Meniscus Tear

10/11/2020

Limp in Leap out Physiotherapy & Wellness in Belfield provides servicing to many near by Inner West suburbs including Belmore, Strathfield and Croydon park. See our weekly blog below if you are interested in new research, facts, general information or ideas.

Do you have pain in your knees when walking up the stairs, changing direction while running or performing any pivoting activities? Today we are going to explore meniscus injuries.

What is meniscus?

Meniscus is a C-shape fibrocartilaginous structure in the knee that sits in between the tibia and femur. It’s role is to act as a shock absorber during high impact activities such as jumping and running. It also assists with rotation of the knee and acts as a secondary stabiliser.

What is the cause and symptoms?

Meniscus injury is one of the most common conditions in knee pain. It is usually caused by aggressive twisting or pivoting of the joint during high intensity sports.

The signs and symptoms are the following:

• Swelling of the knee

• Pain and stiffness after sitting for a long time

• Difficulty straightening the leg

• A sensation of knee buckling

• A feeling of your knees are locked

How can physiotherapy help?

There are different types of meniscus tears. It is important to seek help from professionals to obtain appropriate treatment.

Strength training and exercise: Evidence suggests that exercise approach is one of the best treatment methods for meniscus recovery. Physiotherapists will focus on the gluteal and quadriceps muscles in order to improve function and reduce pain.

Soft tissue release: It is important to release tension of the surrounding muscles to promote optimal healing.

Education: Physiotherapists will discuss with the patient about reducing aggravating activities in order to allow healing of the meniscus. Physiotherapists should emphasise on active recovery and not put clients into complete rest.

Take home message:

Meniscus is an important structure of the knee. It is highly recommended to seek help from professionals and get treatment as soon as possible. If left untreated, it can lead to more serious damage and it will be even more difficult to treat down the road.

Meniscus tear is one of the most common knee injuries. Check out our blog to find out how to manage and treat it!

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This information can be used to gain a better understanding of meniscus tear. To find out more about how we can help, or to book in for a consultation you can contact us via our Limp in Leap out Physiotherapy & Wellness contact us page, or book online here.