A meniscus works like a shock absorber: in the knee joint, it lies as a disk between the upper and lower leg and ensures that the bones slide back and forth painlessly. Two meniscuses in each knee joint ensure that we can rotate, stretch and bend it: the outer and inner meniscus . Both consist of fiber cartilage and keep our joint stable by better distributing the pressure between the upper and lower leg.
Meniscal
tear: definition
In the case of a meniscus tear, also known as a meniscus lesion, one of
the discs is either torn or completely severed. Patients suffer from
either an inner meniscus tear, an outer meniscus tear, or both. The inner
meniscus is more prone to injuries than the outer meniscus because it is fused
with the inner ligament of the knee and is more difficult to compensate for
sudden movements.
Meniscal tear: shapes
Depending on which parts of the cartilage disc are affected,
different types of meniscal tears are distinguished.
- A longitudinal crack runs in a C-shape along the
disc.
- The basket handle tear is a special form of the
longitudinal tear. It looks as if a handle is being formed on the
meniscus and extends from the front (anterior horn) to the posterior part
(posterior horn) of the meniscus.
- The flap tear begins at the edge of the meniscus. From there, the tissue
tears in an oblique direction.
- A radial tear also begins at the edge and runs
transversely to the longitudinal axis towards the base of the meniscus.
- The horizontal crack is often the result of wear and
tear diseases. It divides the meniscus into an upper and lower area.
- The complex meniscal tear is a combination of the
different shapes.
In the case of a meniscus tear in the knee, the severity of the injury
is also classified: from grade I to III - the greater the number, the more
serious the injury. A diagnosis could be: Meniscus tear posterior horn
grade III.
Meniscal tear: causes
A meniscus tear is a typical sports injury . Especially
with footballers or skiers, it happens more often that a knee is twisted and
the meniscus is damaged. Younger patients in particular are affected.
A meniscus tear does not only occur during exercise, meniscus degeneration can also be the
cause. Because: The fabric shows the first signs of wear and tear from the
age of 40. Overload, misaligned axes or cartilage damage accelerate the
degenerative processes that can cause a meniscus to tear even without any force
being applied.
The third possible cause is repeated microtraumas ,
for example from regular crouching work.
According to the German Society for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
(DGOU), meniscus tears often appear together with an injury to the anterior
cruciate ligament. Those who no longer have a cruciate ligament are
particularly at risk of tearing their meniscus.
Meniscal tear:
treatment
If the doctor finds meniscus damage, questions arise in many patients:
Can a meniscus tear heal naturally? Should I have the meniscus tear
operated: yes or no? How long should I not exercise after a meniscus
tear? An orthopedic surgeon helps to find answers and to take the right
course of treatment. He advises either treating the meniscus tear without
surgery, i.e. conservatively, or having a meniscus tear surgery performed.