Should I Avoid Activity While Waiting For Meniscus Repair

Whether you play sports competitively or recreationally, every time you adjust up to play, yous're at take chances for various injuries, including a meniscal tear. Yous can definitely recover from it, and even have a proficient chance of returning to the courtroom or field, merely only if you take proper precautions and diligently follow the treatment programme.

Our good squad of orthopedic doctors specializes in getting y'all back to the life and activities you love later your injury. If you've torn your meniscus , nosotros starting time by making certain your diagnosis is accurate. A few symptoms are consistent with near meniscal injuries, including that popping sound you heard, followed by swelling, pain, and stiffness in your articulatio genus. But to be certain, we accept an X-ray or an MRI, or maybe even use a telescopic to run across what'due south happening under the surface.

A quick wait at your meniscus and what happens during injury

Your meniscus is a small slice of cartilage that cushions your human knee articulation. Your thigh bone (femur) connects to your shin bone (tibia) in your knee joint. To keep those bones from rubbing on each other and to blot shock, your meniscus provides a soft barrier between the two. If you plant your foot and twist, you tin can tear your meniscus.

If information technology's a small tear, a conservative approach to handling might practise the play a joke on. This ways simple application of rest, ice, compression, and elevation, also known every bit RICE. The goal hither is to reduce swelling and allow your body to heal itself over fourth dimension.

If you lot're not responding to RICE, you might need to take the crude edges of your torn meniscus shaved or cut away or take the tear repaired with stitches. Called arthroscopic surgery, this is a relatively minor procedure that but requires a pocket-sized incision.

If you're dealing with a severe tear, your best choice may be a complete meniscus transplant. In this example, a donor meniscus would replace your own.

In all of these scenarios, the success rate is high and the take chances is low.

How quickly can I render to sports afterwards I tear my meniscus?

Your return to sports depends heavily on how severe your injury is and how extensive your treatment program. We at Peninsula Orthopedic Assembly do our best to get you back in the game every bit speedily as possible while ensuring that you lot practice so with full stability, no hurting, and minimal chance of reinjury due to a premature return.

With that said, proceed in mind that serious meniscal tears can sideline you for proficient, even with surgery and rehab. Depending on your sport, yous may take to change your performance level or frequency. For instance, if you're a runner who goes out almost every solar day, you may need to cut back your routine to 3-4 days a week. More than frequent than that and the impact on your knee joint joint with a compromised meniscus tin do more damage and cause more than hurting.

All cases of meniscus injury require physical therapy. Your recovery fourth dimension and power to return to sports depend on how diligently you follow your physical therapy and calm instructions.

One study established a general dominion of pollex for returning to sports after meniscal injuries:

Partial meniscectomy

When y'all take your meniscus shaved or cut to remove a jagged edge, you may be able to return to sports in 7-ix weeks. Most athletes brand a full recovery from this procedure and are able to return to their sport.

Meniscus repair

If our doctors decide a repair is in guild, you lot're looking at a recovery time of v½ months. After this procedure, 81%-89% of athletes render to their sport.

Meniscus transplant

The well-nigh extreme case, a meniscus transplant, calls for the longest recovery fourth dimension: 7½-16½ months. Afterwards this procedure, 67%-86% of athletes return to their sport.

Whether you lot have a minor or major tear in your meniscus, you desire to give yourself every chance at a full recovery fifty-fifty if yous don't program to return to your sport. Our orthopedists and physical therapists set you lot on a path to maximize your healing and functionality no matter what you have planned.

Call today to schedule an appointment at either of our ii Daly City, California, locations, or book online .