Dr. Lydia Picard’s Lateral Meniscus Injury
Recently, I sustained a lateral meniscus injury. As a physical therapist, I am not less prone than the average person to getting injured. Last week my husband and I were practicing Brazilian Juijitsu at home. He tried to swing behind me in order perform a rear naked choke 😑. Unfortunately my footwork was lacking and my body/ thigh rotated right while my right lower leg was firmly planted on the ground and did NOT rotate with the rest of my body. I immediately heard a loud pop and sharp pain and by the next morning it was swollen and I could hardly move it. Based on the MOI (mechanism of injury) and my symptoms I knew what I had a lateral meniscus injury. It should be obvious it’s the right knee 😂.
The lateral meniscus is a common knee injury when the tibia or shin bone is forcibly rotated in and moved outward while the knee has weight on it (the opposite of how you would tear the medial meniscus or ACL).
Symptoms of a lateral meniscus injury often include:
- Knee swelling and stiffness
- Popping / clicking when trying to fully straighten knee
- Posterior/lateral knee pain that increases when trying to straighten knee
- Symptoms increase with squatting, step ups , and any movement that imparts a rotational force through knee joint (pivoting on the leg).
My treatment so far (this is not intended as medical advice for you)
- Compression applied to the knee knee tightly for swelling and stability
- A course of over the counter anti-inflammatories
- Activity modification to decrease stress through the knee
- Going up / down stairs one at a time
- Avoid twisting the injured knee
- Use the uninjured leg to stand up from a chair , especially if it’s low.
Updates to come on my progress….maybe some Juijitsu 🥋 videos once I’m healed 😂 I look forward to posting case studies about my patients , NOT myself, but unfortunately I am accident prone— good thing i can rehab myself, right?
Dr. Lydia Picard earned her doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Central Florida in 2014. While at the University of Central Florida she pursued coursework in neurology and manual therapy while also working at the UCF Wellness center as a trainer for physically disabled college students. She recently completed her training in the Polestar Pilates method for rehabilitation. Her recent work experience includes working in a sub-acute inpatient facility with an emphasis on post-hospital rehabilitation for patients following joint replacement, stroke, and other medically complex conditions.