Injuries to the meniscus of the knee occupy the main place among the injuries of this joint. Unfortunately, when injured, many do not seek medical help in a timely manner. Because they do not suspect what the problem is, that this is the meniscus of the knee, and it is damaged. And this, in turn, is fraught with serious consequences.
What is the meniscus of the knee?
Strong and at the same time flexible cartilage plate, which increases the correspondence of the articular surfaces of the tibia and femur, is called the meniscus. It is located inside the knee joint and has the shape of a crescent. The meniscus is needed for cushioning and a measured distribution of the load on the knee.
Every person has two menisci in the knee joint - lateral (external) and medial (internal). For an ordinary person, this says little, but for doctors there is a difference. The inner meniscus of the knee is less mobile than the outer meniscus, so it is much more likely to be injured. Almost 75% of both consist of collagen fibers, which, intertwined, form a tissueheavy duty structure.
Functions
The main purpose of the meniscus is to protect the components of the joint from injury and abrasion. They also reduce the likelihood of dislocations and limit the range of motion in the joint.
During sharp jumps, the menisci soften the negative impact and help to cope with the load, evenly distributing it.
Reasons
Injury to the meniscus of the knee occurs as a result of:
- injury caused by a sharp turn of the lower leg;
- powerful blow to the knee;
- re-injury;
- when the kneecap falls on an object or surface;
- with excessive knee extension from a bent position.
A serious danger to the knee is systematic injuries, severe compression and an untreated rupture of the meniscus. As a result of such pathologies, the cartilages become thinner, their delamination occurs, and cracks and erosion occur. When the structure of the meniscus is destroyed, it ceases to perform its direct functions. Among other things, problems with the meniscus can occur due to being overweight. As well as constant hard physical labor and being in a standing position.
There is an increased risk of damage to the knee meniscus in situations where a person is professionally involved in any kind of sport, as a result of past arthritis, gout, with weak ligaments and excessively mobile joints.
Degenerative tears can occur as a result of chronic joint disease. Most often, such deviations are experienced by people over 45 years old. When the structure of the meniscus is weakened, even a slight load is enough to damage it.
When the first signs of meniscus disease appear, you should immediately seek medical help, because without qualified treatment, the cartilage plate may completely lose its function.
Symptoms
Everyone knows that the meniscus of the knee is a kind of buffer between the bone surfaces. His he alth should be treated with the utmost care. In order to start treatment in a timely manner, it is important to know the signs that indicate abnormalities.
In case of injury and development of pathologies of the meniscus, two periods are distinguished:
- spicy;
- chronic.
In case of a knee meniscus injury, the symptoms in the acute period are as follows:
- limited movement;
- pain in the knee area;
- accumulation of blood in the joint.
If the treatment was not carried out or was prescribed incorrectly, then after a few weeks the pathology becomes chronic. The following signs testify to this:
- knee pain getting worse;
- fluid is released from small blood vessels;
- knee becomes immobile;
- there is muscle atrophythighs and lower legs;
- joint increases in size;
- click when bending the knee;
- the temperature rises in the area of the damaged joint.
Problems with the meniscus of the knee are very difficult to diagnose. This is because the symptoms are similar to those of other diseases of this part of the leg. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis in each individual case.
Danger of injury
Rupture of the knee meniscus causes not only a lot of discomfort, but also mechanical instability. This condition requires immediate treatment. Otherwise, during movement, the joint may jam and provoke a blockade.
Rupture of the meniscus leads to damage to the cartilage and deformation of the articular surface. And this becomes a really big problem. Unfortunately, not everyone knows that damage to the knee meniscus, even if it was treated, can provoke certain problems in the future. After this type of injury, people tend to develop arthrosis of the joint.
Diagnosis
It is possible to diagnose a meniscal disease only after passing a comprehensive examination. Based on its results, the doctor will be able to distinguish meniscus damage from other pathologies and select the most effective treatment.
To make a diagnosis, the patient is assigned the following studies:
- ultrasound;
- CT;
- MRI;
- ECG;
- lab research.
Based on the results of the above tests, the doctor can accurately diagnose and select an effective treatment.
First Aid
When injured, not everyone will be able to accurately determine that the meniscus of the knee is damaged and it has ruptured. If a person has a sharp pain that is so severe that he cannot lean on his foot, he needs to provide first aid. It is necessary to help the victim get to bed, lay him down and, placing a roller or pillow under the shin, lift the injured leg.
It is strictly forbidden to attempt to straighten a blocked joint. This can lead to more complex damage. The joint must be fixed with a removable splint or splint, you can apply an elastic bandage so that it does not squeeze the skin too much.
You can eliminate pain and stop inflammatory edema with the help of ice, a bag with which, wrapped in a dense cloth, is recommended to be applied to the injured area for 10 minutes every hour. Diclofenac, Ketorol, Nurofen or Nise can be used as painkillers.
Treatment
If, after injury, after diagnosis, it was determined that the meniscus of the knee was damaged, then treatment should be started immediately. Most importantly, don't do it yourself! Clamped between the cartilages of the kneeThe meniscus joint should be freed only by a qualified doctor. As practice shows, several procedures are enough to restore normal joint mobility.
If the situation is complicated, then the patient is prescribed joint traction. After the damage is eliminated, the patient is selected therapeutic treatment. He receives injections of anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids. With the help of physiotherapy exercises, chondroprotectors and injections of hyaluronic acid, cartilage tissue is restored.
With a torn meniscus in the knee, the treatment method is determined individually in each case, depending on the severity of the rupture, the degree of deterioration of the joint, the age of the victim and his state of he alth. Choosing the tactics of treatment, the doctor tries in every possible way to avoid surgical intervention.
When the meniscus of the knee is torn, surgery is performed only in the most serious cases, when there can be no other scenario.
Non-surgical treatments
If it is possible to avoid surgery, then conservative treatment is preferred. The patient is given a puncture of the knee joint and the accumulated blood is cleaned out. After that, the damaged joint is fixed, and the patient is prescribed bed rest and a complete exclusion of physical activity for two weeks. Massage courses, physiotherapy exercises and warming up are also prescribed. If after the treatment it is not possible to achieve a therapeutic effect, then an operation is prescribed.
Surgery
A large painful tear in the meniscus that causes blockage of the knee joint requires immediate surgery. In this case, arthroscopy of the joint is prescribed. The main purpose of the operation is to preserve the body of the meniscus.
The essence of arthroscopy is the treatment of a rupture through small surgical openings. This treatment lasts for several hours, at which time the doctor introduces a special surgical instrument and a video camera into the joint cavity in order to see the joint from the inside. The main advantage of arthroscopy of the joint is the absence of the need to wear a plaster cast after the procedure, the possibility of performing manipulations on an outpatient basis and a rapid rehabilitation period.
After surgery, already on the second day, the patient is allowed to move in doses, relying on crutches or a cane. For a month, you should be attentive to the damaged limb and, if possible, do not stand on it. During this time, it is recommended to use taping of the meniscus knee. This device effectively immobilizes and protects the joint, as well as fixes the muscles.
Unfortunately, often doctors have to deal with chronic meniscal injuries. Many patients, receiving knee injuries, prefer not to immediately seek medical help and self-medicate. According to statistics, most patients go to the hospital a year after the injury. During this period, destructive processes provoke severe complications. In such cases, removalmeniscus.
The operation is performed under anesthesia with an open method or arthroscopy is performed. The open method is considered more traumatic and has a long rehabilitation period. In addition, with such a surgical intervention, a large percentage of complications develop.
Arthroscopic surgery to remove the meniscus is more gentle and productive. The patient stays in the hospital for a minimum amount of time. The knee recovers quickly after removal of the meniscus, and there are no rough scars on the limb, and the punctures are almost invisible.
Possible Complications
With partial or complete removal of the meniscus, certain adverse consequences are not excluded, although they occur quite rarely. According to statistics, about 90% of operations end in success and pass without complications. In other situations, certain problems arise, but, fortunately, they are not of a severe nature.
Possible complications include:
- appearance of blood clots;
- occurrence of bleeding;
- development of arthrosis;
- injury to nerve endings;
- infection.
Doctors clearly understand where the meniscus is located in the knee, so the surgical intervention is performed very carefully and carefully. They also try to restore all the functions of the leg. Therefore, in most cases, a partial meniscectomy is performed, the meniscus is completely removed only in the most complex and advanced cases. It is this responsible and careful approach that helps to avoiddevelopment of complications.
Prevention
The best prevention of meniscus damage is to avoid traumatic situations. It is recommended during sports training to use elastic knee pads, which help to reliably protect the knee from bumps and falls, while not limiting its mobility.
If even minor signs and pain in the knee appear, you must immediately contact a medical facility. When diagnosing a degenerative-dystrophic disease, it is required to strictly follow all the recommendations of the attending physician and in no case self-medicate.
