Meniscus Tear — Can It Be Treated Without Surgery?
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If you have ever experienced a "pop" in your knee followed by sudden swelling and the knee locking up so it cannot fully extend, you may have a meniscus (semilunar cartilage) tear. Meniscus tears can result from sports injuries as well as degenerative changes, and not every case requires surgery.
The role of the meniscus
The meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage inside the knee joint, with one each on the inner (medial) and outer (lateral) sides. It plays a crucial role in distributing body weight, absorbing shock, and maintaining knee joint stability.
Causes of injury
- Traumatic — twisting of the knee during sports with frequent direction changes such as soccer or basketball
- Degenerative — after age 40, the meniscus weakens and can tear with even minor movements
- Combined injury — frequently occurs together with cruciate ligament tears
Cases that may be treated without surgery
Conservative treatment can be tried first when the following conditions apply.
- The tear is small and stable
- A horizontal tear caused by degenerative changes
- No locking symptoms in the knee
- Tear in the outer one-third of the meniscus (the vascular zone)
Nonsurgical treatment methods
- Korean medicine treatment — acupuncture and pharmacopuncture to control intra-articular inflammation and promote natural healing
- Herbal medicine — supports recovery of tissue around the joint and reduces swelling
- Rehabilitation exercise — strengthening the thigh muscles to compensate knee stability
- Activity modification — avoiding squatting and aggressive direction changes
When surgery should be considered
If knee locking recurs, if there is no improvement after three months of conservative treatment, or if the tear is large and unstable, arthroscopic surgery is considered. The key is to choose treatment that preserves the meniscus as much as possible, and this requires accurate diagnosis and expert judgment.