Where do your steps take you each day? Around Grenada lake? To the store? To visit a friend? If you have ever used a step counter, you know you take a lot to get there! With each step, your knees absorb a tremendous amount of pressure.
The meniscus of your knee is an amazing shock absorber. Each knee has two menisci that are located between the thigh bone and shin bone. This C-shaped cartilage stabilizes your knee joint and absorbs the shock and pressure of each step you take. As a weight bearing cartilage, the meniscus stands up to a lot in our everyday activities, which makes it vulnerable to injury.
Meniscal tears are one of the most common knee injuries – especially in athletes. These tears can occur suddenly or because of degeneration of the cartilage over time. Whatever the cause, be aware of these common signs of a torn meniscus.
- Pain
- Swelling
- Stiffness
- A “catching” sensation in the knee
- Inability to fully extend or fully bend the knee joint
Many of these symptoms can occur with other knee injuries; therefore, you should make an appointment to have your knee evaluated for a proper diagnosis. Left untreated, a torn meniscus can lead to more serious conditions such as arthritis or part of the torn cartilage moving into the knee joint.
An examination of your knee is essential to evaluate your symptoms while considering your past medical history. Only then can an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan be made. It is important that we seek treatment to maintain proper function of our knees. Each step in our day takes us somewhere, and our knees are an integral part in getting us there.
Dr. Daneca DiPaolo is a highly skilled, board certified orthopedic surgeon and hand specialist located in Grenada, Mississippi. She offers the latest orthopedic techniques and provides quality, compassionate, state of the art orthopedic care. For all appointments and inquiries, please call (662) 227-7794 or visit our website https://www.drdipaolo.com/
