Meniscus Tear: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Options
A tear in the cushioning cartilage of the knee, causing locking, swelling and pain on twisting.
The menisci are two C-shaped cartilage structures between the thigh and shin bones. They distribute load, absorb shock and contribute to joint stability. A tear may result from a sudden twisting movement or from the reduced tissue resilience that comes with age.
Symptoms
- Pain along the inner or outer joint line that can be pointed to with a finger
- Sharper pain with twisting, squatting and descending stairs
- Swelling developing hours after the injury
- Catching, snapping or locking of the knee
- Inability to fully straighten or fully bend the knee
Two Different Patterns
- Traumatic tear: typically in younger, active patients, when the body rotates with the foot fixed. It frequently accompanies an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
- Degenerative tear: in middle age and beyond, without a clear injury, in tissue worn over the years. It is often part of knee osteoarthritis.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Examination assesses joint-line tenderness, range of motion and the response to rotation tests. X-rays do not show the meniscus but reveal joint space and accompanying arthritis; MRI shows the meniscus directly. Over the age of forty, a tear seen on MRI is not always the source of pain.
Not every tear requires surgery. Many degenerative tears settle with activity modification, a quadriceps strengthening programme and appropriate pain management. When surgery is indicated, the options are repair (suturing, preferred in the well-vascularised outer zone, especially in younger patients) or partial meniscectomy. Both are performed arthroscopically.
If your knee locks, cannot be fully straightened, swells repeatedly or hurts sharply on twisting, an assessment is advisable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a meniscus tear heal on its own?
Only the outer third of the meniscus has a blood supply; small tears in this zone may heal. Tears in the inner zone are not expected to heal spontaneously, although symptoms can often be controlled with treatment.
When can I walk after surgery?
After partial meniscectomy most patients walk with support on the same day. When the meniscus is repaired, weight-bearing is restricted for a period to protect healing; your surgeon will define the timeline.
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