New York Yankees slugger and 3rd baseman, Alex Rodriguez is considered one of the best all-around baseball players of all time. Having hit over 600 home runs, he remains the all-time MLB leader.
In a game against the Chicago Cubs on June 19th, 2011 A-rod injured his right knee. He was sent for x-rays, which showed a small tear in the meniscus. With the injury affecting his performance, he underwent surgery in July to repair the tear.
The knee is made up of two crescent shaped cartilage menisci. A meniscus tear is commonly seen in sports where the knee is twisting or over-flexed. This cartilage is essential to providing shock absorption and even weight distribution over the joint.
Some common symptoms A-rod would have felt include severe pain, swelling, clicking or popping, and catching or locking of the knee. Treatment depends on the extent of the tear. Small tears can be treated conservatively and with time, will heal on their own. In A-rod’s case, the tear was large enough to be repaired surgically.
With the help of a scope, the tear can be easily trimmed back down to normal. In just 4 to 6 weeks, A-rod should be back making big plays and hitting homers!
