability and "catching" or "locking" of your knee. Severe symptoms prevent normal knee function and over time can cause muscle weakness and atrophy or muscle loss as well.
Functional Knee Brace
Functional knee braces usually have plastic or metal bars that line up on the inside and outside of your knee and straps above and below your knee to hold the brace in place. They may also be custom made to better fit your leg, which is recommended for competitive athletes. According to a 2000 article in the journal "American Family Physician," functional knee braces help stabilize your knee by preventing rotation of your shinbone and controlling hyperextension. The cons of wearing a functional knee brace include a false sense of confidence or security and possibly a decrease in your athletic performance. Functional knee braces are also shown to be less effective when worn during dynamic activities like soccer.
Considerations
Although wearing a functional knee brace may help you return to soccer without surgically repairing the tear, it is not an effective treatment option or long-term solution. You still need rehabilitation and treatment to decrease symptoms and promote healing before returning to soccer. Treatment includes rest, ice compression and elevation. Without surgical repair, a severe meniscus tear will likely prevent you from playing soccer, regardless of wearing a knee brace. A torn meniscus also increases your risk for sustaining a secondary injury, even while wearing a knee brace. A secondary injury could prolong your recovery time and further decrease your athletic performance.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; Meniscal Tears; February 2009
- "Rheumatology;" Knee Bracing For Medial Compartment Osteoarthritis: Effects Proprioception and Postural Control; T. B. Birmingham, et al.; 2001
- "American Family Physician;" Knee Braces: Clinical Evidence and Clinical Recommendations For Their Use; Scott A. Paluska, M.D., et al.; January 2000
- "Journal of The Canadian Chiropractic Association;" Two Cases of Medial Knee Pain Involving The Medial Coronary Ligament in Adolescents Treated With Conservative Rehabilitation Therapy; Karen Hudes, B.S.c, B.S., D.C.; 2011
