Meniscus Tears - Surgery or Physiotherapy? - Morley Physio

1. Meniscus Tears: Surgery or Physiotherapy?

2. A torn meniscus is a common, and often debilitating, injury. The two menisci in each knee work to cushion it, helping to keep your knee steady and spread your weight evenly. If you have a torn meniscus, your knee will not be able to function correctly and something as simple as walking to the shops could cause you intense pain.

3. What Causes Meniscus Tears? • There are two main causes of a torn meniscus. • The first is due to having your foot planted firmly while the knee twists or bends sharply, and is most commonly found in those playing sports or lifting heavy objects. • The second cause is due to aging - as you get older, the menisci wear out naturally, and become more prone to tears.

4. What are the Symptoms of Meniscus Tears? • The primary signs of a meniscus tear are pain and swelling, and the severity of these symptoms varies depending on the severity of the tear. • Minor tears may cause swelling for a few days, but the pain may go within a couple of weeks. • More severe tears can cause pieces of the torn meniscus to move into the joint space, making you feel unsteady on your feet, and making it difficult for you to straighten your leg.

5. Treating a Meniscus Tear - Surgery or Physiotherapy? • When it comes to treating a meniscus tear, people are divided. It was originally thought that the best and only way to effective treat a meniscus tear was to operate on it, and then have the patient carry out physiotherapy once the surgery was over. • This method continues to work perfectly, but in recent years, studies have emerged showing that there is little to no difference in recovery when comparing patients who have undergone surgery to those who have only undertaken physiotherapy as treatment. • This discovery, corroborated by research from both The New England Journal of Medicine and The Norwegian Research Centre for Active Rehabilitation, has caused professionals to wonder whether patients suffering from meniscus tears require surgery at all.

6. Treating a Meniscus Tear - Surgery or Physiotherapy? • The study from the Norwegian Research Centre for Active Rehabilitation found that patients who had undergone an arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (surgery) combined with postoperative physiotherapy felt no better six months on than patients who had undergone physiotherapy alone in terms of function and pain. • However, this study exclusively used participants who were over the age of 45 and had a mild to moderate meniscus tear.

7. What Does This Say About More Severe Tears? • For patients who are suffering from severe meniscal tears, or even from sports related meniscal tears, the results are not conclusive. • While you may be able to assume that a tailored course of physiotherapy may provide the same results as with the mild and moderate tears, it is not a certainty. • It would be reasonable to conclude in severe tears with pieces of meniscus trapped in the joint, that surgery may be required for complete recovery.

8. How Do I Know If I Need Surgery? • Thanks to the positive outcome of the previous studies showing that surgery is not the only treatment for mild meniscal tears, with carefully tailored physiotherapy designed to increase movement and decrease pain and swelling. • To answer the question of whether or not you should undertake surgery in order to treat your meniscal tear: the choice is yours, but studies have recommended undergoing a course of physiotherapy for 6-8 weeks before surgery. If no improvement is shown, consider surgery as a treatment.

9. If you are suffering from a meniscus tear and looking for knee pain treatment, consider Morley Physiotherapy. Our customised facility and personal service is ideal for treating injuries that require careful attention and individual service.