You might have heard about athletes tearing their knee cartilage due to twisting or a rotating injury. It is more common in sports like soccer or football as the risk of getting hit on the knee is high. The medical term for knee cartilage is meniscus. People above the age of 40 are at a higher risk of meniscus damage as it becomes brittle and daily exercises such as squatting, lunging or kneeling can cause a tear. However, there is nothing to worry about as meniscus repair treatments are available and provided in many renowned facilities such as Angelo Mattalino, MD in Phoenix, AZ.
How to Tell if Your Meniscus is Torn
The first sign or symptom with any knee-related injury is a shooting, sharp pain, locking and catching. If you have a meniscus tear, your knee might lock at irregular times and make you feel like you cannot move it. You would find difficulty in walking and standing from a seated position. Also, there could be swelling, inflammation and fullness in the knee. It is important that you visit an experienced professional as soon as you get these symptoms. Proper meniscus repair treatment can help with an early recovery and decrease the chances of other knee ailments later. MRI scans are imperative tests for a meniscus tear. Many times, patients get confused as to the pain and inflammation they are suffering with.
Do I Need a Meniscus Repair Treatment?
Every meniscus tear does not need surgery, especially if there is no pain or locking. Many times, it may not even stop an individual from continuing with sports activities. We may use arthroscopic surgery in the treatment of a symptomatic torn meniscus. In this meniscus repair treatment, the torn part is either stitched or removed completely.
Age makes meniscus repair difficult after stitching a tear. However, removing excess meniscus can increase chances of developing arthritis in later life. With age, especially in individuals above the age of 40, meniscus falls in disrepair due to the degenerative process of the knee. The knee might feel achy and even swell up on occasions due to an early onset of osteoarthritis.
Meniscus Repair Treatments
Surgery is advised where catching or locking are the main indicators of meniscus tears. If there are achy pains and intermittent swellings, then a more conservative treatment approach may be followed. Arthroscopic surgery can have a success rate of up to 85% in individuals below the age of 40 complaining of meniscus tear issues without showing degenerative symptoms. However, it all depends on the situation.
Make an Appointment
Get in touch with our staff at Angelo Mattalino, MD to learn more. Contact us today to book an appointment at our office in Phoenix, AZ.