Lateral Meniscus Tear

The other term for lateral meniscus is external semilunar fibrocartilage. It is a band situated within the lateral portion of the knee. It is one of the two menisci (cartilages) inside the knee. The other one is known as the 'medial meniscus'.

Any activity that results in twisting or rotating the knee forcefully while putting the weight of your body on it, can result in a meniscus tear. The meniscus helps in distributing the entire weight of your body evenly on the knee joint for better support and stabilization of activities. A tear can result in excessive weight on specific areas of the knee, leading to various knee problems, including arthritis.

This condition is very common in athletes as they perform activities such as jumping, twisting, taking sharp turns, doing pivotal movements, and so on.

Even simple activities, when done suddenly, such as kneeling, squatting, or even lifting heavy objects with pressure on your knee, can lead to meniscus tear. It is also seen in aged people. This is because of the degenerative changes that occur with age. If left unattended, this may lead to additional knee problems such as arthritis and tear in the ACL.

The symptoms include experiencing severe pain, especially while performing movements such as twisting or rotating the knee. You can also see a visible swelling in the knee which will tend to increase after a few hours from when the injury took place.

The most common symptom is experiencing a popping sound and stiffness in the knee joint. One experiences extreme difficulty in straightening the knee completely, and also feels a weird blocking sensation in the area. Apart from this, experiencing pain while lifting heavy weights is seen.

It is advisable to get in touch with your doctor as soon as you identify the symptoms, as any delay in doing so will end up making the situation worse. It is important for this injury to be diagnosed, which is done with the help of McMurray's test. The treatment depends upon the size of the tear. Mentioned below are the treatment methods that are applicable, depending upon the severity of the situation.

For Minor Cases

• It is advisable to give your knee as much rest as possible. Therefore, avoid doing activities such as twisting, jumping, or anything that puts pressure on the knee.
• Apply cold packs for about 20 minutes. This needs to be done once every hour when you are awake on the first day of injury. The cold pack helps reduce inflammation on the knee. Do it on the second day as well, if required.

• A mild tear can be cured by taking over-the-counter medications or painkillers, that can help get some relief from pain. Check with your doctor beforehand, as many painkillers tend to have side effects.
• Physical therapy, including some effective knee exercises, can help strengthen muscles and reduce stiffness.

• Using shoe inserts and arch-support devices can help decrease the stress on the knees by taking off some weight from them. This helps in relaxing the muscles and healing the injury.

For Severe Cases

• If the tests reveal your condition to be severe, then apart from the aforementioned treatment plan, doctors may advise for a surgery, wherein the meniscus is either repaired or trimmed.
• The recovery time varies from a few weeks to a few months.

Disclaimer: This story is meant for informational purposes only and should not be considered as a replacement for expert medical advice.