Table of Contents
Torn Meniscus (damage to knee cartilage)
Anatomy of the meniscus:
The menisci (lateral and medial) are two C-shaped fibro-cartilaginous structures located between the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone), acting as cushions to absorb shock. It covers 70% of the articular area of your knee. The inner ⅔ of the menisci covering the articular area is avascular and referred to as the white zone. This area is nourished by the diffusion of nutrients through synovial fluid. The peripheral ⅓ of the menisci is considered the vascular area and is supplied by the medial and lateral genicular arteries. The outer two-thirds of the menisci have nerve endings that sense pain, while special receptors in the front and back of the menisci help with balance and movement.
Types of menisci:
There are two types of menisci. These are:
1-Medial meniscus:
The medial meniscus is tightly attached to the joint capsule and the medial collateral ligament (MCL), making it less mobile.
2-Lateral meniscus:
The lateral meniscus has looser attachments to the joint capsule and does not connect to the lateral collateral ligament (LCL), allowing more movement.
The menisci are also connected to the tibia through their front and back ends, with the front parts linked by the transverse intermeniscal ligament. Additionally, the back of the lateral meniscus connects to the femur and the popliteus tendon via specific ligaments.
How do meniscus tears occur?
A sudden, forceful twisting movement of the knee, often occurring when you are performing sports activities such as football or cricket, can cause a tear. This injury typically results in pain and a reduced range of motion in your knee joint.
Meniscus tears are also common in older adults. As your cartilage thins with age, it becomes less capable of supporting your body weight. Consequently, older individuals, particularly those with a history of arthritis, are more susceptible to meniscus tears.
Types of torn meniscus:
Different types of Torne depend on their shape, location, and physical findings. These include:
Medial meniscus tear:
The medial meniscus is firmly attached to the bone and ligament. Therefore, this meniscus is less mobile and flexible and more prone to injury. It involves the cartilage inside of your knee.
Lateral meniscus tear:
This lateral meniscus is loosely attracted to the bone and is mobile and flexible. It involves a tear in the outer cartilage of your knee.
How common is a meniscus tear?
It is the most common knee joint injury in physically active individuals such as athletes. It is also common in older adults with a history of arthritis. However, the incidence of torn meniscus is 61 in 100,000 individuals in the USA.
What are the causes of torn meniscus?
A meniscus tear can occur suddenly due to trauma to the knee joint, such as twisting or bending the knee beyond its limit or applying excessive force and weight. This type of tear is common among athletes and can result from sports activities like cricket, football, basketball, and soccer.
Degenerative meniscus tears, on the other hand, occur in older adults due to wear and tear over time. As cartilage thins with age, it becomes more susceptible to tearing, even from simple actions like walking on uneven surfaces. The tear pattern in traumatic meniscus tears differs from that of degenerative tears.
What are the symptoms of a meniscus tear?
Symptoms of the meniscus tear include the following:
- Knee pain and tenderness
- Swelling around your knee
- Stiffness of your knee joint
- Restricted movement at your knee joint, such as bending and straightening of your knee
- Clicking sound or crackling sound coming from your knee during movement
- The feeling of giving away your knee joint
How does ANF Therapy®️ manage torn meniscus?
History-Taking:
History taking is the prime step in making the diagnosis. The history points include:
- Presenting complaints such as how much pain you have.
- How does the injury occur?
- History of previous knee injuries
- Occupational and sports history
- Previous treatment plans
Clinical Examination:
A physical examination of your knee joint is performed to assess the following:
- Knee range of motion
- Stability of your knee joint
- Area of tenderness
Palpation:
Your ANF Therapist will palpate your knee joint to locate the exact location of the tear and its severity.
Other tests:
To diagnose a meniscus tear, your ANF Therapists typically perform several physical tests to assess the knee’s function and identify specific signs of a meniscal injury. The most common physical tests include.
1-McMurray Test:
In this test, you lie on your back, and your ANF Therapist will slightly bend your knee and rotate it internally and externally by extending your leg. A clicking sound and pain during this test indicate a meniscus tear.
2-Apley’s Compression Test:
In this test, your ANF Therapist will ask you to lie face down and bend your knee at a 90-degree angle. Afterwards, your ANF Therapist will apply downward pressure on your heel while rotating the foot. Pain during this examination indicates the possibility of a meniscus tear.
3-Thessaly Test:
In this test, you will stand on one leg and slightly bend your knee. Your ANF Therapist twists your knee and body three times in each direction. Pain or locking of your knee during this motion indicates a meniscus tear.
4-Bounce Home Test:
Your ANF Therapist will ask you to lie on your back with a fully flexed knee joint. Then, they will ask you to extend your knee passively. The positive test indicates a meniscus tear if you can not extend your knee.
Application of ANF Devices:
Anti-inflammatory Devices:
These ANF Devices have positive and negative charges and work by reducing inflammation and alleviating your pain.Antioxidant Devices:
These devices are applied along with anti-inflammatory devices, which aim to help reduce inflammation and remove harmful free radicals from the body.Other Devices:
ANF Therapists make a personalised protocol for torn meniscus by using different ANF Devices to treat the root cause and resolve inflammation completely.Supporting therapies:
There are other supporting therapies that Your ANF Therapist will advise you to maximise your meniscus tear recovery. This includes
- Physiotherapy exercises
- Rest
- Good diet and nutrition
Expected outcome:
This holistic and noninvasive approach aims to provide rapid and long-term relief from meniscal tears. Most patients show significant improvements after the application of ANF Devices in the first session. However, depending on inflammation and the severity of the disease, you may need more sessions to improve your symptoms.
Start your journey with ANF Therapy®️:
What is the RICE method?
The RICE method is a first-aid treatment for acute injuries, such as sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries. It stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
1-Rest:
Resting is the priority to prevent further damage.
Avoid activities that cause pain or stress to the injured part of your knee joint. Resting helps the body to initiate the healing process.
2-Icing:
Ice has anti-inflammatory properties. Icing the injured area helps reduce swelling and alleviate the pain. Apply an ice pack or cold compress for 15-20 minutes every 1-2 hours during the first 48 hours after the injury. Make sure to wrap the ice pack in a cloth to avoid frostbite.
3-Compression:
Compression helps to prevent swelling and provide support to injured tissues. Wrap the injured area with an elastic bandage to cut off circulation and avoid swelling.
4-Elevation:
Elevating your leg above the level of your heart will help reduce fluid accumulation in the injured area. Therefore, use pillows and other supports to keep your limb elevated.
By following the RICE method, you can effectively manage pain and swelling in the early stages of an acute injury, aiding in faster recovery and preventing further complications.
Differentials of meniscus tear:
Multiple conditions can cause knee pain. Several differentials might be ruled out before confirming the diagnosis. These are:
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury
- Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury
- Patellofemoral joint syndrome
How to prevent torn meniscus?
It is very difficult to prevent accidental injury, but you can reduce the risk of meniscus tear by following:
- Exercise regularly to strengthen your knee joint
- Wear knee support such as a knee brace if your knee is unstable
- Wear shoes that support you
- Warm up yourself before exercise
FAQs:
What does a meniscus tear feel like?
A meniscus tear typically manifests as sharp pain, swelling, and tenderness in the affected area of your knee. You may experience a popping sensation during injury, followed by increasing pain over the next 24 hours. Swelling can make the knee feel stiff and reduce its range of motion, making it difficult to straighten or bend the knee fully. You might also feel a catching or locking sensation in the joint, which may feel unstable or give way when putting weight on it.
Can you walk with a torn meniscus?
Can a torn meniscus heal on its own?
Conservative measures such as the RICE protocol help to alleviate the pain and allow the injury to heal naturally. Moreover, ANF Therapy®️ aims to heal it from its root cause by activating your body’s natural healing process.
Is a meniscus tear worse than an ACL injury?
What happens if a meniscus tear remains untreated?
If you overlook your meniscus tear injury, you might feel continued pain in your knee joint with restricted joint mobility. This can also boost the wear and tear process and increase your risk of osteoarthritis.
Is there any non-surgical way to treat torn meniscus?
About ANF Therapy®️
ANF Therapy®️ uses circular ANF Devices, which are applied directly on the skin after palpation and assessment by a trained ANF Therapist following the ANF Therapy®️ Method, Patented Model no. U202030252, ES1259974.
The ANF Therapy®️ purpose is the alleviation of injury and pain within minutes.
Our aim is that the patient experiences a reduction of pain and swelling, an increase in range of motion, and an improvement in quality of life related to health. Non-transdermal, non-invasive device, NO needles or chemicals are used.
Do you need help with your health issues? Have you been experiencing symptoms of Torn Meniscus?
Contact us, and we will explain how we can help you!
