Meniscus tear, the knee injury most often experienced by footballers

For you football fans, you will often hear the term meniscus tear. Meniscus tears are a common injury to football athletes and are among the 4 most common injuries to footballers.

What is a meniscus tear?

The meniscus is a cartilage tissue in the knee that provides cushion and stabilization for the knee joint. The presence of the meniscus prevents the thighbone and shin from rubbing against each other when there is movement of the knee joint. Each joint has 2 meniscus, namely on the outer edge and on the inner edge.

Injury to the meniscus occurs as a result of the circular motion of the knee joint when the foot is tapped and the knee joint is bent. Sometimes, direct trauma to the knee can also cause a meniscus tear. As you get older, the meniscus will be weaker and more prone to injury.

Meniscus tears and symptoms

Symptoms of a meniscus tear are of 3 degrees. With a mild meniscus tear, you will experience minimal pain and swelling of the knee joint which will usually heal in 2-3 weeks.

With a moderate meniscus tear, you will feel more localized pain, which can be on the outside of the knee or on the inside of the knee. The swelling will get worse in 2-3 days. The knee joint becomes stiff and movement is restricted. Symptoms will disappear within 2-3 weeks, but they can come back if your knee is twisted or used too often. If left untreated, the pain can come and go for years.

Whereas with a severe meniscus injury, part of the meniscus can be cut off and move into the joint space causing your knee to make a "pop!" or your joints become locked. This means that you are unable to straighten your knee joint.

Diagnosis and treatment of meniscus tear injury

The doctor will perform several physical examinations to see if there is a possible tear in the meniscus, such as McMurray Test and Apley Test. In addition, the doctor will ask for imaging tests such as X-rays or MRI scans to see an image of your knee joint.

In severe conditions, you may need surgical management to repair your injured meniscus, but most meniscus scars do not require surgery. To speed up healing, you can do the following:

1. Rest your knees. Cut down on activities that require you to walk. To help reduce the load on your knees, you can use assistive devices such as crutches.
2. Apply ice to reduce pain and swelling. Do this for 15-20 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days or until the pain and swelling go away.
3. Compress using an elastic bandage to reduce swelling.
4. Bring your knees higher by placing a pillow under your heels.
5. Anti-inflammatory drugs can be an option to reduce pain and swelling.
6. Consult a doctor for physiotherapy.

If the meniscus tear is large enough to cause the knee to become unstable and locked, you will most likely need surgery to repair the meniscus structure or remove any disturbing fragments of the meniscus.

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