We commonly see meniscus tears in athletes and active individuals alike. The meniscus is a c-shaped piece of cartilage in the knee that helps distribute weight and absorb shock. Tears can occur from twisting or forceful movements, leading to pain, swelling, and difficulty bearing weight. The meniscus however, is similar to the discs in the spine, in that there is often damage seen on MRI. That damage has NOT been found to always be predictive of pain, which means that despite having tears in your meniscus, surgery should not necessarily be a first line option.
Typically, in the absence of locking and painful popping/clicking, evidence-based treatment approaches include functional loading, manual therapy techniques, and other short term palliative measures like injection. These can all improve outcomes, and lead to better long-term outcomes.
It's important to keep in mind that not all meniscus tears can be treated conservatively and some may require surgical intervention. In those instances, we have relationships with the top orthopedic surgeons in the area, and are better equipped than any to head your rehab and recovery. Cookie cutter approaches to these issues often result in less than optimal outcomes, and here at Apollo, each patient is treated with a completely individualized approach.
