The following is a summary of “Athletes’ knowledge and attitude concerning the meniscus, meniscal injury, and management,” published in the December 2022 issue of Primary care by Alqahtani, et al.
Knee injuries can take different forms, including injuries to cartilage, ligaments, bones, and tendons. One of the most common non-contact knee injuries is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). However, the medial and lateral menisci also play a crucial role in stabilizing the joint and acting as shock absorbers and can be wholly or partially torn. For a study, researchers sought to investigate athletes’ knowledge and attitudes toward meniscus injuries and their management.
To achieve the study’s objectives, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were asked to complete a pre-structured electronic questionnaire that collected data on their socio-demographic characteristics, personal and family history of meniscus injury and surgery, physical activity in the past year, and knowledge of meniscal injury and management.
A total of 448 athletes met the inclusion criteria and completed the questionnaire. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 60 years, with a mean age of 26.7 ± 7.7 years. Of the participants, 256 (57.1%) were male. Only 21 participants had meniscus surgery, and 75 (16.7%) had a family history of meniscus injury. The majority (78.8%; 353) of athletes had poor knowledge of meniscus injury and management, with only 95 (21.2%) having good knowledge.
The study found that meniscus injury and surgery incidence was not high, consistent with international rates. However, the athletes’ knowledge of meniscus injury and its related management could have been better, with only one in five participants having good knowledge.
Reference: journals.lww.com/jfmpc/Fulltext/2022/12000/Athletes__knowledge_and_attitude_concerning_the.59.aspx