There may also be a feeling of weakness in the leg and a sense of the knee buckling or “giving way.” This is because displaced, fragmented tissue from a torn meniscus and swelling in the knee can affect the thigh muscles that support knee function.
Symptoms of a meniscus tear may be different for each person, but some of the most common symptoms are: Pain in the knee joint: usually on the inside (medial), outside (lateral) or back of the knee. Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint.
Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain. Other people find that the torn meniscus prevents them from participating comfortably in their usual daily activities.
Can Torn Meniscus Cause Calf Pain? Yes - much like ankle pain and plantar fasciities, it is not uncommon for the sufferer to extends and contract the calf muscle more than usual to compensate for the lack of movement in the knee.
Pain in the knee joint. Swelling. Catching or locking of the knee joint. Inability to fully extend or bend the knee joint.
There may also be a feeling of weakness in the leg and a sense of the knee buckling or “giving way.” This is because displaced, fragmented tissue from a torn meniscus and swelling in the knee can affect the thigh muscles that support knee function.
KNEE PAIN SYMPTOMS
Symptoms may include a sharp or dull pain, sometimes radiating down or up the leg, stiffness, the knee swelling, and weakness and or inability to bend or straighten the leg fully.
Can knee pain cause problems anywhere else? You may feel some pain in your hip, or the muscles around your thigh or lower leg. This should improve as your knee problem gets better.
Continuing to walk on the affected leg can aggravate your symptoms, making pain and stiffness worse in as little as a few days. Plus, suffering a torn meniscus may also increase your risk of complications, like developing osteoarthritis in that knee.
Tighten the quadriceps of your injured leg. Keeping your knee as straight as possible, lift your injured leg off the bed until your heel is about 30 centimetres (12 inches) above the bed or floor.
There is often sharp pain when you twist or squat. Symptoms may go away but can come back from overuse or when you do activities that involve twisting. The pain may come and go over a period of years if the tear isn't treated. Larger tears usually cause more pain and immediate swelling and stiffness.
In severe tears, pieces of the torn meniscus can move into the joint space. This can make your knee catch, pop, or lock. You may not be able to straighten it. Your knee may feel "wobbly" or buckle without warning.
You will have a physical examination to find out if you have a torn meniscus and to rule out other knee injuries. Your doctor will check both knees for tenderness, range of motion, and knee stability. X-rays are usually done. Based on your symptoms and the physical examination, your doctor may diagnose a meniscus tear.
Knee pain may be the result of an injury, such as a ruptured ligament or torn cartilage. Medical conditions — including arthritis, gout and infections — also can cause knee pain. Many types of minor knee pain respond well to self-care measures. Physical therapy and knee braces also can help relieve pain.
Iliotibial band syndrome causes pain on the outside of the knee. It might affect one or both of your knees. The pain is an aching, burning feeling that sometimes spreads up the thigh to the hip. You might notice this pain only when you exercise, especially while running.
Tightness behind the knee is often caused by tightness in the hamstring or calf muscles. The hamstring muscles run down the back of the thigh attaching behind the knee, and one of the calf muscles, gastrocnemius, starting from the back of the knee, travels down to the heel.
Answer. Yes, injuries in the lower leg can effect the hip and lower back.
Medial meniscal root tears are associated with poor subjective knee function (24), and a relatively high proportion of these patients (31 %) require a knee replacement within five years (35), emphasising that medial root tears are part of a general degenerative process.
How soon you can return to work depends on your job. If you sit at work, you may be able to go back in 1 to 2 weeks. But if you are on your feet at work, it may take 4 to 6 weeks. If you are very physically active in your job, it may take 3 to 6 months.
Left untreated, a meniscus tear can limit your daily life and ability to participate in exercise and sports. In serious cases, it can develop into long-term knee problems, like arthritis.
Recovery will take about 6 to 8 weeks if your meniscus tear is treated conservatively, without surgery. If your symptoms persist after 3 months or your symptoms become significant, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair the tear.
What type of meniscus tear is the worst? Bucket-handle meniscus tears are the most serious type of meniscus injury. They often occur alongside a ligament injury. Bucket-handle tears require prompt surgery in order to have the best possible chance of recovery.