Meniscus injuries are some of the most common injuries that we see in orthopaedic sports medicine clinic. These knee injuries can occur in athletes or as the result of traumatic injuries, or they can appear gradually over time as more of a “wear and tear” injury. So what exactly does it mean to have a “torn meniscus”, and what should you do if you think you have one?
First, let’s start off with the anatomy. In the knee joint there are two meniscii, a medial meniscus on the inside of the knee and a lateral meniscus on the outside of the knee. These structures play a very important role in maintaining the overall health of the knee joint. The meniscus is a C- shaped structure that acts as an important shock absorber and distributor of hoop stresses inside the knee joint itself. These stresses occur when walking or running as the femur bone (thigh bone) articulates with the tibia bone (shin bone). The medial and lateral meniscus play a crucial role to protect the cartilage that lines the ends of the bones, and these structures also act as secondary stabilizers in the knee joint.
When the meniscus is not torn and is working appropriately, you wouldn’t know that it’s there! However, when the meniscus does sustain an injury that results in tearing, it can quickly become very painful. Meniscus tears can be divided into two categories. Acute tears are the result of a specific injury (often a twisting injury or fall), while chronic degenerative tears occur slowly over time, and gradually become more painful.
Common symptoms that you might experience in your knee if you have a meniscus tear include occasional sharp, stabbing pain, along with feelings of catching, clicking, or locking. In some cases, patients report feeling like their knee is “giving way” on them. Meniscus tears are not visible on x-ray, and the imaging study of choice for diagnosis is an MRI.
If you think that you may have a meniscus tear, it is important to see a sports medicine physician, ideally someone who treats these injuries frequently and has a lot of experience reading and interpreting MRI studies. There are many different types of tear patterns when it comes to meniscus tears- many tear patterns do very well with nonoperative management such as physical therapy, but some tear patterns do better with surgical treatment. Do not hesitate to seek treatment if you are experiencing knee pain!
Heather Kellett, MD
February 2025
