Signs Your Shoulder Pain Needs Help
Shoulder pain isn’t uncommon, but how do you know when to see your doctor? Here’s what you need to know.
Knee pain is a common complaint, mostly caused by or associated with the wear and tear of daily activities. If you’re an athlete, your chances of experiencing knee injuries escalate — especially when it comes to meniscus tears. It’s one of the most common knee injuries.
You can also develop this condition over time because your cartilage naturally weakens, causing your surrounding tissues to be susceptible to tearing.
Your meniscus serves as a shock absorber in your knee. Its rubbery cartilage, shaped like a C, sits between your shin bone and thigh bone.
As meniscus tear specialists, our team at Crescent City Orthopedics can determine if your symptoms indicate you need medical attention or if you’re experiencing non-threatening issues related to the function of your knee.
If your knee pops or snaps when bending or straightening it, this is typically normal — especially as your bones age. So, how do you know if the noises from your knee mean you have a meniscus tear or any other knee problem?
Learning the root issue of your knee pain or popping sound can help our team know how to treat it. Any time you experience something out-of-the-ordinary with your knee, it’s best to make an appointment to come in and see us for an evaluation. We can rule out or confirm what’s going on with your knee. Though an X-ray won’t show the meniscus, we can determine if you have a different issue.
If you have ongoing pain that has developed over time, you might have a medical condition like arthritis. We can also determine if your symptoms are from an injury or overuse that might come from a sprain or an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
With our expertise, we can find out if you have a medical concern that needs treatment, or we can discover if you have an issue that can heal on its own or with at-home remedies.
When you experience a meniscus tear injury, you may hear a popping sound at that moment. Or, if you have gradual degeneration of your cartilage, your symptoms might involve the sound of your knee snapping, associated with swelling and stiffness. It’s also possible for you to experience weakness in your knee, causing it to give way when you’re standing up.
If you have popping in your knee and pain, different methods of treatment might include:
If you have a meniscus tear, your injury can heal on its own if the tear sits on the outer edge where blood flows. If your tear is on the inner area of your meniscus due to lack of blood flow in that location, you most likely need surgery with physical therapy as a follow-up to help you recover quicker.
You don’t have to live with knee pain. If you have popping or pain, reach out to us. Give us a call today or click here to book an appointment if you live in Metairie, Louisiana, or the surrounding communities.
