First of all what do you mean by meniscus tear?
The meniscus is a piece cartilage in your knee which stabilize the joints. It protect the bones from any wear or tear. A sudden twist may cause a meniscus tear. There are two C-shaped discs of cartilage which connects the thigh bone to shinbone. These are called as menisci. They work as a shock absorber for the bones.
Treatment
The treatment depends on the size and location of the cartilage. Doctor will suggest you rest, pain relievers, apply ice to your knee to reduce swelling. A physical therapy is recommended to get back the strength of muscles. If the basic treatment does not work, then surgery is recommended. The doctor may select any of the below surgery:
- Arthroscopic repair: The doctor will make small cuts in knee to insert an arthroscope to get a clear view of the tear. The doctor will put a small device which looks like dart along the tear to stitch, which are absorbable by the body.
- Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy: The doctor will remove the piece of torn meniscus so that it function normally.
- Arthroscopic total meniscectomy: In this procedure, the doctor will remove the entire meniscus.
The meniscus repair is low risk surgery. There are some rare complications like injury to skin nerves, infection, knee stiffness. Some antibiotics are also prescribed to save from any infection.
Recovery
To keep the knees stable braces or cast is necessary to wear. The doctor will also recommend to use crutches for a month or two to keep the body off your knees. Physical therapy is also suggested as part of therapy. The therapy helps to increase the range motions and makes the knee stronger.
The recovery may take around 3 months, depending on the surgery.