A common site of injury -- often seen in contact sports -- but affecting the common man as well.
Yes, a meniscus tear is not just a jock's injury! A meniscus is either of two specific parts of cartilage of the knee. The knee contains a lateral meniscus and a medial meniscus. Did you know that the medial meniscus is more commonly affected than the lateral meniscus? Have you had knee pain? Do you think you have a meniscus tear? How do you know if you have such a tear?
P.S. It's pretty cool to see that picture of my knee post-arthroscopy has been featured on page 1 of both Google web search and image search -- thanks for the love, Google! I think Google rocks!
Cast your vote ...
"I had arthroscopy in July 2007 to repair a torn medial meniscus."
Post-op 6 months ~ Left knee
Meniscus Tears may run in the family ...
It appears as though the tendency to have meniscus tears may indeed be in the genes. My mother has experienced similar issues, but actually had her meniscus removed!
What is the meniscus?
:This article is about the parts in human joints.For other uses of the term meniscus, see meniscus and lens (optics).
In anatomy, a meniscus (from Greek Category: wikt - :????????|???????? meniskos, "crescent"????????, "small moon", is diminutive of ????, "moon", from the root ma-, "measure", which reflects the fact the time was measured according to the phases of the moon. The word was also used for curved things in general, such as a necklace or a line of battle. (Lexicon of Orthopaedic Etymology, p 199)) is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure present in the knee, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular jointsMeniscus, Stedman's (27th ed.) that, in contrast to articular disks, only partly divides a joint cavity.Platzer (2004), p 208 A small meniscus also occurs in the radio-carpal joint.
It usually refers to either of two specific parts of cartilage of the knee: The lateral and medial menisci. Both are cartilaginous tissues that provide structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion. The menisci are also known as 'semi-lunar' cartilages - referring to their half-moon "C" shape - a term which has been largely dropped by the medical profession, but which led to the menisci being called knee 'cartilages' by the lay public.
What is the lateral meniscus?
The external semilunar fibrocartilage on the outer side ...
The lateral meniscus, also called the external semilunar fibrocartilage, is a fibrocartilaginous band that spans the lateral side of the interior of the knee joint. It is one of two menisci of the knee, the other being the medial meniscus. It is nearly circular and covers a larger portion of the articular surface than the medial. It can occasionally be injured or torn by twisting the knee or applying direct force, as seen in contact sports.
What is the medial meniscus?
The medial meniscus is a fibrocartilage semicircular band that spans the knee joint medially, located between the medial condyle of the femur and the medial condyle of the tibia.Platzer (2004), p 208 It is also referred to as the internal semilunar fibrocartilage. It is a common site of injury, especially if the knee is twisted, as commonly occurs in contact sports.
Some great knee books
Help deal with knee pain ...
Capsule of right knee-joint (distended). Posterior aspect. Gray's Anatomy.
Leg Pain
Leg Pain
Amazon Price: $54.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
This small volume is devoted to one of the most common patient complaints encountered by practitioners of adult medicine, and one that frequently presents the initial examining physician with a diagnostic conundrum. Few internists, primary care physicians, emergency room physicians, or medical or surgical subspecialists are thoroughly familiar with the neurologic, orthopedic, immunologic, and vascular causes of leg pain, and help from the literature requires access to multiple texts from diverse medical and surgical specialties.
Leg Pain brings together, in a compact and easily transportable volume, expertise from the fields of vascular surgery, neurology, orthopedics and rheumatology, to offer insights into the clinical signs and symptoms associated with leg pain of diverse origins.
Symptoms of meniscus tear
Knee pain.
Swelling of the knee.
Tenderness when pressing on the meniscus.
Popping or clicking within the knee.
Limited motion of the knee joint.
More about a meniscus tear ...
In osteoarthritis, the meniscus is either torn or worn away from overuse, age, or injury. The joint will be in pain when in use, but when there is no load, the pain goes away.
A torn meniscus can be repaired through some surgery and the body's ability to heal itself. In addition, there are techniques under research which involve sutures and biological glues to enable healing. If the tear is far away from the meniscus' blood supply (the meniscus becomes avascular towards the unattached, thin interior edge), then repair is unlikely.
In these cases arthroscopic surgery allows for a meniscectomy, removing the torn tissue and allowing the knee to function with some of the meniscus missing. Usually younger patients are more resilient and react well to this treatment, while older, more sedentary patients do not have such rejuvenating ability.
In situations where the meniscus is torn beyond repair or partial removal, a total menisectomy and meniscus replacement may be the only option before a total knee replacement.
In sports and orthopedics, people will sometimes speak of "meniscus surgery" and a "torn meniscus" and be referring to an injury to one of the menisci. Tears in the meniscus may be assessed and measured via a minimally invasive test called meniscometry.
Diagnosing meniscus tear
X-rays and MRIs are the two tests commonly used in patients who have meniscus tears.
An x-ray can be used to determine if there is evidence of degenerative or arthritic changes to the knee joint.
The MRI is helpful at actually visualizing the meniscus.
The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Injuries to the Meniscus
The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Injuries to the Meniscus
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
This book has been created for patients who have decided to make education and research an integral part of the treatment process. Although it also gives information useful to doctors, caregivers and other health professionals, it tells patients where and how to look for information covering virtually all topics related to injuries to the meniscus (also meniscus injury; meniscus tears; tear of the meniscus), from the essentials to the most advanced areas of research. The title of this book includes the word official. This reflects the fact that the sourcebook draws from public, academic, government, and peer-reviewed research. Selected readings from various agencies are reproduced to give you some of the latest official information available to date on injuries to the meniscus. Given patients' increasing sophistication in using the Internet, abundant references to reliable Internet-based resources are provided throughout this sourcebook. Where possible, guidance is provided on how to obtain free-of-charge, primary research results as well as more detailed information via the Internet. E-book and electronic versions of this sourcebook are fully interactive with each of the Internet sites mentioned (clicking on a hyperlink automatically opens your browser to the site indicated). Hard-copy users of this sourcebook can type cited Web addresses directly into their browsers to obtain access to the corresponding sites. In addition to extensive references accessible via the Internet, chapters include glossaries of technical or uncommon terms.
What is arthroscopy?
It's a minimally invasive procedure ...
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage of the interior of a joint is performed using an arthroscope, a type of endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision. Arthroscopic procedures can be performed either to evaluate or to treat many orthopaedic conditions including torn floating cartilage, torn surface cartilage, ACL reconstruction, and trimming damaged cartilage.
The advantage of arthroscopy over traditional open surgery is that the joint does not have to be opened up fully. Instead, only two small incisions are made - one for the arthroscope and one for the surgical instruments to be used in the knee cavity to fully remove the knee cap. This reduces recovery time and may increase the rate of surgical success due to less trauma to the connective tissue. It is especially useful for professional athletes, who frequently injure knee joints and require fast healing time. There is also less scarring, because of the smaller incisions. Irrigation fluid is used to distend the joint and make a surgical space. Sometimes this fluid leaks into the surrounding soft tissue causing extravasation and edema.
The surgical instruments used are smaller than traditional instruments. Surgeons view the joint area on a video monitor, and can diagnose and repair torn joint tissue, such as ligaments and menisci or cartilage
Arthroscopy is used for joints of the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle, foot, and hip.
Meniscus repair
In order for the meniscus repair to heal, the tear must be near this outer edge in an area of good blood supply.
Arthroscopically placed tacks can be used, or the torn edges can be sutured or sometimes trimmed.
Both procedures function by reapproximating the torn edges of the meniscus to allow them to heal in their proper place.
Meniscus Tear videos
The news on meniscus tears
- Treating a meniscus tear
- By Jon Henry ? Ask A Doctor ? July 6, 2009 Answer: A meniscus tear is a common knee joint injury...
- Tigers' Stein may have meniscus tear
- By PETE SWANSON ?In warming up for our first freestyle dual, I was practicing shots. But I wasn...
- Ex-Stanford All-American grows into starring role in WNBA
- Wiggins' offseason began with arthroscopic surgery for a lateral meniscus tear in her right knee...
- Tampa Bay Rays hold off on decision on Scott Kazmir's return to ...
- So when Dr. Koco Eaton first did an arthroscopic procedure Monday to repair a meniscus tear, he got...
Physical Rehabilitation
My PT involved 4 weeks of 3 visits per week. Although PT was scheduled for the following week after arthroscopy, I waited an additional week to get started.
Techniques in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
Techniques in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
* Provides the physical therapy student or practitioner with a comprehensive to the design implementation, and supervision of rehabilitation programs for orthopedic injuries and disorders
* Three sections cover achieving the goals of rehabilitation, using the proper tools, and detailing specific techniques
* Lavishly illustrated and chock full of tables, summaries and suggestions for further study
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Provides the physical therapist with a comprehensive guide to the design, implementation, and supervision of rehabilitation programs for musculoskeletal injuries. For students and practitioners.
The buzz on torn meniscus arthroscopy
- Primer on Knee Arthroscopy | Knee Surgery Blog - Dr. Tarlow on Knees
- Patients over 55 with more than one disease process (most common is torn meniscus with chondral dama...
- Surgical Treatment of Knee: Knee Arthroscopy | Yoga Ride
- Patients older than 55 with more than one disease process (most common is torn meniscus with chondra...
- Knee Meniscus Arthroscopy Repair - Mexico Medical Tourism
- Mexican surgeon also perform Knee ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)[ http://www.medical-trip.com/ante...
- Mark Trojanowski - Sister Hazel Drummer: Arthroscopic Meniscus Surgery
- I have decided to write a daily post to follow my progress of my arthroscopic knee surgery and recov...
Great books on leg exercises
The Little Butt & Thighs Workout Book (Little Book)
Amazon Price: $15.29 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $16.99
Great Legs (Six Week Workout)
Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $10.95
Stronger Legs and Lower Body
Amazon Price: $14.00 (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $17.95
The Complete Book of Butt and Legs
Amazon Price: (as of 07/12/2009)
List Price: $29.95
Drop me a line ...
Have you or someone you know torn a meniscus? Had or contemplating surgery? I'd love to hear from you.
lilkon wrote...
Went for a steroid/cortisone shot for knee...other same-type of treatment had worked for years in other parts of my body treating athritis pain. But, NO, the doctor said arthroscopy was needed.
Now, after 2 years of stiffness, pain, and 4 other doctors, plus theraphy, I still have a weakness and cracking there.
Posted May 24, 2009
charlino wrote...
A few years ago, my spouse had a full blown meniscus tear that was so bad it left his leg locked for a week until the specialist could surgically remove the broken pieces. He was in excruciating pain, and the leg began to atrophy before he was allowed to go into therapy. The doctor had to aspirate his knee to get it to move. No two tears are the same, and no two people heal the same. Over time and physical therapy, the knee recovered, and he could walk again without crutches. Thank you for sharing your information. This is a very informative page.
Posted April 23, 2009
More information on meniscus
Some cool books
Books on Knee Pain -- How to alleviate knee pain
Better Health Innovations
You might also like to read about related injuries
Sports-related and otherwise
-
Morton's Neuroma -- A Pain in the Foot
-
A Morton's Neuroma is such a pain in the foot let me tell you! I now have a "foot to stand on" so to speak thanks to my foot surgery to excise that painful Morton's Neuroma! It took me nearly two years since I was first diagnosed with the neuroma to...
-
SLAP Tear -- What is it?
-
If you're one of the many who have experienced a SLAP Tear, then you know that it can be quite painful. Speaking from personal experience, I've had a SLAP Tear in which the glenoid labrum of my left shoulder was torn along with a total detachment of...
-
Achilles Tendon -- Ruptured or Torn?
-
Well, I sure didn't know that until I began my research into this tendon. And, you could really fool me about it being the strongest! You see, I was doing some chores around the house ... specifically standing on my tippy toes and doing a lot of reac...
-
Percutaneous Discectomy -- What is It?
-
It is a A minimally invasive procedure that is performed with a catheter through the skin, dissecting an intervertebral disc. It wasn't all that long ago that the alternative to back pain meant invasive and often dangerous back surgery with not too a...
Before you go ...
Visit The Isle of Squid.
Submit a site review for this lens at:
The Isle of Squid.
About the Author, JaguarJulie
Yes, that is really JaguarJulie's knee!
Lensmaster JaguarJulie, aka JaguarJulie , has been a member since March 21 2006, has rated 4,336 lenses, favorited 415, and has created 450 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Stuffed Cabbage *". See all my lenses
Creative Commons License
Do Squidoo, But Don't Plagiarize ...
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work ... it is just NOT cool so don't do it!
Love This Lens?
- Rate this lens:
- Email it
- Favorite it
- Lensroll it
by JaguarJulie
* GIANT Squid 100
* Squid Angel OTL*
* Lens of the Day
* Jaguar Julie Lensography
* I Love Stuffed Cabbage
* Join me on Squidoo
I'm honored... (more)
