2024-06-30 10:24:00
Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist doctor daily, Today we introduce you to meniscal injuries, a common knee trauma among athletes.
franceinfo: First of all, what is the meniscus used for?
Martin Ducret: The meniscus, or rather meniscus, since each knee has two, is a natural shock absorber shaped like a crescent that is located on either side of the knee, between the femur and tibia. They absorb pressure exerted on the joints, stabilize them, and promote bone sliding by acting as lubricants.
How do meniscal injuries occur?
Simply put, there are two different types of lesions. The first is when a young athlete is injured due to trauma, such as a knee sprain. This is what happened to tennis player Novak Djokovic or Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois last March. As a result of this twisting, the meniscus can rupture or tear, and more or less large fragments can separate or even cause blockage of the joint.
“Such unstable injuries in young athletes require surgical intervention in the vast majority of cases.points out Dr. Romain Rousseau, a plastic surgeon at the Nolet Clinic in Paris. The aim is to preserve the meniscus as much as possible and stabilize the lesion, preferably with sutures, but sometimes a piece of the meniscus needs to be removed if the joint is blocked by debris. After surgery, the time to return to sports ranges from 1 to 6 months, depending on the location and type of lesion.
What’s the alternative?
This is a meniscal injury in older athletes. The typical scenario is a runner in his fifties who complains of knee pain because he has increased his running frequency in preparation for a marathon.
In this case, the knee is not twisted, but repetitive microtrauma causes the meniscus to rupture and become inflamed. The lesions are generally stable and do not require surgery. The inflammation must first be calmed down by rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Sometimes corticosteroid infiltration is necessary.
The athlete will then be able to resume his sport, provided he has re-strengthened his leg muscles through a physiotherapist and seen a podiatrist for advice on good running exercises and, if necessary, orthopedic insoles.
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