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Meniscus tears are among the most common sports injuries, particularly in sports that involve sudden twists and turns. But they can also be caused by aging, or what’s called a degenerative meniscus tear.
While usually not as serious as an ACL tear (another type of knee injury), an injury to your meniscus can still leave you unable to play or move with complete freedom for weeks or months as you recover.
What is a Meniscus Tear and How Does It Happen?
The meniscus is a piece of wedge-shaped rubbery cartilage that’s located in the knee joint between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). Each knee has two of them.
The menisci provide cushion, allowing the knee to safely carry your body’s weight. They also act as shock absorbers during high-impact activities like running and jumping.
Menisci are very resilient under vertical compression; they can withstand plenty of force and impact as long as it is straight up or down. Their weak point is rotation.
When your knee twists while your foot is planted on the ground, the cartilage gets squeezed between the tibia and femur, causing it to tear. In athletes, meniscus injuries occur when they suddenly turn, such as during a cut back in soccer or a side step in rugby.
You can also get a meniscus tear if you slip or trip on an uneven surface when running or walking.
While most meniscus tears occur from physical impact, they can also happen seemingly out of nowhere or after a minor slip or fall. This is caused by degenerative damage to the meniscus, where the cartilage wears down and weakens over time. It mostly affects older people over 40 or 50.
How Do I Know I Have a Meniscus Tear?
You may feel a ‘popping’ in your knee when you get a meniscus tear and it might start to feel tender. In most cases, it takes a few hours for the pain and swelling to really set in. This delayed response to the injury is one of the things that differentiates a torn meniscus from other knee injuries, like a torn ACL.
You may need to see an orthopaedic surgeon or a sports medicine specialist to get a proper diagnosis. They’ll do a physical examination and may request an MRI. Our Ace Certified Practitioners can recommend a Sports Doctor or Orthopod from our trusted network.
Meniscus Tear Recovery
A meniscus tear can take several weeks or months to heal, depending on the severity of the injury, where specifically it’s located, and how it’s treated.
Most meniscus tears can be treated non-surgically, usually using a combination of anti-inflammatory medication, physiotherapy and strengthening. Your physio will advise you to reduce or adjust your sports activities to allow the injury to heal quickly.
If the tear is severe, it may not heal on its own, especially if it is located towards the inner part of the knee, where the blood supply is limited. In such cases, arthroscopic surgery may be required, followed by hands-on physio, osteopathy and strengthening.
Best Exercises for Meniscus Tears
In addition to physio, here are three exercises you can do safely at home to speed up recovery, improve range of motion, and strengthen your knee joint and surrounding muscles.
- Heel slides – lie down on the bed or floor, then slide your heel towards your bottom as you raise your knee. Let your knee bend as far as it will go without causing pain. Stretch out your leg again and repeat about 10 times. Do 3 sets at a time or spaced throughout the day.
- Quad sets – Sit on a bench or lie down on a surface with your leg extended in front of you. Tighten your quads and push your knee down into the surface. If fully extending your leg is painful, place a pillow under the knee. Do 10 contractions for 3 sets.
- Leg raises – You can sit or lie down with your legs extended. Then slowly raise one leg about 30cm off the ground, then control it back down. Do about 10 reps for 3 sets.
How Ace Sports Clinic Malvern Can Help You Recover from a Torn Meniscus
At Ace, we’ve worked with everyone, from elite athletes to the elderly, to help them recover from various injuries. We have a multi-skilled collaborative team of experts who work together to get to the root of your injury and create a tailored treatment program.
We use a combination of treatments, including physiotherapy and osteopathy to speed up recovery and prevent the injury from happening again.
If you have a meniscus tear, call us at 03 9824 8001 to start your path to recovery.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified professional for personalised guidance based on your specific needs and circumstances.