Meniscus Tear Treatment in Bartlett, IL
Meniscus Injury
A meniscal tear is a common knee injury, particularly among athletes or active individuals. It involves damage to the meniscus, the C-shaped cartilage that cushions the space between your shinbone and thighbone. This type of injury often occurs during activities that cause you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee.
At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, our board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic knee specialists can provide you with the relief you deserve from meniscal tears:
If you're suffering from a meniscal tear, our team is here to help you get the relief you deserve. Schedule your first consultation with the team at Barrington Orthopedic Specialists today. For emergencies, visit the Immediate Care Clinic at our Schaumburg, IL location.
Meniscus Injuries: Diagnosis & Treatment
Dealing with a meniscal tear? Knowing your treatment options is the first step toward recovery. At Barrington Orthopedic Specialists, our board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic specialists are here to help you get back on your feet.
To accurately diagnose your injury, our specialists will perform a physical examination and may use an MRI to get a clear view of the cartilage and surrounding tissues. We'll discuss how the injury occurred and review your medical history to understand the extent of the tear.
Once we've diagnosed the meniscal tear, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan. Many tears can be managed effectively with non-surgical methods, including:
- Rest and Ice: Limiting activity and applying ice to reduce swelling and pain.
- Physical Therapy: A customized exercise program to restore strength, stability, and range of motion in the knee.
- Medication: Recommending anti-inflammatory medications to manage pain and swelling.
- Injections: Corticosteroid injections may be used to reduce inflammation.
For larger, more complex tears or those that don't respond to conservative treatment, surgery may be necessary. Both meniscectomy (trimming the damaged part of the meniscus) and meniscus repair (suturing the torn pieces back together) are performed arthroscopically — through small incisions using a camera and miniature instruments — allowing for less tissue disruption and a faster recovery than open surgery. Our dedicated team will guide you through every stage of your recovery, focusing on relieving pain and restoring your knee's full function.
Orthopedic Knee Specialists at BOS
Meet the sports medicine and knee specialists who diagnose and treat meniscus tears, including arthroscopic meniscectomy and meniscus repair for patients across the Barrington Orthopedic Specialists network.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Causes Meniscus Tears?+
Sudden, or acute, meniscal tears frequently occur during athletic activities, particularly in sports that require sudden pivots or turns. These injuries can happen when a player forcefully squats and twists their knee at the same time, putting immense pressure on the meniscus, which can lead to a tear.
Additionally, direct contact can be a significant factor. For example, a direct blow to the knee, such as from a tackle in football or a collision in soccer, can compress and tear the meniscus, resulting in immediate pain and often a popping sensation.
What Are the Symptoms of a Meniscus Injury?+
Most people can still walk on their injured knee after injury. Over 2 to 3 days, your knee may gradually become more stiff and swollen.
The most common symptoms of meniscal tear are:
- Pain
- Stiffness and swelling
- Catching or locking of your knee
- The sensation of your knee “giving way”
- You are not able to move your knee through its full range of motion
Without treatment, a piece of meniscus may come loose and drift into the joint. This can cause your knee to slip, pop, or lock.
What Are the Nonsurgical Treatment Options for Meniscal Tears?+
How your orthopedic surgeon treats your tear will depend on the type of tear you have, its size, and its location. Along with the type of tear you have, your age, activity level, and any related injuries will factor into your treatment plan.
If your tear is small and on the outer edge of the meniscus, it may not require surgical repair. As long as your symptoms do not persist and your knee is stable, nonsurgical treatment may be all you need.
The RICE protocol is effective for most minor sports-related injuries. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
- Rest: Take a break from the activity that caused the injury. Your doctor may recommend that you use crutches to avoid putting weight on your leg.
- Ice: Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
- Compression: To prevent additional swelling, wearing an elastic compression bandage may be helpful.
- Elevation: To reduce swelling, recline when you rest, and put your leg up higher than your heart.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like Aleve and ibuprofen can reduce pain and swelling.
What Are the Surgical Treatment Options for Meniscal Tears?+
Depending on which type of tear you have, your surgeon may recommend one of the following procedures. Both are performed arthroscopically ("knee scope" surgery) — a minimally invasive technique where a miniature camera and surgical instruments are inserted through small incisions, allowing your surgeon to view and treat the tear without open surgery:
- Arthroscopic meniscectomy: The damaged meniscal tissue is trimmed away through the small incisions.
- Arthroscopic meniscus repair: The torn pieces are stitched back together through the small incisions. Recovery time for a repair is much longer than for a meniscectomy.