Meniscal tear – symptoms

How do meniscal tear symptoms develop?

The pain that comes with a meniscal tear is not triggered by the meniscus itself. Because the cartilage tissue has no own nerve fibers. The typical meniscal tear symptoms occur when small pieces of the menisci rupture and move freely within the capsule surrounding the joint. They can block the movement of the knee and irritate the surrounding tissue.

In addition, symptoms of a meniscal tear may be manifested when the tissue shifts only slightly through the tear and presses against the capsule surrounding the joint. It is rich with nerves. With every movement, the loose fiber parts can now irritate the nerves in the joint capsule. The result is sudden, stabbing pain, which causes even the smallest movement, in severe cases even at rest pain.

The classic meniscal tear symptoms

A meniscal tear can be acute or creeping. The meniscal tear symptoms vary according to the extent of the injury. In general, symptoms are more pronounced in an acute meniscal tear than in an age- or wear-related meniscal tear. After a fall or a sports injury often occurs a sudden, stabbing pain. Sometimes you can not even walk anymore. In acute cases, you should try to treat the meniscal tear symptoms as well as possible yourself. Put your leg up and cool it with ice packs or damp compresses.

Depending on which meniscus is injured, the pain can be localized laterally (lateral) at the knee or inwards (medial).

Meniscal tear symptoms in damage of the outer (lateral) meniscus:

• Pain in turning the knee inwards (internal rotation)
• Pressure pain on the lateral knee joint gap (this can be felt with the fingers)
• Pain when squatting
• If necessary, pain when stretching the leg
• Stinging pain that can not be pinpointed (diffuse pain)

Meniscal tear symptoms in damage of the internal (medial) meniscus:

• Pain in turning the knee outwards (external rotation)
• Pressure pain on the medial knee joint cleft (this can be felt with the fingers)
• Pain when straightening from the squat position
• Pain in knee flexion

Meniscal tear symptoms: effusion

The injury of the menisci and the torn, loose fiber parts in the joint can also lead to an accumulation of fluid in the knee joint gap. Doctors speak of a knee joint effusion. In the knee joint are certain cells, which produce the so-called synovial fluid. This fluid supports the smooth movement in the joint and provides the nutrition of the articular cartilage. It is regularly renewed and degraded (resorbed) on certain structures. The meniscal injury can lead to inflammation at the site of injury. This inflammatory process disturbs the breakdown of the synovial fluid in the knee, so that it accumulates and even from the outside can be felt as knee joint effusion. Because the effusion presses on the surrounding tissue, it may be responsible for pain at rest or in motion.

Meniscal tear symptoms in a chronic course

In degenerative knee changes, symptoms of meniscal tear are not necessarily acute, but develop over a long period of time. Often sufferers notice an increasing instability in the knee joint and move more cautiously. Since the meniscus can no longer fulfill its functions (shock absorber, distribution of acting pressure and joint stabilization), a chronic state of irritation arises. This hurts or can lead to knee joint effusion.

initial phase

With progressive degeneration of the knee joint, only mild symptoms appear in the initial period. These can be mild pain when walking or running, which can not be pinpointed. Often, the pain is sometimes stronger and sometimes weaker. There is a risk that these are not perceived as meniscal tear symptoms and the necessary physical protection and a visit to the doctor are omitted. If a meniscal tear is not treated, it spreads further and the symptoms increase.

Further course

The longer a meniscal tear stays untreated, the more the damage can increase. In the case of wear-related changes, it then hurts, especially under stress, in some cases the pain persists even shortly after the acute stress. If the knee swells after slight physical activity or prolonged standing, this is a sign that the knee joint is already overwhelmed by this relatively moderate load.

Often the symptoms return when you keep your knee high. However, this only temporarily fights the meniscal tear symptoms and does not eliminate the cause of the pain. In the further course it becomes more and more difficult to stretch the leg completely or bend it strongly.

If such problems occur once, this is not a sign of a meniscal tear. Symptoms such as pain or exercise-related movement difficulties can also occur in inflammation in the knee joint or in acute overload (for example, by unfamiliar loads). However, if you notice such symptoms repeatedly, you should consult a doctor. If treated in time, the meniscus can often be obtained by a meniscal repair. This is often no longer possible with advanced meniscal damage, requiring meniscal removal or artificial meniscal replacement.

Severe meniscal tear symptoms

It is particularly complicated when fiber parts of the menisci are torn off and move freely in the joint. They can completely block the joint and make the stretching of the leg impossible (stretch inhibition). The classic symptoms of such a severe meniscal tear are symptoms such as snapping or clicking in the knee joint, which can be heard and felt during movement. If such a meniscal tear remains untreated, the joint can wear permanently and irreparably. It comes to knee joint osteoarthritis.

If the meniscus parts float freely in the knee joint, arthroscopy is used. An attempt is made to reduce the extent of the damage by removing the free-floating meniscus parts. Then the meniscal damage is sewn. So will the Meniscus tear symptoms fixed and prevented further damage to the knee joint.