A meniscal tear is damage to the fibrocartilage ring that sits between the femur and tibia in the knee which protects, nourishes, and stabilizes knee. This is the most common knee injury and often occurs along with damage to other knee structures such as the ACL and MCL depending on the mechanism of injury.
Symptoms
- Hearing or feeling a “pop” or “rip”
- Swelling in the knee
- A “catching” or “locking” feeling in the knee
- Instability or the feeling that the knee is going to give out
- The feeling that something is out of place
- Stiffness in the knee
- Inability to fully straighten or fully bend the knee
- Pain in the joint line
Causes
- Pinched between femur and tibia
- A twisting motion of the knee
- Gradual tear over time
- A fall may cause a tear
- Direct hit to the knee like a tackle in football
- Squatting and twisting at the same time
Risk factors
- Contact sport athlete
- Old age (for degenerative issues)
- A loose or sliding meniscus
- A lot of squatting and standing back up such as painters, plumbers, baseball catchers, ect
Prevention
- Avoid repetitive movements of the knee
- Avoid playing contact or collision sports
Diagnosis
- After the physician evaluation an MRI is needed as a meniscal tear will not show up on an X-ray
- X-rays may also be ordered to rule out any injury to bone
Treatment
- Depends on the size, type, and location of the tear
- Tears are noted by how they look and where it occurs in the meniscus
- Outside 1/3 of the meniscus is called the “red zone”, has a good blood supply, and is capable of healing on its own.
- The inner 2/3 of the meniscus is called the “white zone” and has no blood supply. Therefore, it cannot heal on its own and will need to be trimmed away or removed.
- Non-surgical treatment
- Rest
- Ice
- Crutches and bracing as needed
- Physical therapy
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine
- Surgical treatment
- Arthroscopic clean-up
- Partial menisectomy
- Meniscal repair
- Meniscal transplant
- Total menisectomy
