Meniscus Tear Specialist

What is a meniscus tear?

The meniscus is a c-shaped piece of cartilage that acts like a cushion between the shinbone and thighbone in your knee joint. A forceful twist or pivot of your knee can tear the meniscus. That is why popular sports such as basketball, football, or tennis can cause a meniscus tear.

The risk of a meniscus tear increases as you age, since degenerative changes in the knee can make it more susceptible. In those cases, just bending or kneeling can result in a torn meniscus. If left untreated, a torn meniscus can cause ongoing pain, knee instability, and a loss of range of motion. It can also lead to the development of knee osteoarthritis.

What are the symptoms of a meniscus tear?

Symptoms of a meniscus tear in the knee may include:

• A popping feeling
• Swelling or stiffness
• Pain when twisting or rotating your knee
• Difficulty fully straightening your knee
• Feeling like your knee is locked or giving way

How do you treat a meniscus tear?

First, your Pain & Sports Medicine Specialist at the Integrative Pain Institute conducts a comprehensive sports injury, pain, and arthritis evaluation. They may order an X-ray to check joint alignment in the knee, or an MRI to evaluate damage to soft tissue. Other possible injuries might include a torn ligament in the knee, such as the ACL, the MCL, or the LCL.

Once a torn meniscus or ligament is confirmed, your practitioner determines a non-surgical approach to treatment (surgical repair is always the last option). Some of the most common treatments include prescription medications for pain and inflammation reduction, physical therapy, and a weight-loss plan to reduce stress on the joint.

Newer forms of treatment include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and stem cell therapy. These therapies involve using your own body’s healing power to repair the injury. Your practitioner removes stem cells or platelets from your body and injects them into the injured area, causing your body to regrow damaged tissue or cartilage (with stem cells), and speed up the healing process (with plasma). These treatments are safe and effective, requiring no downtime.

If you are suffering from a meniscus tear or other knee injury, Integrative Pain Institute will treat you with the most comprehensive tools available. To start feeling relief as soon as possible, call or book an appointment online today for an evaluation at the Dallas, Plano or McKinney office.

We service patients from all over the DFW area including North Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Plano, Garland, Irving, Allen, Richardson, and University Park, Highland Park, Frisco and McKinney.