Meniscus Injury - Knee Pain - Curezone Physiotherapy
September 24, 2020

MENISCUS INJURY

A meniscus tear is a common knee injury that often affects people who play contact sports. It can also be caused by wear and tear and doing everyday activities that put pressure on the knee joint, such as squatting to pick something up or getting in and out of a car and the injury occurs when a person tears the protective cartilage in the knee.

A meniscus tear isn’t always painful, but it can cause swelling and instability in the knee. The knee may lock, and you may have trouble moving it. A meniscal tear is especially common among people with arthritis and older athletes, since the meniscus in the knee weakens with age. Due to degeneration of tissue, cartilage wears thin over time, making it more prone to tears. A torn meniscus is a common injury, often due to twisting or rotating the knee aggressively, that causes certain tissue in the knee to tear.

MENISCUS INJURY SYMPTOMS

In general, there are three different levels of meniscus tear:
Mild: Minor pain and/or swelling. Symptoms may disappear after two or three weeks.
Moderate: There is a pain on one side of the knee. Swelling appears and can worsen over time. Pressure or knee stiffness is common. feeling of sharp pain with certain movements like squatting or twisting. Symptoms may disappear after a few weeks but can linger on and off until treatment is been done.
Severe: Torn pieces of the meniscus can get stuck in knee joint. This may cause knee to lock or pop. There might be a feeling of joint instability, or knee can even collapse without warning too.

Symptoms of a meniscus tear include:

Pain in the knee
Swelling
A popping sensation during the injury
Difficulty bending and straightening the leg
A tendency for your knee to be “stuck” or lock up

MENISCUS INJURY DIAGNOSIS


To diagnose a meniscus tear, perform a thorough physical examination. X-rays may be necessary, to rule out broken bones and other problems. The MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, which allows a more detailed evaluation of knee cartilage is needed to confirm the injury.

MENISCUS INJURY TREATMENT

Immediately After Injury, place ice as the first thing, for about 20 minutes. For 4-6 weeks, elevate the knee for 24 hours. But, don’t apply ice directly to the skin. Instead, wrap a damp towel around the knee then put a bag of ice on the towel. This drops the temperature of the knee without the risk of damaging the skin.

MENISCUS INJURY PHYSICAL THERAPY


After a diagnosis of a meniscus tear, the physical therapy is the best approach for mild to moderate level of injuries. As the severity increases, surgical intervention is the preferred alternative. The goal of therapy is to restore as much function as possible with the minimal amount of pain. Some modalities used in meniscus tear rehab include:


Muscle strengthening
Balance and range of motion exercises
Heat and/or ice
Joint compression
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) — gently stimulates muscles to strengthen them

Immediate Help through Physiotherapy for Knee Injury:

Have you been experiencing chronic knee pain? Or are you looking for custom fit knee braces? Are you looking specifically looking for custom knee braces for sports? Or have you just been searching up “custom braces near me”?

Are you looking for answers for questions such as “do knee braces prevent injury” or “how long should you wear a knee brace at a time”? Or are you looking for a full knee brace? Perhaps you are looking for a knee bandage!

At Curezone Physiotherapy, our expert therapists follow an approach to knee pain that directly targets improving knee strength to relieve pain from common knee injuries. If you are looking for the best physio NEAR ME to learn the exercises to eliminate knee pain, or custom knee braces Mississauga or Oakville, look no further! We aim to be YOUR best physiotherapist in Mississauga and Oakville areas, and are here and ready to get you custom knee braces, custom knee orthotics, and other custom knee supports to support you in chronic knee pain treatment.

We welcome you to call us or click below to book an appointment with one of our knee injury support experts to let us immediately start assisting you in your road to recovery.

Knee Injury Clinic, Mississauga:

Physiotherapy Clinic Mississauga – Curezone Physiotherapy, Heartland Mississauga.

Physiotherapy Clinic Erin Mills – Curezone Physiotherapy, Erin Mills Mississauga.

Knee Injury Clinic, Oakville:

Physiotherapy Clinic Oakville – Curezone Physiotherapy, Burloak Oakville.