Monday, December 26, 2011

Meniscal Tears: Diagnosis and Treatment

The knee is used a lot, making it very susceptible to various injuries. One injury are meniscal tears, which are common in people who play contact sports. Most of the time, this is accompanied by another injury such as an ACL tear.

A meniscal tear is often unnoticed in the beginning. People usually just hear a popping sound when they move the knee. After a few days, though, the knee will start to swell and pain will be felt. When this happens, go to an orthopedic doctor right away to have the knee checked. Doctors check the medical history of the patient before they start examining the knee. The examination includes checking the tenderness of the meniscus area, which will indicate injury.

Treatment is not the same for all patients. Smaller tears on the outside can be treated with the R.I.C.E. or Rest Ice Compression Elevation protocol. However, if non-surgical treatments do not work, orthopedic surgery will be required. A procedure called meniscal repair will be performed. After surgery, the knee will be braced and rehabilitation exercises will be recommended later on.

If you are suffering from meniscal tears, go to an Asheboro orthopedic surgeon right away for proper diagnosis and treatment.

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