Are you experiencing a sharp pain in your knee? Chances are you have injured your meniscus. The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of tough, rubbery cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between your shinbone and thighbone. It can be torn if you suddenly twist your knee while bearing weight on it.

A torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries. Activities that require you to forcefully twist or rotate the knee when putting full weight on it can lead to a torn meniscus. The risk is higher for athletes that participate in sports such as football, tennis, soccer, or basketball.

Other causes of a meniscus tear result from rapid stepping or squatting on an uneven surface causing disproportionate force on the knees. This movement might occur while trail running in cross country, running football drills, or repetitive walking over undulating surfaces on a golf course.

Besides injuring your knee from physical activity, a torn meniscus can also result from wear and tear as you age, as well as obesity.

Common symptoms of a torn meniscus in the knee may include:

• Localized pain near the area of the tear
• Immediate pain after the injury
• Slow onset of symptoms (older individuals and osteoarthritis)
• Pain with movement
• Pain after resting
• Fluid accumulation within the knee joint
• Knee locking

Conservative treatment includes rest, ice, and medication. At times, this is enough to alleviate the pain and give the injury time to heal on its own. In other cases, a torn meniscus may require surgical repair.

If you are experiencing knee pain, give Tarpon Interventional Pain & Spine Care a call, 972-596-1059, to set up an appointment to pinpoint the exact reason for your discomfort. Or you may visit www.tarponpa.com for more information.