Meniscus Injury/Tear in Mona Vale
Meniscus injuries are a common cause of knee pain and can occur following a twisting injury or develop gradually over time. At Helix Recovery, we assess your knee function, symptoms and activity demands to determine an appropriate treatment and rehabilitation plan.
What is a Meniscus Injury/Tear
The menisci are two crescent-shaped pieces of cartilage within the knee that help distribute load and contribute to joint stability. Each knee has a medial meniscus on the inside and a lateral meniscus on the outside.
Meniscus tears can occur following a sudden twisting or loaded movement, particularly during sport, or develop gradually as the tissue changes with age. Importantly, meniscus tears are also commonly found on MRI in people without knee pain, so imaging findings need to be considered alongside your symptoms and clinical assessment.
Common Symptoms
Pain along the inside or outside of the knee
Pain with twisting or pivoting
Pain with deep squatting or bending the knee
Swelling or stiffness
Clicking or catching sensations
Reduced knee movement
Pain with walking, stairs or exercise
Difficulty returning to sport or training
How We Assess a Meniscus Injury/Tear
Not all knee pain associated with a meniscus tear is necessarily coming from the tear itself. Other structures within and around the knee can produce similar symptoms, and meniscal changes are commonly seen on imaging without causing pain.
Assessment may include knee movement, joint-line tenderness, meniscal tests, squatting and twisting movements, ligament testing and assessment of lower-limb strength and function.
The aim is to determine whether the meniscus is likely to be contributing to your symptoms, assess how well the knee is functioning and identify factors that can be addressed through treatment and rehabilitation.
How We Treat a Meniscus Injury/Tear
Treatment depends on how long symptoms have been present, their severity and the activities you want to return to.
Treatment may include:
Osteopathic manual therapy
Progressive exercise rehabilitation
Quadriceps and lower-limb strengthening
Knee mobility exercises
Activity and load modification
Gradual return to work, gym or sport
Shockwave Therapy for a Meniscus Injury/Tear
Shockwave therapy is not used to directly heal or repair a meniscus tear, with progressive exercise rehabilitation and appropriate load management forming the main focus of conservative treatment.
However, shockwave therapy may be utilised to target local soft tissue structures contributing to pain or sensitivity around the knee. Where appropriate, it can be used alongside strengthening and rehabilitation as part of a broader treatment plan.
Common Questions
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No. Many meniscus tears can be managed successfully without surgery, particularly when the knee is not persistently locking and symptoms and function are improving with conservative management.
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Healing potential depends partly on the location and type of tear, as blood supply varies throughout the meniscus. Importantly, symptoms can improve significantly even when structural changes remain visible on imaging.
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Usually, yes. Exercise is often an important part of conservative management. Initially, movements that significantly aggravate symptoms may need to be modified before progressively rebuilding strength and tolerance.
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A knee that becomes genuinely locked, significant ongoing swelling, substantial loss of movement or symptoms that fail to improve with appropriate conservative management may warrant further medical or orthopaedic assessment.
Is a Meniscus Injury Keeping inhibiting your exercise?
If knee pain is limiting your walking, gym training, work or sport, we can assess your knee and develop a progressive treatment and rehabilitation plan.