An occasional pain or swelling in the knee can be normal, but swelling, catching and pain while squatting can also be symptoms of a meniscus tear. A torn meniscus is a knee injury that can affect anyone, but it’s commonly seen in athletes who play football, soccer or basketball.
Here’s how to spot a meniscus tear, how you can treat a torn meniscus at home, when to see a doctor and other information you’ll need to know if you’re dealing with this type of knee injury.
The meniscus is a C-shaped cushion in your knees
The knee is the joint where your thigh bone (the femur) and shin bone (the tibia) meet, and the meniscus is a C-shaped cushion of fibrocartilage that sits between these two bones. There are two menisci in the knee which act as shock absorbers and help keep your knee stable.
When your meniscus is injured or torn, it can cause stiffness, swelling, catching and pain in the knee. It can also limit your range of movement.
What causes a meniscus tear
While a meniscus tear can happen to anyone, it’s a common sports injury, typically caused when an athlete sharply twists their leg while their knee is flexed and foot is planted on the ground. The injury can be caused by no-contact (like turning while running) or by contact (someone knocks you over during a football game). Pivoting, squatting and lifting heavy objects can all cause a torn meniscus.
As we age, the meniscus can also become weaker. This makes it more likely for older adults to develop a meniscus tear from a sharp pivot of their leg.
Symptoms of a torn meniscus
While each person will experience a torn meniscus a little bit differently, there are common symptoms which may indicate you’ve torn your meniscus. No matter what type of meniscus tear you experience, symptoms include:
- Pain in the knee
- Catching or locking of the knee
- Limited range of motion in the knee, including the inability to fully extend the knee
- Swelling in or around the knee
- Stiffness in the knee
- The feeling that your knee is about to give out
There are six types of meniscus tears that can happen
There are six types of meniscus tears based on the shape and location of the tear. These types are radial, horizontal, intrasubstance, flap, bucket handle and complex.
Radial meniscus tears
A radial meniscus tear is the most common type of torn meniscus. This happens when the meniscus is torn left to right and occurs in the part of the meniscus that gets the least amount of blood flow. These cases are less likely to heal on their own and often require physical therapy or other treatments.
Horizontal meniscus tears
This type of meniscus tear, also called a longitudinal tear, goes front to back. Because a horizontal meniscus tear occurs where the meniscus gets a lot of blood flow, it’s more likely to heal on its own.
Intrasubstance meniscus tears
Also called an incomplete tear, an intrasubstance meniscus tear means that the meniscus is only partially torn. It is commonly caused by arthritis or degeneration as we age.
Flap meniscus tears
If the meniscus is torn in a way that flips over, this is called a flap tear. The flap can cause the knee to “catch.” In these cases, physical therapy is often the first recommended treatment.
Bucket handle meniscus tears
Similar to the flap tear, a bucket handle meniscus tear occurs when there is a flap in the torn meniscus that resembles a bucket handle and the meniscus is displaced. If the tear causes the knee to “catch” or “lock,” physical therapy is often recommended.
Complex meniscus tears
A complex meniscus tear is an injury that causes multiple types of tears in different parts of the meniscus.
How a meniscus tear is diagnosed
In order to diagnose a torn meniscus, there are a number of tests your doctor might choose to perform. In a physical exam, your doctor may use a Thessaly test to diagnose a torn meniscus. During this test, you’ll stand on your affected leg and twist at the knee to check for pain and other symptoms. A McMurray test, where the doctor will guide your leg through a series of movements to check for symptoms, may also be used.
In addition to a physical exam, a doctor might need to use imaging tests to diagnose a meniscus tear. An X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can confirm that there is a tear in your meniscus and show the severity of the tear.
Meniscus tears are treatable, often with physical therapy as well as other treatments
A meniscus tear is treatable, and most people have a full recovery from this injury. Depending on your symptoms and individual needs there are several different treatment options that your doctor might recommend. In most cases, a doctor will start with conservative treatments for a meniscus tear. This includes medications, corticosteroid injections, rest and physical therapy. If you’re an athlete, a sports medicine program for knee rehabilitation might also be recommended to help you recover and get back in the game.
In most cases, a meniscus tear doesn’t require surgery. However, a doctor might recommend meniscus tear surgery if conservative treatments don’t relieve symptoms. There are a few different procedures your surgeon may use, but arthroscopic surgery is the most common to treat a torn meniscus. The recovery time after a meniscus tear surgery will vary depending on your condition and the specific procedure you need.
Home remedies and self-care for meniscus tears
In many cases, meniscus tears are mild and able to heal on their own through at-home care. There are things you can do at home to manage stiffness, swelling, pain and other symptoms of meniscus tears.
Using rest, ice, compression and elevation (sometimes called the RICE method) is a good course of self-care for meniscus tears. Rest your knee by taking it easy with exercises and activities to give your meniscus time to heal. Use ice as needed to help manage pain and reduce inflammation. Try compressing your knee with a wrap or a knee brace. And while you’re sitting or lying down, elevate your knee by propping it up on a pillow or cushion.
Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, can help relieve pain and inflammation. Other remedies, like gentle exercises, may help you recover from your injury and relieve symptoms like pain or stiffness. Straight leg raises, hamstring curls and standing heel raises are just some of the exercises you can try while recovering from a torn meniscus.
What you can do to prevent meniscus tears
Life is full of surprises. Even with the most careful preparation, accidents can happen. But there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of experiencing a meniscus tear, including:
- Properly stretching and warming up before working out or playing sports. Stretching helps activate the muscles and tendons in your body so they’re warm and ready to go before your workout. This reduces your risk of injury.
- Doing leg-strengthening exercises. By building the muscles that surround your knees, you’ll take pressure off the meniscus. It takes time to build muscle, so start with lower weights and shorter repetitions to give your legs time to strengthen.
- Wearing proper shoes when exercising. Shoes that provide grip and stability will reduce your risk of slipping during your activity. The cushioning in shoes also absorbs impact, reducing the stress on your knees.
- Wearing a knee brace if your knee is weak or if you need extra support. If your knee feels unstable, try wearing a brace or taping it for relief. However, this should be paired with physical therapy or other strengthening exercises so your leg doesn’t become dependent on the brace.
When to see a doctor for a meniscus tear
Minor tears in the meniscus often heal on their own with rest and self-care. If you aren’t able to fully extend your knee, if you cannot bear weight on your knee or if other symptoms of a meniscus tear aren’t improving with self-care, it’s time to see an orthopedic knee specialist.
If you need immediate care after a knee injury, visit an orthopedic urgent care near you. At TRIA, our orthopedic urgent care is here for you seven days a week. There’s no appointment needed, just choose the location most convenient for you and walk in.