Knee Arthroscopic Surgery for Meniscus Tears

The AHA! Team — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 05:36:09 +0000

Georgia M. Beasley, MD, MHSc, via Duke Health – The knee is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body, and meniscus tears are often the cause of knee pain and knee injury. The meniscus is the tough, rubbery cartilage that absorbs shock between the shin bone and thigh bone and distributes weight across the knee joint. When this cartilage tears, it can cause pain and instability in the knee joint. Meniscus tears can result from a twisting injury in sporting activities, such as football or soccer, or even something as simple as turning to put the dishes away. Symptoms of Meniscus Tears People of all ages can suffer from meniscus injuries, but each age has different types of tears and different ways to treat the tears. Almost all tears have similar symptoms, including: Pain Swelling Tenderness Giving way Mechanical symptoms, such as locking, popping, and catching Diagnosing a Meniscus Tear When you experience these symptoms, it is important to see an orthopaedic surgeon so your knee can be examined and an accurate diagnosis made. Occasionally, the diagnosis is obvious based upon a description of the injury and an examination of the patient. However, X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are frequently used to help identify any other associated injuries. Most common findings The most common findings on exam include tenderness over the joint line where the meniscus is torn, swelling, and sometimes loss of motion. The most important to report is whether you have mechanical symptoms such as episodes of feeling like your knee is caught or stuck. Once the diagnosis of a meniscus tear is made, you should discuss your treatment plan with your orthopaedic surgeon. For most people who have a symptomatic meniscus tear with mechanical symptoms, arthroscopic surgery is selected to remove or repair the torn tissue. However, if you have arthritis, you may benefit from injection and physical therapy without surgery. Arthroscopy has revolutionized how knee surgery is performed. In the past, a torn meniscus required a three- to four-inch incision and an overnight stay (or two) in the hospital. Now, the meniscus tear can be repaired with the arthroscope through two tiny (less than a half-inch) incisions. The surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis in less than an hour. Typically, the surgery can be performed under regional anesthesia with sedation, so there’s minimal anesthesia risk. Occasionally, small stitches can be placed into the torn meniscus to sew it back together; this technique can successfully treat large tears in younger people. If the tear is small, it may be removed. Quick Recovery Time Recovery from arthroscopic meniscus tear surgery is relatively quick, and most people can resume normal activities within a few weeks depending on the size of the tear and the repair involved. The pain relief is dramatic, and the postoperative incision pain is quite minimal. Physical therapy is often necessary in the recovery process. As with any surgery, there are risks, including the risk of infection or blood clots. Additionally, there are risks associated with anesthesia used during the surgical procedure. While meniscus tears are common, painful, and activity-limiting, these injuries can be quickly, easily, and successfully identified and treated. To read the original article click here.

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Walking Towards Healthier Knees

AHA Publisher — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 07:00:19 +0000

Baylor College of Medicine via Newswise – A new study published today in Arthritis & Rheumatology led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveals that walking for exercise can reduce new frequent knee pain among people age 50 and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Additionally, findings from the study indicate that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint. “Until this finding, there has been a lack of credible treatments that provide benefit for both limiting damage and pain in osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo, assistant professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor, chief of rheumatology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and first author of the paper. The researchers examined the results of the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a multiyear observational study where participants self-reported the amount of time and frequency they walked for exercise. Participants who reported 10 or more instances of exercise from the age of 50 years or later were classified as “walkers” and those who reported less were classified as “non-walkers.” Those who reported walking for exercise had 40% decreased odds of new frequent knee pain compared to non-walkers. “These findings are particularly useful for people who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain every day in their knees,” said Lo, who also is an investigator at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety at Baylor and the VA. “This study supports the possibility that walking for exercise can help to prevent the onset of daily knee pain. It might also slow down the worsening of damage inside the joint from osteoarthritis.” Lo said that walking for exercise has added health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health and decreased risk of obesity, diabetes and some cancers, the driving reasons for the Center for Disease Control recommendations on physical activity, first published in 2008 and updated in 2018. Walking for exercise is a free activity with minimal side effects, unlike medications, which often come with a substantial price tag and possibility of side effects. “People diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis should walk for exercise, particularly if they do not have daily knee pain,” advises Lo. “If you already have daily knee pain, there still might be a benefit, especially if you have the kind of arthritis where your knees are bow-legged.” To read the original article click here.

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Knee Arthroscopic Surgery for Meniscus Tears

Walking Towards Healthier Knees