What is a Meniscus?

There are two menisci in your knee; each rests between the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia). The menisci are made of tough cartilage and conform to the surfaces of the bones upon which they rest. One meniscus is on the inside of your knee; this is the medial meniscus. The other meniscus rests on the outside of your knee, the lateral meniscus. These meniscus functions to distribute your body weight across the knee joint. Without the meniscus present, the weight of your body would be unevenly applied to the bones in your legs (the femur and tibia). This uneven weight distribution would cause excessive forces in specific areas of bone leading to early arthritis of knee joint. Therefore, the function of the meniscus is critical to the health of your knee.

Symptoms of a Torn Meniscus

Individuals who experience a meniscus tear usually experience pain and swelling as their primary symptoms. Another common complaint is joint locking, or the inability to completely straighten the joint. This is due to a piece of the torn cartilage physically impinging the joint mechanism of the knee. The most common symptoms of a meniscus tear are:

• Knee pain
• Swelling of the knee
• Tenderness when pressing on the meniscus
• Popping or clicking within the knee
• Limited motion of the knee joint

Cause of a Torn Meniscus

The two most common causes of a meniscus tear are due to traumatic injury (often seen in athletes) and degenerative processes (seen in older patients who have more brittle cartilage). The most common mechanism of a traumatic meniscus tear occurs when the knee joint is bent and the knee is then twisted.

It is not uncommon for the meniscus tear to occur along with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL)-these three problems occurring together are known as the "unhappy triad," which is seen in sports such as football when the player is hit on the outside of the knee.

Prevention / Treatment of a Torn Meniscus

The following guidelines are for information purposes only. Seeking professional advice before beginning rehabilitation is recommended.

Almost any knee injury can initially be treated acutely with ice packs, rest, and immobilization. These simple measures will help to decrease swelling and pain in the joint.

Your physician can use information about how the injury occurred and physical examination tests to determine the likelihood of a meniscus tear.

Massage Therapy

Just as with ACL injuries, massage treatment considerations for meniscal damage will primarily focus on the restoration of biomechanical balance around the joint. The Quadriceps and various other muscles may be hypertonic in an effort to compensate for the injured knee. Sports Massage techniques performed by the therapists at Advanced Alternatives Massage Therapy may be helpful to speed injury recovery and reduce pain associated with this condition.