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The knee joint is the largest joint in the human body and the second most heavily loaded joint in the human body (after the ankle joint). The knee joint connects the femur to the tibia and allows flexion and extension as well as slight internal and external rotation. One of the components of the knee joint is the meniscus, which is prone to injuries.
Meniscus – structure
The meniscus is a crescent-shaped, cartilaginous-fibrous anatomical structure that, unlike the articular disc, only partially divides the joint cavity. In humans, they occur in the knee, wrist, shoulder-clavicular, sternoclavicular and temporomandibular joints. Generally, the term “meniscus” is used to refer to the cartilage of the knee. lateral meniscus or medial. Both are cartilage tissues that provide structural integrity to the knee when it becomes tense and twisted.
The knee meniscus are two formations of fibrocartilage tissue that are used to disperse friction in the knee joint between the tibia and the femur. They are concave on the top and flat on the bottom. They are attached to small depressions (pits) between the condyles of the tibia (intercondylar fossa), and towards the center they are unbound and their shape narrows. Blood flows through the meniscus from the periphery to the center of the meniscus. Blood flow decreases with age, and the center of the meniscus is deprived of vascularization in adulthood, leading to very poor healing rates.
See also: Temporomandibular joint dysfunctions
Meniscus – functions
Meniscuses dissipate body weight and reduce friction when moving. Since the condyles of the femur and tibia meet at one point (which changes when bending and straightening), the menisci distribute the weight of the body. This differs from sesamoid bones, which are made up of bone tissue and whose function is primarily to protect a nearby tendon and increase its mechanical action.
See also: Stretching exercises for health
Meniscus – causes of meniscal injuries
The meniscus can be damaged in principle during any sport. Most often, meniscus damage occurs as a result of sudden straightening of the knee joint, which is in partial flexion and rotation, or during hyperextension. The meniscus can be damaged when the physiological range of its movements or the limits of its endurance are exceeded. The meniscus may also be damaged when structures in direct contact with the meniscus are damaged.
Not only athletes, but also elderly people, whose meniscus weakens with age, are at risk of damage to the meniscus. In their case, the menisci can be damaged during normal activity. Interestingly, the medial meniscus is damaged five times more often than the lateral one.
See also: Pain under the knee – when walking, in front of how to heal
Meniscus – symptoms of meniscus injuries
The most common symptoms of meniscal damage include sharp and sudden knee pain, which increases with walking or kneeling. In such cases, patients very often complain of problems with moving and walking, as well as adopting a forced position of the joint in slight flexion.
Other symptoms of a damaged meniscus include:
- joint swelling;
- audible cracks in the knee;
- excessive heat;
- a feeling of blocking or stiffening of the knee;
- limited extension and flexion movement;
- pain in the meniscus (felt as a problem in the knee joint);
- “Knee slippage” (instability).
In addition, the contour of the knee joint changes as well.
See also: What does a crunch in the knee show?
Meniscus – diagnosis
In the case of diagnostics of a damaged meniscus, an appropriate physical examination is used, as well as a description of the mechanism of the injury. In addition, ultrasound of the knee or magnetic resonance imaging is also performed. To finally confirm damage to the meniscus, arthroscopy is performed.
See also: Rehabilitation after arthroscopy
Meniscus – treatment of meniscal injuries
Depending on where the meniscus is damaged, it may heal on its own. If the outer zone of the meniscus is damaged, it may heal spontaneously due to its good blood supply. It should be added, however, that in most cases the internal parts of menisci are damaged, as they are already less supplied with blood, and therefore it has no chance of spontaneous regeneration.
Thanks to the appropriate tests, it is possible to assess whether the meniscus requires conservative treatment or surgery.
In the case of conservative treatment we are talking about pharmacotherapy, cooling, rest and relieving the sick joint, and rehabilitation.
For surgery the most common is arthroscopy, during which two cuts are made parallel to each other. A camera and surgical instruments are inserted through the openings. The resulting space is filled with physiological fluid, which makes it possible to inspect the lesions more closely and perform surgery. Depending on the type of the disease, it is possible to partially remove the meniscus, sew, transplant or replace the damaged one with a prosthesis.
It is very important that the knee remains immobilized for 3-4 weeks after the procedure. Only after about three months you can introduce elements of light physical activity. Patients regain their former fitness a year after the procedure. However, rehabilitation and strengthening exercises should not be forgottenthat prevent adhesions and improve and increase the range of motion. Without the help of a specialist, it will be impossible to restore the full efficiency of the leg.
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