A tear in the meniscus, typically just known as a cartilage tear, is normally treated by means of meniscus surgery. The knee joint is stabilized and connected with the help of the meniscus cartilage. The lateral and the medial meniscus compose the two regions of the cartilage located in the knee joint. Those who join in high impact exercises, and aging people with degenerating cartilage, are most at risk for a meniscus tear. Any move where the upper body pivots unexpectedly while the lower body remains stationary can lead to injury.
Surgery for a tear is not considered urgent. More often a person is instructed to keep off their feet, evaluate their leg and ice the swollen knee. After 72 hours, if the pain and swelling have not reduced, it is time to stop by a health practitioner. There are 2 basic types of meniscus surgery. Only meniscus attached to the blood supply through the vascular system are able to bear repair. Cartilage that is not fed blood from the vascular system cannot be mended. In this case, a meniscectomy is done which extracts the affected cartilage.
Several tears are handled with meniscus surgery, also referred to as arthroscopic surgery. A small machine called an arthroscope is used during this surgery that allows the surgeon to see inside the knee to perform repairs without making sizable incisions. Typically, some type of an X-ray is utilized to diagnosis at tear in the meniscus when a problem is suspected. The incisions from the surgery are very small and usually heal with a normal dry dressing protecting them.
The real post surgery worry isn’t the healing of the incisions or concern of infection, but the healing of the knee joint afterwords. The surgery is an out-patient procedure with the complete process from surgery preparation to post-surgery surveillance taking place in merely a few hours. Following the surgery you will be advised to use ice packs, pain killers and a knee brace. The knee brace helps steady the now susceptible cartilage as it mends and the ice packs help to decrease swelling.
Expect to be off your feet for a few days and try to keep your leg elevated the first few days after surgery to help diminish inflammation. A couple days later you should manage to walk around though some people are on crutches for a few weeks. Low impact workouts should not begin until 3 months later and heavier exercise being tolerable after 4 months. Sports viewed as high impact where plenty of stress is put on the knee joint should not be done for six to eight months. Some people are never able to go back to playing sports such as basketball or football. Take into account that the severity of your surgery and your own capacity will be a key factor in how soon you can try normal activity.
Good decisions made prior to and during exercise will help you prevent ever requiring meniscus surgery. Warm ups helps the muscle fibers to gradually transition into physical activity as an alternative to being suddenly shocked with intense activity which increases the risk of an injury. Weight training to strengthen your muscles ensures that your body is functioning proportionately. Just as vital as strengthening is getting enough rest in between extreme physical activity so that your body can heal. Lastly, make certain to buy proper sneakers for the both the sport you are playing and for your body type.
Even though a meniscus tear is a frightening and agonizing occurrence, it does not mean you will never have the ability to participate in your favorite activities again. A tear in knee cartilage no longer means a person has to refrain from physical activity. Meniscus surgery encourages many individuals to return to the active lifestyle that they love.
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