AHANa (19) dislocated her knee and had multiple ligament tears after she fell down while driving her scooter. Her surgery for repair of all ligaments was performed, and she is back to her active lifestyle, whether it is gyming, trekking or dancing.
Sangrur-based Pramod (32) had a sudden knee pain while getting out of car. The pain persisted for six months. He was diagnosed with a meniscus tear. Eventually, a surgery was performed and Pramod is back to his normal life now.
The knee is made up of four bones: the thigh bone (femur), the shinbone (tibia), the calf bone (fibula), and the kneecap (patella), held together by four ligaments: anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL, PCL) and medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL). Bony surfaces are covered with a white glistening cartilage called hyaline which ensures friction-free surfaces. The knee joint also has two shock-absorbing wedges called medial and lateral meniscus.
Common injuries
Knee injuries, such as fractures and dislocations, as well as ligament and meniscus tears are quite common after accidents or falls. The meniscus tear can happen at any age but older adults are at a higher risk as collagen fibres in meniscus weaken and the cartilage thins with age. Even simple everyday movements like standing up from a chair or stepping off an uneven curb can cause meniscus tears.
In young, active adults or sportspersons, ligament tears are more common. ACL tear is the most common, especially while playing soccer, basketball, skiing, cricket, kabaddi, dance, athletics, etc, and in contact sports like wrestling or during accidents or sudden falls.
Both ligament and meniscus tears cause much pain and swelling. If left untreated, the meniscus and ligament tears tend to damage the hyaline cartilage by repeated scratches on the glistening surfaces. Having a history of knee injuries (such as an ACL tear) makes the meniscus more vulnerable.
Symptoms that need evaluation
A popping or crunching noise at the time of injury
Pain and swelling or locking in knee
Weakness/ instability, or the feeling like the knee might ‘give out’ beneath you.
Inability to fully straighten or bend the knee
Inability to bear weight on any foot
While fractures and dislocations are mostly diagnosable with X-rays and CT scan, ligament, meniscus and hyaline cartilage injuries are not visible in the X-ray and require MRI.
Treatment and recovery
Immediate first aid or the PRICE therapy:
Pain medicines
Rest to the knee joint
Ice application: every one hour for 10 minutes
Compression bandage
Elevating the leg above the heart level
The minimally displaced stable fractures of the knee require a simple immobilisation while the displaced and potentially unstable fractures require surgical intervention and stabilisation with plates and/or screws
Ligament and meniscus tears require keyhole (arthroscopic) surgery which can make the patient mobile the very next day of the surgery. Recovery is swift and even sportspersons are able to return to practice in 2-3 months and to full sports in 5-6 months after such surgery.