Nowadays, due to the increasing variety of sports activities in every age group, knee injuries, especially meniscus injuries, are frequently seen.
Prof from Medicana Konya Hospital Orthopedics and Traumatology Department. Dr.
Salim Ersözlü stated that meniscus injuries should not be taken lightly
and gave information about treatment methods. They are structures that have important functions. It acts as a shock absorber during any movement in the knee joint. It ensures that the load is distributed over a wider area and protects the joint cartilages from high
pressure. It also prevents the knee from moving forward or backward.
Meniscus tears are not only an athlete's disease.
Meniscus tears can be seen at all ages, but their mechanism of occurrence is different. In young and active people, meniscus tissue is very strong and tears occur only after serious trauma. In older people, it can tear even in very simple knee movements in daily life due to intra-articular wear. Trauma that causes meniscus tears in young people may also cause injuries to the capsule, anterior-posterior cruciate ligaments, and
lateral ligaments. The inner meniscus is injured and torn 5-7
times more frequently than the outer meniscus, which is more mobile. Meniscus tissue can tear as a result of any type of trauma to the knee, most commonly due to sudden rotational movements in the knee. Since these traumas are generally seen in athletes, meniscus tear is considered an athlete's disease. However, meniscus injuries can be seen not only in
athletes, but in almost everyone who has strained their knee in any way.
Meniscus tears:
1.Longitudinal tears; It is parallel to the edge of the meniscus, may be partial or complete.
2.Transverse tears; It occurs in the form of separation of the upper and lower surfaces of the meniscus.
3.Oblique tears; They are tears that involve the entire meniscus, extending forward or backward in the middle of the meniscus.
4.Radial (perpendicular to the periphery) tears.
5.Different types of tears (flap-shaped, bucket-handle-shaped, parrot-crest-shaped, mixed or degenerative
menisc Meniscus tears)
What are the symptoms?
The majority of meniscus tears have three main symptoms such as pain, swelling and locking. Pain is the most important symptom and often occurs at the level of the joint on the side of the torn meniscus (internal or external). Pain increases when going up and down stairs and squatting. Locking occurs when the torn meniscus piece gets stuck between the two bones of the knee in the joint space, and as a result of the compression, the locked knee cannot be opened for a long time.
There is often fluid accumulation in the knee with a meniscus tear. The patient perceives this as a feeling of swelling and fullness in the knee. There may be tenderness throughout the joint space, which indicates tears or strains at the attachment points of the meniscus. In meniscus tears, signs of decreased joint movements,
tripping and other intra-knee injuries may also be observed.
Early diagnosis is important.
Early diagnosis is important in meniscus tears. In people who continue their daily activities with a torn meniscus, joint functions are impaired due to the irregularity caused by the tear. Leaving a meniscus tear untreated for a long time may cause cartilage wear and calcification in the knee. For this reason, it is necessary to go to the doctor as soon as possible without overestimating the pain caused by blows to the knee. Magnetic
resonance (MRI) imaging method gives 80-93 percent accurate
results in meniscus tears and also helps to visualize other joint structures.
What kind of treatment is applied?
First The injured leg is relieved of the load and taken to rest. By applying cold
to the traumatized knee, bleeding and edema in the knee are tried to be reduced. Additionally, treatment is started medically with painkillers and anti-inflammation drugs. When necessary, an elastic
bandage or knee brace is applied to the knee for compression purposes to try to reduce the effects of the injury on the knee. Initial treatment
is continued for an average of 5-20 days, depending on the severity of the injury. During this period, the patient is monitored without allowing him/her to engage in any sporting activity. After this period, physical therapy and muscle strengthening
exercises are used.
Following the first treatment, the patient experiences recurring pain and swelling in the knee. If there are mechanical complaints such as bleeding and most importantly locking, surgical treatment should be applied. Arthroscopy applied in surgical treatment is a method frequently used in the diagnosis and treatment of large joint injuries all over the world. Technically, it is based on the principle of entering the joint with the help of very small (0.5 cm) surgical incisions and clearly visualizing the inside of the joint on the monitor screen with the help of a fiberoptic camera. With arthroscopy
diagnosis and treatment of joint diseases of all sizes is possible. Since this method is a procedure that requires a lot of experience
, it should be applied by orthopedists who are experienced in this regard.
What should be taken into consideration after the surgery?
Physical therapy and exercises after the surgical procedure are also an important part of the treatment.
Physical therapy and rehabilitation
are very useful in order to regain the muscle strength that has decreased after surgery, to regain joint movements and to accelerate the return to daily life and sports activities. Nowadays, with the development of surgical techniques and rehabilitation after meniscus surgeries, patients are discharged after 1 day and can return to work after 1 week. Return to sports
takes about 2-4 weeks, depending on the procedure performed.
Advantages of surgery:
Arthroscopy has many advantages. The operation time and hospital stay are quite short.
The patient's return to work time is very short compared to other surgeries. After arthroscopy, the patient can return to work within 1 week
and to sports within 1 month. After arthroscopy, the patient can step immediately and does not use any crutches
. Since the surgical site is very small, there is no problem in wound healing, and the risk of post-operative inflammation is very low.
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