What is a bucket tear?
What is a bucket tear?
A bucket handle tear is a full-thickness tear of the meniscus that most often happens in the inner portion of your medial meniscus. According to the Wheeless’ Textbook of Orthopaedics, bucket handle tears occur three times more often in the medial meniscus than the lateral one.
Can a bucket handle meniscus tear heal itself?
A bucket handle tear will usually not go back into its normal position on its own. It often needs our help. Let’s dive deeper. The majority of these bucket tears can be fixed or sutured back together.
Is a bucket handle meniscus tear serious?
The meniscus function is to help distribute the force across the joint. Bucket Handle meniscus tears are serious injuries that occur when the meniscus separates around the circumference and its inner margin becomes displaced.
How painful is a bucket handle meniscus tear?
While it is common to feel severe pain after a bucket handle tear, some people may feel moderate pain – it all depends on your individual pain tolerance. Other symptoms include stiffness and swelling in the knee. You may also be unable to bear weight on the knee and feel a popping sensation when you move it.
Is a meniscus tear an emergency?
Not all meniscus tears require a doctor’s care. Pain and swelling that recur or don’t go away are usually signs a tear is serious enough to see a doctor. Locking, or being unable to straighten or bend the knee also merits a trip to the doctor.
Should I walk on a bucket handle meniscus tear?
You may still be able to walk with a bucket handle meniscal tear, and in fact, many athletes continue to play with a bucket handle meniscal tear. With bucket handle tears the meniscus can flip back into place and feel good for some time, but it will typically flip back forward with one wrong painful move.
How do you get a bucket handle meniscus tear?
Bucket handle meniscus tears are often associated with an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL tear). 2 In this common sports injury, one of the major knee ligaments is damaged, and at the same time, the bucket handle meniscus tear occurs.
What is a bucket handle tear?
The attachments of the meniscus remain intact, and the torn portion of the meniscus pulls into the center of the joint. A bucket-handle tear gets its name because the torn segment of the meniscus pulls away forming a handle shaped segment of damaged meniscus tissue. Symptoms of a bucket handle tear are similar to a typical meniscus tear.
What causes a bucket handle meniscus tear?
Diagnosis. Bucket handle meniscus tears are often associated with an anterior cruciate ligament injury ( ACL tear ). In this common sports injury, one of the major knee ligaments is damaged, and at the same time, the bucket handle meniscus tear occurs.
How long does it take to recover from a bucket handle tear?
Because most bucket handle tears occur in young, healthy individuals, surgical repairs can help keep you active and pain-free. While recovery can take several months, you can often return to your full physical activities with time and physical therapy exercises.