Physiotherapy for Meniscal Tears

Physiotherapy has being showing over the years to be as effective as arthroscopic surgery for meniscal tears of the knee. We know Physiotherapy is much less invasive, it has become the first line therapy for meniscal tears.

What is Meniscus

Firstly, menisci are are crescent-like cartilaginous structures. They are inside our knees and they act as shock absorbers which improve the stability and mobility of the joint.

Symptoms

The most common symptom associated with meniscal tears are:

• Knee pain
• Knee swelling
• Knee locking
• Knee stiffness

Meniscal Tear Physiotherapy Objectives

Usually,the objectives of physiotherapy for meniscal tears include but not limited to the following;

• Restore full pain free joint range of motion
• Reduce swelling
• Reduce pain
• Restore joint proprioception and balance
• Strengthen all of the muscles that control the hip, knee and ankle.
• Deliver a sensible return to sport/activity plan

However, a very small percentage of acute meniscal tears need to be managed with arthroscopic surgery. Before making that determination, the patient should do a trail of Physiotherapy for several weeks to ensure that the problem cannot be managed without surgery. In some rare cases a patient will sustain a large meniscal tear and the knee will be “locked” in a bent position. If this is the case the patient should be evaluated and considered for arthroscopic surgery as soon as possible.

Prognosis

Certainly, meniscal tears can take weeks to heal, depending on the type of tear. Age plays a role in the healing process, as younger individuals typically show a faster recovery. Often times, individuals with meniscal tears have a high chance of developing osteoarthritis later on.

In addition, patient that are treated surgically, younger patients do better. Overall, degenerative meniscal tears are associated with a worse prognosis than those created through trauma. Meniscal repairs lead to higher rates of return to sports and lower long-term risk of osteoarthritis compared to partial meniscectomy (partial removal of meniscus). Therefore, working with a good physiotherapist can improve the rate of gradual degeneration and reduce the risk of re-injury.

In conclusion, it is wiser to quickly attend to pains that comes with Meniscus than leaving it to degenerate so much bdefore it gets very bad. Visit us today at

Effective Physiotherapy & Fitness Clinic Immediately!

Address: No. 2D Ajumgobia (FIA) Close, Kado Estate, Abuja

Phone number: +234 803 436 5055 or +234 811 885 6060

Website: www.effectivephysio.com
Twitter: @effectvphysio
Facebook: EffectivePhysiotherapyClinic