Torn Meniscus

The best first-line treatment for meniscus tears includes the RICE method.

• Rest: Give your knee a break and stay off it as much as possible. In severe cases, using crutches when you walk can help prevent putting weight on the joint and help with stability.
• Ice: Wrap a cold pack in a towel and apply it to your knee for 20 minutes several times a day to reduce swelling. Never apply a cold pack or ice directly to the skin.
• Compression: Keep gentle pressure on your knee by wrapping it in an elastic compression bandage or compressive sleeve to help with swelling and stability
• Elevation: When staying off your knee, use pillows or cushions to raise it above the level of your heart.

In addition to the RICE method, your physician may recommend taking an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen. These medications help with pain and swelling and can help you have a smoother recovery.

In addition to the RICE method and medication, your physician may recommend other nonsurgical treatments, especially if caring for yourself at home isn’t helping the injury as much as you hoped. Other options may include:

• Bracing: Wearing a brace on your knee can provide support and reduce pain.
• Corticosteroid injection: If you’re having a hard time controlling pain, a steroid injection may be utilized to help with swelling and pain.
• Physical therapy: Physical therapy for a torn meniscus can help you strengthen the muscles that support your knee, boost the joint’s range of motion and learn exercises you can perform at home to keep your knee healthy.

Surgery is usually recommended when pain doesn’t improve with conservative treatments or if symptoms like locking, catching, or difficulty straightening the knee occur, which might mean a displaced meniscus fragment that could worsen if left untreated.

Meniscus surgery is minimally invasive, using small incisions. A camera is inserted to view the joint, and specialized instruments repair or remove the damaged meniscus based on the injury’s severity, location and blood supply. The outpatient procedure allows most people to go home the same day, often bearing weight with crutches for balance.

• Partial meniscectomy: The surgeon will remove the damaged area of the meniscus. This procedure is used when the tear is either degenerative or in an area that does not receive a good blood supply. The goal of this procedure is to remove the torn fragments of the meniscus to prevent further tearing and loss and further damage to the knee. You should be able to put weight on your knee and move it through the full range of motion soon after this procedure.
• Meniscus repair: Instead of removing the injured part of the meniscus, the surgeon can repair the tear. Your recovery time will be longer than with a meniscectomy because the repaired injury has to heal. This recovery is often lengthier, and it involves a brace and crutches for a longer period.