Knee pain as a result of a meniscus tear is extraordinarily common in both the young teenage Carlsbad soccer player as well as the mature La Jolla tennis player.  The tear can occur from a twisting or pivoting mechanism.  This is commonly seen on the football field.

Quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers tend to get all the attention from fans and NFL analysts. One of the most underrated positions in all of sports could very well be NFL’s long-snapper. The position of long-snapper is important enough that most NFL teams use a roster spot specifically for a designated long-snapper. Unfortunately for the Steeler’s, long-snapper Greg Warren suffered a torn meniscus in practice two weeks ago. Warren has played every regular season game for the last four years for the Steelers but he is likely to have that consecutive game streak come to an end at the beginning of this season.

The meniscus is a wedge of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber and stabilizer between the thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). A meniscus tear can result in reduced cushioning between the femur, tibia, and kneecap, as well as reduced stability. The result of a meniscus tear is an intense amount of knee pain, stiffness, swelling, decreased range of motion, and instability. Without treatment, there is a good chance that a piece of the meniscus can come loose. This often results in a slipping, locking or popping of the knee. Meniscus tear often occurs as a result of a twisting or pivoting motion in non-contact situations. They can also be caused by direct contact, as with a tackle to the knee. In the case of Greg Warren, the meniscus tear injury was sustained without direct contact.

Meniscus Tear Diagnosis:

The process of diagnosing a meniscus tear begins with a visit to a physician.  The doctor will most likely be the McMurray test, which involves bending, then straightening, and then rotating the knee. If there is a click then it is considered a positive McMurray test and if there is no click it is a negative McMurray test. A positive test would mean that there might be a meniscus tear.

After the McMurray test the doctor may order a battery of imaging tests to check for a meniscus tear and other associated knee injuries. An X-ray would be used to determine if there is a different cause of the symptoms. Rather, an MRI would reveal damage or tear to soft tissue such as a meniscus.

Meniscus Tear Treatment:

Treatment of a meniscus tear can involve either surgical or non-surgical treatment. Non-surgical treatment involves rest, ice, compression, elevation along with medication to relieve pain and swelling. Surgical treatment may be a meniscectomy or a meniscus repair. In a meniscectomy, the orthopedic surgeon trims away the damaged meniscal tissue. Meniscal repair involves the suturing torn meniscus pieces back together.

Rehabilitation is dependent on the severity of the injury and can require about two weeks for injuries that do not require surgery. Three to four weeks of rehabilitation is required for meniscectomy surgeries. Three to four months of rehabilitation is required for a meniscus repair. In the case of Greg Warren, he likely underwent a meniscectomy as he is scheduled to return to the field about a month after the injury. A little math shows that Greg Warren will be snapping again by week three of the 2014-2015 NFL season, which is great news for Greg Warren and the Steelers.

If you have been told that you need an arthroscopy for a meniscus tear or would like a second opinion, call to schedule an appointment with our award winning sports medicine doctors at Orthopedic Surgery San Diego Clinic.