Tips to Treat and Manage Meniscus Tear
Knee injuries are very common and meniscus tear is one of such common knee injuries. This is one of the commonly occurring cartilage injuries and can be very painful as well. Meniscus means a piece of the cartilage that provides support and cushioning between the shinbone and the thighbone. This is going to protect the knee bone from any kind of wear and tear. It is just a hard twist of the leg or knee area that takes to tear the meniscus.
This kind of injury is very common in sports such as football, soccer or volleyball. It also happens with people who are not athletes. When you take a sudden turn at the time of running, it can cause the meniscus tear. This problem is very common with older athletes as the meniscus can get weaker with age. Meniscus tear treatment should start immediately as the injury can be extremely painful and cause a lot of swelling in the knee area.
Tips to Treat and Manage Meniscus Tear:
Meniscus tear treatment depends on the severity of the injury to the knee. You should get in touch with the doctor for better suggestions.
- RICE is one of the best ways to treat meniscus tear – Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation method. You should provide enough rest to the knee and avoid doing anything that can put some pressure on the knee. You should ice the affected knee for at least 30 minutes, for every 3 to 4 hours. Compress the knee with the help of a bandage or a knee band, which can reduce the inflammation. Elevate the leg in order to reduce swelling.
- As a part of the meniscus tear treatment, your doctor may prescribe you painkillers, which help in reducing swelling and pain as well.
- Physiotherapy is another best way to treat the meniscus tear. Your therapist will prepare a plan to strengthen the muscles around the knee area. Physiotherapy will also help in reducing pain, reducing stiffness, and also increases the movement of the knee.
- If none of the above-stated treatments work for you, then your doctor may suggest you arthroscopic surgery. Your doctor will help you with all the information that you need to know about the surgery.
You can let the doctor know if you are having fever, open wounds, cold or infection of any kind before the surgery. With proper meniscus tear treatment and care, you can get back to the usual mobility of the knee.
