Lake Charles Dr Geoffrey Collins and Dr John Noble

At Lake Charles Orthopaedics, the doctors seek to provide cutting edge orthopedic care in a friendly environment. Our physician believe in developing long-term relationships with their patients. The Lake Charles physicians work hard to ensure that their patients understand their condition and work together with them to achieve the best possible outcome.

How is a meniscus injury diagnosed?

The orthopaedic surgeon will first take a history of the injury to help determine if the signs and symptoms might suggest meniscal damage.

Next the doctor will evaluate the knee for swelling and tenderness in a physical examination. The knee will be tender when pressed on the injured side where the tibia and femur meet. The McMurray's maneuver is a test in which the doctor applies pressure and moves the knee from straight to bent to straight again to see what positions cause pain or catching (indications of a meniscal tear).

The doctor may use imaging to assess the amount of damage. X-rays can show any fractures or arthritic conditions in the knee. A narrow joint space or bone changes indicate bone-on-bone rubbing and arthritis. If the diagnosis is still not clear, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image) may be ordered to reveal damage to ligamaments and menisci. This exam is 70 - 95% accurate in revealing meniscal tears, and can also show any ligament damage.