eMedicine Specialties > Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation > Lower Limb Musculoskeletal Conditions

Meniscal Injury: Follow-up

Author: Sarjoo M Bhagia, MD, Honorary Teaching Faculty, Charlotte Institute of Rehabilitation, Consulting Staff, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, OrthoCarolina
Coauthor(s): Michael Weinik, DO, Associate Chairman, Associate Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Temple University Hospital; Selina Yingqi Xing, MD, MS, Staff Physician, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Temple University
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jun 30, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Patients with meniscal injuries (operative or nonoperative) are recommended to receive outpatient physical therapy for rehabilitation. Please refer to the Physical Therapy section for appropriate treatment goals and guidelines.

Prognosis

  • The prognosis for pain-free return to sports is variable depending on comorbidities and severity of injury. Over the long term, meniscal injuries predispose to osteoarthritis12 secondary to increased loads on the articular surfaces of the knee. However, the degree of correlation between meniscal injuries and osteoarthritis has not been well established in the literature.

Patient Education

  • Unfortunately, most injuries to menisci occur during accidents that are, at times, not preventable. However, the following may help avoid these injuries:
    • Having strong thigh and hamstring muscles
    • Gently stretching the legs before and after exercise
    • Wearing shoes that fit properly when exercising and ensuring the shoes are appropriate for the activity being performed
    • When skiing, ensuring that ski bindings are set correctly by a trained professional so that the skis release when a fall occurs
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Foot, Ankle, Knee, and Hip Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Knee Injury and Knee Pain.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Pain and effusion in the knee joint are common manifestations of a variety of conditions affecting the knee and surrounding structures. Obtaining a thorough history and performing a thorough examination of a person presenting with symptoms and signs suggestive of meniscal injury are essential to rule out other potentially serious conditions such as malignancies (eg, osteosarcoma of distal femur and proximal tibia, osteoid osteoma), septic arthritis of the knee, and hip pathology with sympathetic knee effusion and pain.
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors wish to thank Kavita Gupta, DO, MEng, Department of Orthopedics, Center of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Dentistry and Medicine of New Jersey, for his previous contributions to this article.



More on Meniscal Injury

Overview: Meniscal Injury
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Meniscal Injury
Treatment & Medication: Meniscal Injury
Follow-up: Meniscal Injury
Multimedia: Meniscal Injury
References
Further Reading
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References

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Further Reading

Related eMedicine topics:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury [Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation]
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury [Sports Medicine]
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Pathology
Knee, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries (MRI)
Knee Injury, Soft Tissue
Knee, Meniscal Tears (MRI)
Meniscus Injuries

Clinical guidelines:
ACR Appropriateness Criteria® nontraumatic knee pain. American College of Radiology - Medical Specialty Society.  1995 (revised 2005).  9 pages. [NGC Update Pending] NGC:004631

Knee & leg (acute & chronic). Work Loss Data Institute - Public For Profit Organization.  2003 (revised 2008 May 7).  289 pages.  NGC:006561

Clinical trials:
Chondrocyte Maturation and Cartilage Loss Following Meniscal Injury

Comparing Knee Cartilage Surgery Versus Standard Physical Therapy in Treating People With a Meniscal Tear and Osteoarthritis

Meniscal Repair: A Randomized Prospective Trial of FAST-FIX vs. Meniscal Suturing

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Keywords

meniscal injury, meniscus, knee surgery, knee injury, knee injuries, meniscus tear, torn meniscus, medial meniscus, lateral meniscus, meniscus surgery, knee meniscus, medial meniscus tear, meniscus injury, meniscus repair, meniscus treatment, meniscal tear, menisci, lateral meniscus tear

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Sarjoo M Bhagia, MD, Honorary Teaching Faculty, Charlotte Institute of Rehabilitation, Consulting Staff, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, OrthoCarolina
Sarjoo M Bhagia, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Association of Academic Physiatrists, North American Spine Society, and Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Michael Weinik, DO, Associate Chairman, Associate Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Temple University Hospital
Michael Weinik, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Selina Yingqi Xing, MD, MS, Staff Physician, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Temple University
Selina Yingqi Xing, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Medical Association, and Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Robert E Windsor, MD, FAAPMR, FAAEM, FAAPM, President and Director, Georgia Pain Physicians, PC; Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Emory University School of Medicine
Robert E Windsor, MD, FAAPMR, FAAEM, FAAPM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pain Medicine, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Association, International Association for the Study of Pain, Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Michael T Andary, MD, MS, Residency Program Director, Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Michael T Andary, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American Medical Association, and Association of Academic Physiatrists
Disclosure: allergan Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Pfizer Honoraria Speaking and teaching

CME Editor

Kelly L Allen, MD, Regional Medical Director, IMX-Medical Management Services
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Consuelo T Lorenzo, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Alegent Health Care, Immanuel Rehabilitation Center
Consuelo T Lorenzo, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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