Houston pain treatment clinic, Americana Injury provides the effective range of treatment for a wide variety of Houston injuries. For more information, please call (713) 480-6254 to speak with one of our friendly professionals today!
There are a variety of common injuries treated at Americana Injury Clinic, including the knee meniscus tear. Athletes and those who are active in sports are the most likely to suffer from a knee meniscus tear.
This condition, also called torn cartilage, happens when the wedges of cartilage located in the middle of the knee and designed to absorb shock to the knee ruptures or tears. This tearing can be caused during the simple physical exertion of exercise or walking as well as more traumatic activity such as a sharp and sudden twisting movement of the knee.
Symptoms of Knee Meniscus Tears to Watch for
There are several symptoms to watch for regarding a knee meniscus tear. The most obvious is a sharp pain that is felt either inside the knee or on the outside surface of the knee. When the cartilage is torn, an individual sometimes hears a clicking sound.
Another symptom is a swelling of the knee. Twisting the knee or sitting in a squat position causes more pain, which is another symptom that the meniscus has suffered some degree of tearing. After examination by a doctor, a knee meniscus tear can be classified as either traumatic, which is caused by a blow to the knee area, or degenerative, in which the cartilage tears during normal activity often due to aging.
Not all cases of knee meniscus tear require surgery in order to repair the damage. Often an individual’s physician will recommend a less invasive form of treatment in order to get the pain and swelling under control and assist in helping the cartilage to start healing. Applying an ice pack to the knee for brief periods of time throughout the day can be very helpful in reducing swelling, combined with taking an over the counter medication designed to serve as an anti-inflammatory to help address the pain.
After the initial pain and swelling have subsided, the application of heat to the area can be helpful as well as wearing a brace to stabilize the knee and also apply heat. Once an individual has suffered a knee meniscus tear, he may have to avoid doing certain activities that aggravate the condition such as twisting the knee, squatting or walking over rigorous terrain. It is also important to rehabilitate the knee using exercises recommended by a doctor or physical therapist.
If a damaged knee doesn’t respond to home therapy, some doctors may recommend arthroscopic surgery, however, to find out about the effective, minimally invasive forms of treatment that may be best for your long-term health, please call Americana Injury at (713) 480-6254 today!