A meniscus tear can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, catching or locking sensations in your knee, making you unable to move it through its complete range of motion. It’s very common to have meniscus tears appear on an MRI, especially as we age. We know that any kind of knee pain can be debilitating.
If your knees are causing you problems, your best option is to contact the highly-qualified medical team at Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine in Westfield and West Orange, New Jersey and serving all of Union county, Morris county, Middlesex county, and Somerset county including the surrounding towns of Cranford, Garwood, Clark, Scotch Plains, Mountainside, Springfield, Summit, Chatham, Millburn, Short Hills, Maplewood, Watchung, Berkeley Heights, Livingston, Union, Edison, Woodbridge, and Elizabeth. The clinic offers a range of minimally invasive treatments for meniscus tears and other causes of knee pain, so call today or book an appointment online.
For appointments, call us or book online at any of our convenient locations in Middletown, Morristown, Ridgewood, Westfield, and West Orange.
What is a Meniscus Tear?
The meniscus is a section of cartilage in your knee which stabilises the joint and protects it from the concussive impact of walking and running. The cartilage that forms the meniscus can tear. In some cases, torn pieces of cartilage break off and become lodged in the knee joint, which makes your knee lock up.
Meniscus tears are one of the most common injuries in the knee joint. They are often brought on by participating in sports, particularly those which involve sudden changes of direction when running, which twist the knee joint and put it under excessive strain.
The meniscus gets weaker, so older people are more likely to develop a degenerative meniscus tear, and those who play sports are more prone to experiencing an acute meniscus tear.
Symptoms of a Meniscus Tear
As the damage usually occurs during a period of activity, you’ll probably feel a popping sensation as the meniscus tears. Other symptoms include:
- Pain at the Injury Site
- Swelling in the Knee
- Problems with Flexing the Knee Joint
- Knee Joints Locking in Place
A meniscus tear may not be especially painful at first, but as inflammation develops, the pain increases and can become severe.
Treatment for Meniscus Tear in New Jersey
A meniscus tear may heal with rest and physical therapy, but the prognosis is dependent on which part of the meniscus you’ve damaged. There are two zones to the meniscus: the outer “red zone,” which has a good blood supply, and the larger, inner “white zone” that lacks a decent blood supply. Small tears in the red zone of the meniscus may heal without intervention, but injuries in the white zone won’t heal as they have an insufficient blood supply.
The medical team at Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine provides a range of safe and effective treatment options for meniscus tears that stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms to heal the meniscus and reduce pain and inflammation. Therapies available for meniscus tears in New Jersey include:
- Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
- Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC)
- Lipogems: Adipose/Fat therapy
- Orthovisc/Hyaluronic Acid injections for underlying osteoarthritis
For an accurate diagnosis of your knee pain and the most advanced treatment methods available for meniscus tear in New Jersey, call Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine today or book an appointment online.
