Rupture of the Meniscus

Knee joints are often prone to severe pressure and trauma. One of the most unpleasant injuries that occurs often enough is the rupture of the meniscus.

Menisci - special cushioning pads made from cartilaginous tissue in the knee joints. Most often, only one joint suffers. There are situations where there is a break in the meniscus in both knee joints, but this happens very rarely.

Statistics of institutes on physical culture and sports show that the meniscus rupture is more common in men than in women, age criteria are from 18 to 45 years. In adolescents, such trauma is a rarity, in view of the plasticity of all joints. Older people are characterized by traumas of a different kind, in which problems with meniscuses are replaced by age-related changes in all joints completely.

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Why does the meniscus break?

In many respects this trauma is associated with heavy loads on the lower limbs, so in the risk group, mainly athletes and people engaged in production with heavy physical labor.

By breaking the meniscus leads to a sharp dislocation of the leg in the knee joint in any direction, more often in the side. During unsuccessful jumps, the leg can turn into the opposite side, in other words, forward, while the joint, it goes like a fracture.

At this point, the whole load is in menisci and special articular ligaments (anterior and posterior cruciate, medial collateral). Here, as they say, two options for the development of events. Either stretching, more often rupture of ligaments, or rupture of meniscuses.

To break the meniscus can lead to a sharp squat, a direct injury to the knee, in this case, the meniscus rupture will be part of several or combined injuries.

Problems with menisci can be brought about by age-related changes in the knee joint or transferred diseases, including gout, rheumatism and a number of infectious diseases that give complications in the form of joint damage.

The rupture of the meniscus in different versions

The gap, as well as the fracture, can be of varying degrees of complexity: 

• Full.
• Incomplete.
• Longitudinal.
• Transverse.
• Scrappy.
• Shattered.

The rupture may be accompanied by the displacement and / or damage to the articular ligament apparatus. Such injuries are called co-morbid.

Symptoms of a meniscus rupture

The clinical picture can be represented by three forms: acute, subacute and chronic. The most difficult in terms of diagnostics, strangely enough, is an acute form. The rupture of the meniscus causes symptoms similar to the symptoms of many infectious and inflammatory diseases of the knee: 

• restriction of movement in the joint, especially in the direction of extension;
• acute soreness in palpation;
• increased joint volume;
• external redness of the skin on the knee;
• a local increase in temperature, often with an increase in the body's overall temperature to 38 degrees;
• the presence of fluid (effusion) in the joint bag;
• presence of blood in the joint fluid.

If you do not take any measures to remove the main symptoms, confine yourself to methods and means of self-treatment, then acute symptoms will dry up by themselves within 2-3 weeks. After that, the subacute phase will fade, smoothly turning into a chronic phase.

In the subacute form of the disease, the true symptoms come to the fore, namely, the true symptoms indicating a break in the meniscus: 

• infiltration in the joint capsule in the region of the joint space;
• complete immobilization (blockade) of the joint;
• constant presence of effusion (fluid);
• positive reaction pain tests. In professional medical language, these tests are named after the names of scientists who discovered them, for example, the test of Sheimon-Bragard. The total number of all possible tests is great. For a simple introduction, suffice it to say that the presence of specific symptoms of the joint extension test, compression, rotation and positive mediolateral test is characteristic.

Perhaps the most striking symptom of having meniscus problems is the deformation of the knee itself. He gets an unusual position, which is called the "handle of the watering can."

How to recognize the break of a meniscus?

Before the diagnosis is collected information about all events that preceded the appearance of trauma - they collect anamnesis. Pain tests are performed, the slipping and movement of the meniscus is checked, the presence of a characteristic click at the time of passive movement. In addition to informative data collection and reliance on symptomatology, they perform instrumental diagnostics.

The most popular methods are: 

• arthrography (simple and contrast);
• arthroscopy;
• thermopolarography;
• ultrasonic scanning.

How to treat a meniscus rupture?

Treatment of such trauma does not require special surgical intervention until the situation can be corrected by conservative methods of treatment. It: 

• puncture;
• lifting of the blockade;
• tire overlap for 14 days, for straightening the joint and giving it immobility;
• removal of edema (appointment of decongestants and physiotherapy);
• desensitization (removal of suspended sensitivity).

Surgery is mandatory in cases of relapses and repeated injuries of a similar nature.

Rehabilitation period

Depending on the severity of the injury, the period of joint recovery can take from 14 days to 2 months. Throughout the rehabilitation will have to reconcile with the need to move with crutches. Only in this way can the knee joint be provided with due calmness and minimal load when walking.

Return to normal loads and the usual pace of walking is dosed and gradual.

How to prevent meniscus rupture?

Provide for all situations where injury may occur - it is impossible. However, it is necessary to be as cautious as possible, not to make sudden movements, jumps from a great height. Exercise is moderate.

If the daily activities are related to work on the legs, you have to walk, stand, you have to do physical exercises, giving joints and muscles the opportunity to relax.

In a timely manner, seek help from diagnostic specialists in order to put the correct diagnosis on time and, as soon as possible, begin treatment if there is a suspicion of a meniscus rupture.