Description of the problem:
I have often heard of people with meniscus injuries...
I usually play basketball, but not very often.
I usually play basketball, but not very often, 3 or 4 times a week, and the level of confrontation is not high, but I'm also afraid of this thing ...
Ans:
is relatively easy to injure other parts of the body, but can not be choked on ah is not so easy to get hurt, pay attention to protect themselves
between the thigh and calf of the pivot of activity - the knee joint, is the body's largest joints, by the femur, the lower end of the tibia, and the tibia, and the lower end of the patella (patella) in the front, the knee joint is the biggest joint in the human body. It is formed by the lower end of the femur, the upper end of the tibia, and the patella (kneecap) in front of it, encased in a joint capsule. The inner and outer femoral condyles at the lower end of the femur are hemispherical. When the knee joint moves, it does a combination of rolling and sliding on a smooth "platform" at the upper end of the tibia. In order to reduce friction and vibration, so that the pressure is evenly distributed, the two bone joint surface between the cartilage "spacer". The "spacer" is crescent-shaped, one on each side, like a small bracket, "pad" in the tibial plateau, and with the joint capsule and the surrounding tendons, ligaments and fixed, with the knee movement can be forward and backward or inside and outside of the direction of the slightest movement.
The proper name for the "spacer" is the meniscus. The inner meniscus is thicker on the outer edge and thinner on the inner edge; the outer meniscus is slightly smaller than the inner one, but it is fuller and is shaped like the moon on the 12th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar.
The role of the meniscus is important and vulnerable to injury. When the lower limb weight-bearing, in the foot fixed, the knee slightly flexed position, the joint suddenly internal rotation, knee extension or external rotation, knee extension, that may cause meniscus tear injury. Daily work, life, picking, lifting heavy objects, or riding a bicycle in a hurry to get off the unsteady stand; or in the fierce soccer, basketball and other sports, athletes scramble, may occur meniscus injury. Long-term squatting or semi-squatting work, such as automobile mechanics, repeated squatting and standing up, meniscus wear and tear is serious, will also be injured. Such patients are mostly young adults. According to statistical research, meniscus injury "Chinese and foreign differences": Europeans and Americans are prone to injuries to the medial meniscus, while the Chinese people to the lateral side of the common (the Japanese is also the same).
In acute injuries, some people can hear a rattle in the joint themselves. It is often accompanied by synovial membrane damage to the inner wall of the joint capsule, causing intra-articular hemorrhage and oozing. After the injury, the joint is gradually swollen, continuous pain. After rest and general anti-swelling and anti-pain treatment, the symptoms are reduced, but the joint space is still painful, especially when the joint is extended and flexed to a certain position. Walking, especially up and down the stairs, feel the weakness of the lower limbs, often playing soft legs, affecting work and life. Over time, the thigh muscles atrophy and the circumference becomes thin. Some patients walk, suddenly feel abnormal knee pain, can not move, and even fall. After enduring the pain and moving the calf, they can resume walking again. This symptom is called joint interlocking, which is caused by the damaged meniscus stuck in the joint. Some patients, the knee joint activities feel popping and hear popping sound.
According to the knee has been injured and the above performance characteristics, coupled with a positive test of the knee joint special examination, can be initially identified meniscus injury. However, the knee joint structure is complex, causing pain, interlocking, popping sound, weakness of the injury, such as lateral collateral ligament injury, free body, cruciate ligament rupture, discoid meniscus and so on more, may be confused with each other. Therefore, in addition to the routine ingestion of knee radiographs, you need to choose other special methods of examination.
One method is knee arthrography. Because the meniscus is a cartilaginous structure, it does not show up on conventional X-rays, and a non-toxic contrast agent or gas can be injected into the joint to fill the gap outside the meniscus, so that the meniscus shows up to see if there is any sign of damage. CT or magnetic **** vibration examination, without the use of contrast agents, and without pain, but the price is higher.
Arthroscopy is under anesthesia, the delicate and dexterous arthroscope will be put into the joint through a very small incision, through the fiber-optic guide, from the outside to see the various lesions inside the joint directly, and at the same time can be used with the attached fine instruments for intra-articular surgery. Arthroscopy has many advantages, less trauma and less pain for the patient, but due to the limitations of the conditions, it is not yet commonly used. In addition, ultrasound can also assist in the diagnosis.
The meniscus has a blood supply only in the outer part near the synovium, and most of it is bloodless tissue, which relies on joint fluid to maintain metabolism. Due to the relative lack of nutrition, it is difficult to heal on its own once it is injured. Taking medication, injections, plasters or physical therapy can only provide temporary relief of symptoms without a radical cure. Over time, it will lead to traumatic arthritis, and the symptoms will become more serious. So meniscus injuries should be taken seriously and surgical treatment should be considered.
A few special types of meniscus injuries can choose to repair surgery, the vast majority of meniscus resection. With the removal of the damaged meniscus, knee symptoms can be eliminated or significantly reduced. Over time, a meniscus-like structure grows in place, which is inferior to the original normal one, but still has most of its functions.
In order to promote recovery, before and after meniscus surgery, the quadriceps muscle function exercise should be carried out diligently. The method is, the patient lying flat on the bed, straighten the lower limbs, force the kneecap (patella) upward, and then relax, repeated force. Or straighten the lower limbs to lift, put down, repeated. To a certain extent, you can also hang a certain weight of sandbags on the neck of the foot to practice. After exercise, the quadriceps muscle is strong and powerful, which is conducive to maintaining joint stability. Exercise should be started before the operation, and continue the day after the operation. At this time, the wound is still painful, the patient often have concerns, such as the fear of wound cracking, inside bleeding and so on. It is important to eliminate concerns and exercise through the pain. Two weeks after surgery, weight-bearing on the ground, and gradually increase the range of motion of the joints. The degree of exercise has a clear relationship with the recovery effect, the better the exercise, the better the effect.