The knee is the largest and anatomically complex joint in the human body. It performs important functions and can withstand heavy loads. Therefore, knee injuries are a fairly common injury to the musculoskeletal system. Every person is susceptible to them, regardless of age and type of activity. But most often sports injuries occur, injuries occur in people engaged in heavy physical labor, in children and the elderly.
The knee joint is very complex. It is formed by the femur and two tibia bones. They are connected by a complex system of ligaments. Between them there are two cartilaginous partitions - menisci, and in front the joint is closed by the kneecap. All this is surrounded by muscles. If an injury occurs in this location, any of these structures may be damaged.
If the knee joint is damaged, the patient's ability to move is severely limited, and in many cases it is completely impossible to lean on the injured leg.
Injury to the knee joint can occur due to a blow, a fall, rapid bending of the leg, or twisting. Most often, such complex movements are performed while playing sports or strenuous physical activity. They often occur in football players, skiers, figure skaters or gymnasts. But they can happen even in normal home conditions. Joints affected by arthritis, arthrosis, osteoporosis and other degenerative diseases are especially susceptible to damage.
Regardless of the type, knee injuries according to ICD 10 are combined into one group. Even the symptoms for any damage are similar:
Severe pain, swelling and hematoma are the main symptoms of knee injuries
Depending on the cause of the injury and the force of application of the damaging factor, knee injuries vary. There are the following types:
This is soft tissue damage caused by a fall or blow. It may be accompanied by severe pain, swelling and hematoma, but does not lead to damage to the joint and ligaments.
A bruise is considered a minor injury, but it is still necessary to visit a doctor to rule out more serious injuries. Treatment of bruises in most cases is carried out at home. At first, it’s cold, rest and painkillers. Then - warm compresses, anti-inflammatory ointments, physiotherapy.
But sometimes, after a severe injury, blood or fluid accumulates in the joint. Treatment in this case is carried out in a hospital. They puncture the joint and then fix it with a plaster splint.
Sprains are common when playing sports.
This injury often occurs in athletes when running, jumping, lifting heavy objects, or sharply turning the shin. Ligament rupture or sprain can also occur when landing unsuccessfully after a jump or fall. Symptoms of ligament damage are easy to spot: severe pain, inability to move the leg, swelling and bruising. If there is instability of the joint, crunching or clicking when moving, then the ligament is torn. This condition requires surgery.
In all other cases, treatment of ligament injuries consists of immobilizing the injured limb, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and wearing an orthosis. Rehabilitation usually lasts several months, but if all the doctor’s recommendations are followed, the mobility of the knee is completely restored.
Such damage occurs when significant force is applied. This may occur during a jump, a strong impact, or other excessive stress. Athletes often receive this injury: football players, gymnasts, skiers. The meniscus can crack, tear, or completely tear. In older people, this condition occurs even with minor stress due to degenerative processes.
Symptoms of a meniscal injury include severe pain, swelling, and hemarthrosis. The patient cannot bend or straighten the knee. Treatment consists of removing blood and accumulated fluid from the joint using a puncture, as well as applying a plaster splint. A fragmented meniscus tear requires surgical intervention. After such an injury, long-term rehabilitation is very important - at least a month you need to carry out a course of physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy. You can start playing sports no earlier than after 3-4 months.
The patella, or kneecap, is more likely to be injured in athletes and obese people. The reason for this may be a strong blow to the knee, a fall on it, or an unnatural turn of the leg. Injuries to the kneecap include dislocation and fracture. They are accompanied by severe pain, swelling and the inability to bend the leg. Such injuries are treated in a hospital with the obligatory application of a splint for a period of 3 weeks. In many cases, surgery is required to reconcile all the damaged structures.
To reduce pain and swelling immediately after an injury, apply ice to the knee.
After receiving an injury, it is necessary to provide the victim with first aid:
In mild cases of bruise or sprained ligaments, treatment can be carried out at home. But to establish the correct diagnosis and prevent complications, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
It is imperative to take the victim to a medical facility as soon as possible if he experiences the following symptoms:
A special splint for the knee joint is used for many types of injuries.
Treatment of severe knee injuries should take place in a hospital under the supervision of a physician. Otherwise, there may be serious complications and impaired joint mobility after the damage heals.
In most cases, conservative therapy is sufficient to restore joint function. Treatment depends on the type of injury and its complexity. Therefore, when choosing a method, the doctor takes into account the circumstances of the injury and the symptoms.
Physiotherapy helps you recover faster from injury
For minor injuries - bruises or sprains - there is no need to go to a medical facility. All therapeutic measures can be carried out at home. What is the treatment for knee injuries?
An important step in the treatment of knee injuries is gymnastics
This is a mandatory step in the treatment of any injury to the knee joint. Depending on the type of injury, it can last from 14 days to a year. Restoring the functions of all parts of the joint is possible only with an integrated approach.
Knee injuries are very dangerous because they can lead to disruption of its function and the inability to move normally. Therefore, it is necessary to provide timely assistance and visit a doctor even with a minor injury.
Professional athletes, dancers, and people whose work involves high physical activity often experience problems with the joints of their limbs. The most common is an injury to the meniscus of the knee joint, the treatment of which depends on the severity of the injury and the individual characteristics of the body.
Before we look at treatment for meniscus damage, let’s consider what this element of the knee joint is. This is a plate of cartilage tissue that performs the following functions:
Each knee contains two cartilaginous, shock-absorbing plates:
The lateral plate is a more mobile element and is therefore less likely to be damaged. Typically, a medial meniscus injury of the knee is diagnosed.
Each meniscus consists of a body and horns (posterior and anterior).
Most often, professional athletes suffer from meniscus injuries, and whose specialty forces them to experience high physical stress on the knee area. The cause of the injury may be a bruise of the meniscus during sports training.
The knee is often injured in old age due to changes occurring in the joint tissues.
The following types of meniscus injury are distinguished:
If the meniscus is torn out, a qualified traumatologist can deal with the damage without any problems. Wearing a cast is indicated for three weeks, then restorative procedures are prescribed, consisting of a set of therapeutic measures.
The main symptom of injury will be severe pain in the knee. The pain syndrome is so powerful that it is impossible to bend and straighten the limb at the knee. Severe swelling appears, and a complete block of the knee joint may occur. The limb is in a fixed position. Bleeding into the joint cavity (hemarthrosis) may occur.
Another type of injury is an old injury to the meniscus of the knee joint. This pathology is diagnosed if the injury progresses to a chronic course, if the request for medical help is too late. Symptoms of chronic knee meniscus damage include:
It is important to seek medical help in time to prevent damage to the knee joint from becoming chronic.
To prescribe treatment for a meniscus injury, it is important to correctly diagnose. To determine the type of knee injury, a diagnostic study is carried out, including the following measures:
Once the diagnosis is made, regardless of the type of meniscus injury, initial measures are taken to eliminate the symptoms of knee injury.
First, the injured knee is numbed. To eliminate the accumulating fluid in the joint cavity, a puncture is performed.
Next, a fixing bandage is applied to the damaged area, and anti-inflammatory medications are administered.
Based on the type of injury, a specific treatment method is prescribed.
Treatment for damage to the medial meniscus of the knee joint is divided into the following methods:
After any type of treatment, the rehabilitation stage plays an important role, when various procedures are carried out (physiotherapy, massage sessions, physical exercises). Let's take a closer look at one of the types of methods of the rehabilitation stage - exercises to restore the meniscus.
It is possible to cure a shock-absorbing joint element without surgical intervention if you seek medical help immediately after the injury. Of particular importance is rehabilitation after a meniscus injury, which includes several measures to restore lost limb functions.
Exercise therapy for a torn meniscus of the knee joint is mandatory after both conservative and surgical treatment methods. A set of exercises is developed for each patient and includes movements for joint development and restoration of muscle tissue.
With the help of exercise therapy for a meniscus tear, it is possible to eliminate congestion in the injured limb, eliminate pinched muscle fibers, and prevent joint limitation.
Special physical education is necessary during the rehabilitation period, because the limb has been without movement for a long time. If you do not start physical therapy classes on time for a meniscus injury, then the likelihood of complications after the injury increases every day. This is what can happen to a joint after injury if physical therapy is postponed for the following periods:
The first exercises will be difficult, but they must be performed from the first moments of the recovery stage.
Exercises for damaged knee meniscus include the following steps:
Now in more detail about each part of the exercises for a meniscus injury during rehabilitation.
You need to perform 4 types of exercises while lying down:
The exercises are performed carefully and slowly.
The stage consists of 9 exercises and final movements:
At the end of the lesson, you need to walk around the room so that the doctor can check the correctness of your gait. Do an exercise to restore breathing (deep inhalation and exhalation).
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Knee injuries occur quite often not only during sports, but also in everyday life. There really is something to be injured in the knee, since the joint is formed from the femur bone and two tibia bones, between which lie two menisci, consisting of cartilage tissue. The kneecap protects the joint on the front side. There are muscles and ligaments around the knee joints. When a knee injury occurs, any structure in the knee can be damaged.
Injury to the knee can occur if a person falls, hits, or quickly bends or twists the leg. However, sports injuries of the knee joint are most common in traumatological practice. Football players, alpine skiers, figure skaters and gymnasts are susceptible to knee injuries.
Although sports injuries are considered the most common, it is also very easy to damage the knee joint in everyday life. The first place among household injuries is occupied by knee injuries due to a fall. You don't have to fall from a great height to get hurt or even more seriously injured. In people who have various diseases weakening the knee joint, injury occurs almost out of nowhere. Such diseases include:
People with bad habits also suffer from a lack of calcium and collagen, which make up the menisci, so various injuries to the knee joints occur much more often in people who smoke and are addicted to alcohol.
In order to distinguish a serious injury in the knee from a minor one, you need to know what types of knee injuries there are, because its treatment depends on the type of injury. So, doctors distinguish several types of knee injuries:
Any knee injury has its own symptoms and treatment tactics.
It is very easy to injure your knee by tripping and falling or getting hit. In case of a bruise, soft tissues and small blood vessels - capillaries - are subject to damage. During a bruise, a person experiences the following symptoms:
The ligamentous apparatus itself, the joint and bones are not damaged. Although this injury is considered mild, it is still recommended to consult a doctor to rule out more serious injuries.
Treatment of a knee injury in the form of a bruise is carried out on an outpatient basis, that is, at home. For severe pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. You can't do without cold compresses. In the first two days, ice must be applied to the site of the bruise every two to three hours for fifteen to twenty minutes. Before applying ice or frozen food to a bruise, you should wrap it in some kind of cloth.
A plastic bottle or heating pad filled with cold water can be used as a cold compress.
In the first forty-eight hours, heat exposure to the injury site is prohibited, as it dilates blood vessels and leads to increased inflammation.
After two days, it is necessary to warm the knee, and also apply anti-inflammatory warming ointments.
If a complication arises from a bruise in the form of accumulation of blood or lymph inside the joint, the victim is sent for treatment to a hospital where a puncture is performed. The doctor pumps out the contents of the joint cavity, after which a plaster splint is applied to the knee to ensure the immobility of the joint.
The most common sports injuries to the knee are sprains and torn ligaments. Such injuries can occur while running, jumping, lifting heavy objects, or twisting the shin suddenly. When stretched, individual fibers are torn, which does not cause severe pain and restrictions on movement. When a tear occurs, more ligamentous tissues are torn. During a complete rupture, the ligament is torn or torn from its attachment.
When the ligamentous apparatus is torn, the following symptoms occur:
With a complete rupture, symptoms such as crepitus at the site of injury are added (when trying to move a limb, a person hears clicks or crunches), as well as instability of the joint. If the ligamentous apparatus is torn, then treatment is carried out surgically. For milder injuries (tears and sprains), doctors use a conservative method of treatment. The patient is immobilized with a plaster cast or a special orthosis.
For speedy recovery and pain relief, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. The rehabilitation period after an injury can last up to three months, but if a person does everything that the attending physician says, then the motor activity of the injured knee resumes in full.
The meniscus can become damaged if great physical force is applied to the knee. More often, such an injury can be found in the same athletes. In the event of an unsuccessful jump, fall or blow, the meniscus can crack, tear, or rupture completely. In elderly people, in order to obtain such an injury, a slight force is needed, since their body does not have enough collagen.
Symptoms of a meniscus injury are as follows:
It is necessary to treat such damage by resorting to puncture. The doctor pumps out blood and lymph from the joint cavity, after which a plaster cast is applied to the knee area. If the meniscus has torn into several fragments, then an operation is performed to connect and fasten them. The recovery period for such damage is very long.
In the first month, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, and physical therapy. A person will be able to return to a full active life no earlier than three to four months after receiving an injury.
The kneecap is also called the patella and is more often injured in people involved in sports, as well as in those who are overweight. This injury occurs if you hit your knee hard, fall, or unnaturally and sharply turn your leg. Signs of such damage:
Treatment of a knee injury consists of an operation during which all damaged structures are combined and a splint is applied for at least three weeks.
First aid if a person has injured his knee consists of the following:
In case of a dislocation, you cannot set the joint yourself; during an open fracture, you are prohibited from touching bone fragments, trying to remove them, or inserting them into place. It is also impossible to warm up the injury site in the first forty-eight hours.
When a knee joint is injured, there are several symptoms that require immediate transport to the hospital. So, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance or bring the patient to a trauma center if:
If a serious injury occurs, the victim can only be treated in a hospital setting, since there is a high risk of complications in the form of permanent impairment of motor activity.
Most often, during a knee injury, doctors treat it conservatively. However, any therapy must be selected strictly individually based on the clinical picture and severity of the injury. In order to relieve pain, medications such as diclofenac or ketoprofen may be prescribed. You should not be treated with aspirin and ibuprofen for the first couple of days. These drugs thin the blood, which makes the bruising worse.
Treatment of any knee injury should begin with immobilization of the injured limb. In case of a bruise or slight sprain, the patient is given a tight bandage with an elastic bandage or it is recommended to wear a soft knee pad. During treatment of more severe injuries, the patient is given a cast or an orthosis. With some injuries, hemarthrosis occurs, so doctors use intra-articular puncture to pump out blood and lymph. In the same way, painkillers can be injected into the joint capsule in case of pronounced pain.
If the meniscus is damaged, ligaments are torn, or a complex fracture is present, surgery is performed. The doctor combines bone fragments, if necessary, performs plastic surgery of the damaged joint, stitches tissues and blood vessels. After treatment, there is a rehabilitation period, which allows you to fully restore the mobility of the injured joint.
The knee joint withstands many different loads every day. It is not surprising that knee pain is a common complaint among patients. Often, discomfort is caused by some kind of damage to the meniscus.
Ligament rupture, meniscus, and old injuries have a similar clinical picture, but the treatment is significantly different. It is difficult to independently identify the cause of knee pain. Trust a professional - see a doctor. Only on the basis of diagnostic manipulations will the doctor make the correct diagnosis and prescribe appropriate therapy.
The menisci of the knee are formations of cartilage tissue that are located in the articular cavity. They are needed to cushion and protect the joint from stress. There are two types of menisci: external and internal, respectively, lateral and medial. The internal meniscus is less mobile, which is why its rupture is diagnosed much more often than damage to the external meniscus, which is more mobile.
The menisci are designed to provide stability to the musculoskeletal system of the knee joint, a kind of protection from various damages:
A meniscus tear leads to excessive mobility of the knee joint and pain; advanced cases contribute to the occurrence of other diseases, such as arthrosis.
Doctors distinguish two types of meniscus tears: traumatic and degenerative. The first is typical for professional athletes who constantly load the knee joint. The second type is characteristic of elderly patients. In the absence of proper treatment for a traumatic type of rupture, the pathology can develop into a degenerative form. In any case, visit a doctor and get treatment.
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Meniscal injuries most often occur for the following reasons:
Chronic pathologies pose a serious danger to the patient’s health: an incompletely cured meniscus tear, compression of the knee area, and constant traumatization. Against the background of unfavorable factors, the cartilage becomes fragile, begins to delaminate, microcracks and erosions appear. As a result, the structure of the meniscus is destroyed and it can no longer perform its functions.
Doctors identify several factors that contribute to the occurrence of pathology:
In any situation, it is necessary to immediately visit a doctor; delaying a trip to a specialist can deprive a person of the ability to walk.
The clinical picture of acute and chronic pathology differs significantly from each other.
At the onset of a meniscus tear, the following symptoms are observed:
The absence of medical care for three weeks leads to the transition of the acute stage to the chronic stage, which entails a change in the clinical picture:
The choice of treatment method directly depends on the area, strength and type of meniscus tear. The doctor determines whether the cartilage can be saved and whether there is a chance to do without surgery.
There are several types of meniscal tears:
Until recently, it was believed that removing the meniscus was a complete solution to all problems. Numerous studies have revealed that the meniscus performs important functions (shock absorption, protects joint cartilage from damage). Removal of such an important part leads to the development of arthrosis. Therefore, doctors remove only the damaged part of the meniscus, trying to preserve as much tissue as possible.
A meniscus tear can be detected using magnetic resonance imaging. The research method allows us to identify the degree of damage to the specified area and prescribe the necessary course of therapy. If necessary, blood and urine tests are taken, and bacteriological tests are carried out (to exclude the infectious nature of knee pain).
Depending on the degree of damage to the meniscus, the doctor chooses a conservative or surgical method of treatment. Immediately after the injury, the patient must be given first aid: provide the victim with rest, a cold compress will help relieve pain, and an elastic bandage will prevent further damage to the meniscus. Additionally, the patient’s leg is placed above chest level, which prevents the occurrence of hemarthrosis.
Conservative methods of therapy are very popular and are used for incomplete meniscal tears.
Effective medications:
Therapeutic exercises are previously discussed with the doctor.
Surgery is indicated in the following cases:
In most cases, complete or partial resection of the meniscus is resorted to.
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Problems with the meniscus of the knee joint are often found in patients who experience constant stress on their legs. Tears, pinching, and minor microtraumas occur not only among athletes.
The meniscus is a natural shock absorber, without which the knee joint cannot fully function. Let's figure out why the meniscus is injured and how to carry out treatment without surgery at home. Correct methods of therapy will prevent the pathology of the knee joint from becoming chronic.
Many have heard the phrases “meniscus tear”, “meniscal injury”, but few know what role the cartilage formation plays and what it looks like. The crescent-shaped interarticular spacer limits the mobility of the knee joint and acts as a shock absorber. The meniscus prevents injury; it stretches and contracts when moving.
The formation is located in the knee joint, between the thigh and shin. A person has not one meniscus, but two - external and internal. The main problems arise with the cartilage pad located inside the joint elements.
The main factor is excessive load on the lower limbs. At risk are athletes, ballet dancers, and people doing heavy physical work. The main category of patients with meniscus injuries are men aged 18–40 years.
The second reason is degenerative-dystrophic changes during the aging process. After 50 years, the condition of the joints worsens, tissue elasticity is lost, and the production of synovial fluid decreases. Problems with the cartilage lining in the knee joint often develop against the background of arthrosis.
Doctors identify several forms of knee meniscus damage:
Most patients are diagnosed with partial tissue damage, which often becomes chronic. Meniscus tears occur less frequently and require serious intervention and quick, competent treatment.
Symptoms depend on the degree of damage to the cartilage tissue:
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For knee pain of various types, it is important to consult an orthopedic surgeon, traumatologist or arthrologist in a timely manner. Athletes know more about microtraumas and serious damage to cartilage tissue; other patients often wonder why such a problem arose.
The doctor will clarify the nature and duration of the pain, find out the patient’s occupation, and explain what factors caused problems with the natural shock absorber in the knee. After 50 years, age-related joint diseases are more often dealt with by an arthrologist and rheumatologist; patients under 40 years of age with meniscal injuries will be treated by an orthopedic surgeon.
The nature of therapy depends on the severity of the problem. For minor tears, pinching, or bruises of cartilage tissue, conservative treatment is sufficient. Complex cases with ruptures or crushing of the natural shock absorber require urgent surgery.
For minor injuries, bruises, microtraumas of cartilage tissue, accompanied by swelling, periodic, aching pain, home remedies will be a good addition to medications. Consult an orthopedic surgeon, rheumatologist or arthrologist which of the proposed formulations is suitable taking into account the nature of your case. Most home remedies are made from natural ingredients and are gentle on the affected area.
Proven recipes for microtrauma of cartilage tissue in the knee joint:
After clarifying the cause of the meniscal damage and repositioning the cartilage tissue, the patient’s condition improves, but often the pain and swelling do not disappear immediately. NSAID drugs will speed up the healing process. Potent anti-inflammatory compounds will quickly relieve discomfort. Injections and tablets will reduce the risk of intoxication of the body under the influence of pathogenic microbes, which often penetrate the damaged area of the knee joint.
If the inflammation does not go away for a long time, injections of potent corticosteroids will be needed. Do not exceed the frequency of use or the concentration of the solution: drugs often cause side effects.
For meniscus injuries, the following are effective:
After eliminating the inflammatory process, the rehabilitation period begins. Depending on the patient’s age, type of injury, and the presence of underlying pathologies, recovery takes from several weeks to 3–4 months, sometimes longer. The duration of the course is determined by the attending physician.
During rehabilitation, the following methods are used:
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Meniscus surgery and surgical treatment are required for partial or complete meniscus tears. The patient experiences excruciating pain, tissues swell, and it is impossible to move.
The decision about surgery is made by an orthopedic surgeon. The patient’s task is to seek help in time so that an infection does not accompany the meniscus injury. Refusal of surgical intervention if indicated, replacement of competent therapy with unproven methods worsens the condition of the diseased joint and activates the inflammatory process in the knee joint.
The doctor partially or completely removes the torn part of the cartilage pad. To restore the function of a natural shock absorber in case of ruptures, the doctor will suggest a surgical option such as suturing. Before performing the operation, the orthopedic surgeon takes into account contraindications, the general condition of the patient, and the degree of damage to the cartilage tissue.
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