Meniscus is another word for the cartilage in the knee that acts as a shock absorber. You have two of them medial and lateral or inner and outer. They are both C-shaped structures that are made of fibrocartilage. The meniscus is located between the femur and the tibia or thigh and leg bone. It actually serves many functions in the knee other than shock absorber. It acts as a stabilizer preventing the lower leg from sliding forward on the...
Arthritis is the loss of cushion on a joint surface-period. The cushion called articular cartilage is an amazing multi faceted structure that allows us to walk, run, jump, and lift without pain. Deep to the cushion is bone. If bone is exposed then this causes pain as there are nerve endings in the bone. When bone rubs against bone the joint becomes painful, swollen and stiff. There is no cure for arthritis and treatment is directed towards pain...
You have knee arthritis and a meniscus tear. One of the more common conditions that I see in the office is when someone comes in with an MRI that shows a meniscus tear and knee arthritis. Patients nowadays will have their MRI reports often before their office visit with me. Once they see the word meniscal tear, they latch onto this condition and start thinking about all the possibilities for treatment of meniscal tear and the arthritis...
The ACL or anterior cruciate ligament is the most important ligament in the knee. When it is completely torn, it can lead to instability or buckling of the knee. Why is it so important? What makes it unique? Why doesn’t it heal? Why do surgeons recommend getting it fixed? Is it necessary to get it fixed if I CrossFit®? Are there things I should avoid in CrossFit and life if I don’t get it fixed? All good questions but let’s check out its...
Baker’s cysts are notorious for causing confusion, distress, and uncertainty. Unfortunately, those feelings can be the doctor’s sometimes, not the patient. But the problem is easily identifiable and can be taken care of with the right treatment. They are extremely common and most commonly cause swelling and tightness in the back of the knee. They usually do not cause pain which is more commonly associated with either arthritis or a...
D Sean Rockett, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon and senior partner of Orthopedics New England with offices in Natick, Newton and Hopkinton, MA. Dr. Rockett is a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer and co-owner of CrossFit Launchpad. He also enjoys being the head orthopedic surgeon of the CrossFit Games Medical team.
