Meniscus Pain

Knee is one of the most important joints of our body. It forms a connection between the thigh bones and the lower part of the leg. Being the epicenter of various activities, knee joint is prone to various common knee injuries. Meniscus pain occurs due to the tearing of meniscus cartilage. In general terminology, meniscus tear is called torn cartilage. Athletes and sports players often suffer from these type of torn muscles and cartilages, while practicing or playing matches.

Structure and Function of the Meniscus
In simplest terms, meniscus is like a pad that is sandwiched between the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (the bone of lower leg). There are two wedge shaped menisci (its plural form) situated in each of the knees. The two menisci are located on the inner and outer side of the knee joints. The medial menisci is called C shaped meniscus and the outer one is known as O-shaped meniscus. Without going much into the structural details, let's know about their function.

• It acts as a shock absorber by preventing the knee joints from the sudden jumps and jerks
• It distributes the body weight evenly and prevents excess pressure on the knees.
• Its movements contribute in lubrication of the knees.
• It also helps in maintaining proper coordination in movements of femur and tibia.

Symptoms
An injury in the knee area can cause problems in the effective working of meniscus.

• Erratic pain in the knee joint, knee cap and knee area.
• Pain while walking, climbing stairs and running.
• Problems in knee movement (extending of the knees).
• Hardness and inflexibility in area around the knees.

The pain can be felt while performing the daily activities like walking, jogging and running. In the initial stages, the person may not experience the pain very often. He may feel the pain while walking fast, climbing the stairs or after some aggressive activities. However, in the later stages the pain can be felt even while doing simple things.

Treatment
It requires some treatment in the various stages pain goes through. In the initial stages of the tearing of the meniscus, the patient is advised to rest for at least two three days and he/she must avoid any aggressive work like jumping or running. The most common method that is popular in the initial pain relief is RICE, that is Rest, Ice, Compression and Treatment. Applying ice pack on the injured part of the knee at least 20 times a day, for short intervals of time, helps to lessen the pain. The doctor may also advise to go for X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to know the exact cause and location of the pain. In some of the cases, the person may be required to go for arthroscopy, which is an expensive diagnostic test. Athletes and professionals who suffer from severe pain, often go for surgeries of the knee problem. Knee replacement surgery is often carried out by many surgeons, to get rid of the damaged knee caused by accidents or severe injuries.

The treatment for this complication in the younger ages is easily possible, as the bones and muscles can heal faster. For its treatment in people with bone problems like osteoarthritis, a lot of healing time is required. This was some information regarding some pain in the meniscus. It is advisable to visit a physiotherapist before you go for some treatment methods.