When can meniscus tears be treated without surgery?
In order to understand at what point in time the torn meniscus can be subjected to certain strains, it helps to know the different phases of wound healing. The acute meniscus tear is the first to trigger an inflammatory reaction in the knee. In this initial phase, the joint is often swollen and hurts more or less severely.
Responsible for the swelling is an accumulation of fluid inside the joint caused by the inflammation (a so-called irritant effusion). In the treatment of a torn meniscus, the focus is on pain treatment and stimulation of blood circulation, as well as protection, cooling and elevation of the leg in order to reduce the swelling. The consequent relief of the leg plays an important role.
After about one week, the so-called proliferation phase begins, new connective tissue is formed, which increasingly fills the wound. During this phase of wound healing, the knee can be increasingly loaded, moved and mobilized. Only after a few months does the last phase begin, the rebuilding phase, in which the connective tissue formed restores the functionality of the meniscus (as a “shock absorber” in the knee joint) and specific training therapy can be carried out.
Duration/healing time
Meniscus tears that do not require surgery are usually smaller tears in the well perfused outer zone of the meniscus, which can often heal on their own when immobilized. The only meniscus tear requiring surgery is the so-called basket handle tear, which cannot heal by itself with conservative therapy. In the meantime, there are various therapeutic concepts that promise healing without surgery and a lower risk of secondary diseases such as knee joint arthrosis and wound healing disorders after surgery.
On the one hand, a therapy with a supporting bandage has shown good results under normal load on the knee. There is also a conventional approach based on protection of the knee joint. In general, a period of about six to twelve weeks is required to heal a torn meniscus, but in the case of a small tear, this can be faster. During this period of rest, painkillers, physiotherapeutic exercises, cooling and anti-inflammatory injections into the knee joint can also be used. In any case, the patient should start with careful stress tests and muscle strength exercises before the knee is fully loaded again.
