How to Diagnose Meniscus Injuries
If you've experienced sudden pain in your knees following a weight-bearing swivel or pivot, such as while snowboarding, you may have meniscus injuries. Menisci are the cartilage pads below the kneecaps that allow the knee joints to move freely. These can tear while engaging in certain sports or exercise, such as tennis, running or dancing. They can also occur during everyday activity. Diagnose your meniscus injuries for better knee health.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Acknowledge and assess mild knee pain. When a meniscus is slightly injured, mild-to-medium pain immediately is felt below the kneecap. Since this often feels like a minor "tweak," you might even continue the activity that caused it.
-
2
Evaluate more severe knee pain. When the meniscus is severely torn, strands of loose cartilage may catch between the upper and lower leg bones at the knee, resulting in a flash of sudden, sharp pain.
-
-
3
Notice the position of your leg. You will feel more pain from a meniscus tear when the leg is straightened than when it is bent.
-
4
Evaluate any swelling and note whether your knee puffs up immediately or several hours later. The first symptom is due to stress on the blood vessels, and the second means that the joint lining, or synovium, has filled with fluid. Both indicate inflammation surrounding the meniscus.
-
5
Notice whether you hear a clicking sound, or if your knee locks up or feels weak.
-
6
Rule out other causes like arthritis or immune system disorders, including ulcerative colitis, lupus or Crohn's or Lyme diseases. These will have a gradual onset of pain along with other symptoms, such as fever or nausea.
-
7
Monitor your symptoms. Light meniscus tears may heal on their own and symptoms will disappear. A re-injury can cause more marked symptoms the second time around.
-
8
Seek professional advice. A doctor may diagnose meniscus injuries based on your medical history and lifestyle, a physical exam, X-rays or other tests.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Medical and lifestyle histories play vital roles in diagnosing knee conditions. Even if you used to play a sport but don't anymore, let your doctor know about it.
Too much weight on the injured area is counterproductive. If you are overweight, consider dieting to prevent a traumatic knee injury in the future.
You may mistake a more serious degenerative condition, such as arthritis, for a meniscus injury. Have a physician diagnose the problem definitively.
