Meniscus Surgery Options
The meniscus or menisci are the thick, strong, cartilage-like shock absorbers that cushion and pad the knee between the thigh (femur) and shin (tibia) bones. Shaped like the letter “C,” the meniscus of each knee provides stability in carrying the weight of the body or in gliding through the knee’s many range of motions.
The meniscus can become problematic either through traumatic injury, or age and wear and tear.
Wear and tear can occur in runners, people who have jobs that require a lot of physical activity where stresses to the knees are applied, or in older people where the degeneration of the cartilage causes tearing in the meniscus.
Meniscus injuries in sports are often caused by impact or in sharp cutting or turning when the meniscus can become trapped between the femur and the tibia. Typically an injury to the meniscus will occur in combination with ligament injuries, especially the MCL (medial collateral ligament).
What are symptoms and signs of a torn meniscus?
- On and off swelling of the knee
- Pain with running or walking
- Clicking or popping noise especially on stairs
- Giving way or buckling
- The knee locks up and cannot be straightend out. This usually occurs from the meniscus tear causing an obstruction by folding back over itself.
Get a Second Opinion!
The meniscus is a cushion that protects the knee from the daily grind and from sports related impacts. When torn, the damaged area is often removed surgically – to reduce pain and prevent the knee from locking.
Common sense tells us that when we remove padding, there is less cushion. When you take any padding away from the knee, there is more impact, and knee degeneration may be accelerated. This can lead to future surgeries and knee replacement.
Since the meniscus is involved in knee stability, removing part of it will make the knee less stable.
We have found Prolotherapy and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy to be very effective treatments for torn meniscus. These treatments heal and repair the meniscal damage and help our patient’s avoid surgery
Watch the treatments
Prolotherapy Performed On The Knee
A Case history
FV is a 48 year old man with a 3 month history of bilateral knee pain.
The patient was initially seen by a rheumatologist, and given a steroid injection which gave him relief of his pain for 6 months. The pain; however, would return, and another steroid injection provided only minimal relief.
Plagued with pain, and searching for answers, the patient went to see an orthopedic surgeon who ordered an MRI, which revealed a right medial meniscus tear.
An Arthroscopy was recommended; however, FV did not wish to pursue a surgical treatment. Patient was therefore given mobic for symptomatic pain relief, and told to await his eventual need for a total knee arthroplasty.
Seeking alternative therapies, the patient came to the Darrow Sports & Wellness Institute, after a referral from a close personal friend and current patient of Dr. Darrow.
Upon his visit to our office, FV reported significant and worsening right knee pain, described as sharp, and worse with bending of the knee.
After examination, FV was thought to be an optimal candidate for treatment with prolotherapy. He underwent his first prolotherapy treatment into his right knee.
Nine days later the patient returned for his second treatment and reported that the only pain he experienced had been one day prior to his visit at the gym, while running.
He reported a 70% improvement after his first treatment.
Five weeks later, the patient returned for his third treatment of his right knee, and reported complete resolution of his knee pain.
