Meniscus Tears: Reasons You Should Never Let Them Remain Untreated
The skill of a professional basketball player is amazing to watch. Their crossovers confound opponents who can't determine if they're headed left or right. They dodge, sprint, leap, and dunk as if there are no bones in their body. Nevertheless, those effortless twists and turns often come with a cost if one false move is made.
Specifically, these kinds of actions can lead to a torn meniscus. While some athletes, including those playing contact sports, are particularly at risk for meniscus tears, this is one of the most familiar knee injuries. And anybody can suffer from them, no matter their age or activity.
You might still be able to stand and walk after an initial injury with only a bit of discomfort, depending on the harshness of the tear. That can make you believe a meniscus tear is an insignificant injury. Remedy can wait, and you can push through your pain, right? Not necessarily.
Left unaddressed, a meniscus tear can modify your daily life and ability to partake in exercise or sports. In severe cases, it can develop into long-term knee issues like arthritis. In addition, moving about with a torn meniscus may pull fragments of your cartilage into your joint, causing more extensive knee problems, which could require more substantial surgery in the future.
What is a Meniscus Tear?
Your knee joint is generally a tough, robust joint constructed of three bones. But it is not necessarily the most pliable when rotating in specific directions. During some activities, particularly contact sports, the power and degree of warping your knee can rip some of the wedge-shaped cartilage that furnishes cushioning between your thigh and shinbone. This cartilage is the meniscus. Each of your knees includes two meniscus wedges.
Meniscus tears are standard among athletes, particularly those who play sports that demand a lot of crouching, contorting, and switching positions. You will feel a pop when you tear your meniscus. Afterward, you may encounter:
- Pain in your knee joint that comes and goes and worsens when placing pressure on the joint
- Stiffness and swelling
- A sense that your knee is giving way, locking up, or catching when bending it
Part of your meniscus may come loose and slip into you joint if not treated. You may require surgery to restore total knee function. Unaddressed meniscus tears can expand in size and lead to difficulties, such as arthritis.
Can Meniscus Tears Heal on Their Own?
Endurance is an essential element of sports. Playing through a bit of pain is a sign of recognition for some athletes. In the circumstance of meniscus tears, some individuals believe the injury will mend over time on their own. But the reality is that there are various kinds of meniscus tears, and some of them won't heal without treatment.
If your tear occurs on the outer third of your meniscus, it may recover on its own or be corrected surgically because this site has a rich blood supply, and your blood cells can restore meniscus tissue or help it recover after surgical restoration. But if the tear happens in the inner two-thirds, which lacks blood flow, the tear cannot be restored and may require trimming or removal surgically.
We hope this helps you better understand why meniscus tears should always be treated. Contact us today if you need an orthopedic surgeon in Deland, We are here to help.