Knee Cartilage Tear

What is a Knee Cartilage Tear?  

A torn cartilage occurs fairly frequently in football. Cartilage tears accounted for 12% of all Premiership injuries in the PhysioRoom.com 2004/2005 Analysis of Injuries. The term cartilage tear is slightly misleading, since it is the meniscus within the knee that is actually damaged. There are two menisci within each knee joint that are made from tough fibrocartilage - hence the use of the term cartilage for this injury.

As the knee joint bends the thigh bone usually rolls, spins and glides on the top surface of the shin bone. However, if there is rotation caused by a twist whilst the joint is bearing weight, the menisci can get jammed and nipped in between the two bones. If the force is sufficient, a tear of the meniscus will occur.

Cartilage tears are usually accompanied by pain and knee swelling. If it is a small tear if may simply settle down. However, with larger cartilage tears, the flap of torn cartilage may interfere with joint movement and cause the knee point to lock or give way.


What can you do to prevent a Knee Cartilage Tear?

There isn't a great deal that you can do to prevent a Cartilage tear. These injuries occur due to the positioning of the knee in a semi bent position while it is bearing weight. Having strong Quadriceps and Hamstring muscles that can deal with the strain on the knee joint may be helpful.


What should you do if you suffer a Torn Knee Cartilage?

Cases of knee pain and knee swelling that are accompanied by locking and giving way should be assessed by a chartered physiotherapist or doctor. Small cartilage tears may settle with physiotherapy treatment, but more significant cartilage tears may require surgery.

Surgical removal of the torn fibrocartilage is known as a meniscectomy. This knee surgery is usually undertaken using an arthroscope – a small camera that allows the surgeon to visualise the inside of the knee. The surgeon then uses a small burring device to trim away the torn cartilage. Following surgery, a period of 4 to 6 weeks physiotherapy is usually required.

Sprained Ankle

What is a Sprained Ankle? 


A sprained ankle is one of the most common injuries in football. It refers to soft tissue damage (mainly ligaments) around the ankle, usually caused when the ankle is twisted inwards

As well as damage to the ligaments, the capsule which surrounds the ankle joint can also be damaged. The damage causes bleeding within the tissues, which produces a swollen ankle and ankle pain.


What can you do to prevent a Sprained Ankle?

Taping and bracing the ankle can help to reduce the risk of ankle sprains. Previous research has shown the injury incidence in people with taped ankles was 4.9 ankle sprains per 1000 participant games, compared with 2.6 ankle sprains per 1000 participant games in subjects wearing ankle braces. This compared with 32.8 ankle sprains per 1000 participant games in subjects that had no taping or bracing.

Rehabilitation with a chartered physiotherapist significantly improves the level of ankle function. Wobble board training is designed to assist the re-education of balance and proprioception. Previous research has suggested that patients with ankle instability who underwent wobble board training experienced significantly fewer recurrent sprains during a follow-up period than those who did not follow the training programme.

The use of an Ankle Brace is a convenient alternative to taping the ankle.


What should you do if you suffer a Sprained Ankle?

In the first few days following an ankle sprain it is important to follow the PRICE protocol – protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation (never apply ice directly to the skin). The Aircast Ankle Cryocuff is the most effective method of providing ice therapy and is the professional's choice. It can provide continuous ice cold water and compression for 6 hours and significantly reduce ankle pain and swelling.