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Meniscus Tears of the Knee. The meniscus of the knee is made up of cartilage that lines the knee on either side of the joint. There are two parts, the medial meniscus-the inner side of the knee, and the lateral meniscus-the outer side of the knee.
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The meniscus of the knee is made up of cartilage that lines the knee on either side of the joint. There are two parts, the medial meniscus-the inner side of the knee, and the lateral meniscus-the outer side of the knee.
A meniscus tear develops when there is damage to the cartilage that lines the knee joint. These tears may develop suddenly due to an injury or come on gradually over time due to wear and tear.
Bucket Handle Tear-part of the cartilage detaches from the tibia leaving a flap of cartilage.
Radial Tear-starts at the outer edge of the cartilage and comes inwards.
Degenerative Changes-cartilage wears away loosing its’ smooth surface becoming brittle and thin.
MRI-an MRI is the accurate and non-invasive method for diagnosing meniscal tears.
Treatment OptionsPRICE:(Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate)for a few days the a rehab program to strengthen knee and regain loss of movement and function.
Ice: helps reduce pain and swelling which helps speed the healing process.
Exercises: builds up strength of the muscles surrounding the knee joint which helps reduce the amount of weight going through the cartilage. This speeds the healing process.
Surgery: surgery is the last resort. Most are performed arthroscopically. This may involve removing any debris and sewing up tears where possible.