The meniscus is a small, "C" shaped piece of cartilage in the knee joint. Each knee has two menisci, the medial meniscus on the inner aspect of the knee and the lateral meniscus on the outer aspect of the knee. The medial and lateral menisci act as a cushion between the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia).
Meniscal tears are one of the most common injuries to the knee joint. They can occur at any age, but are more common in athletes playing contact sports.
The meniscus can tear following a twisting type of injury during sports or when getting out of a chair or standing up from a squatting position. Athletes can tear their meniscus by either a twisting motion, over flexing the knee joint, pivoting, or sudden stopping or deceleration. In athletes, meniscal tears often occur along with other injuries such as a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Also as we age, our cartilage becomes a little more brittle and can therefore tear more easily.
To diagnose a meniscal tear your physician will take a detailed medical history and perform a physical examination of your knee.
The McMurray test is one of the important tests for diagnosing meniscal tears. During this test, the knee is bent, then straightened and rotated. These movements create pressure on a torn meniscus and any clicking sound during this test may suggest a meniscal tear.
Your doctor may order an X-ray of the knee to rule out osteoarthritis or other possible causes of your knee pain. Sometimes your doctor may order an MRI scan to obtain a better view of the menisci and assess the extent of injury.
Initial treatment after the injury usually includes the RICE protocal: rest, ice, compression, and elevation to control the pain and swelling. Further treatment options will depend upon the type, location, and extent of the tear. Small tears can be treated conservatively with anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy to strengthen muscles around the knee and prevent joint instability. A knee brace may be needed to immobilize your knee. You may need to walk with crutches temporarily to assist in limiting weight bearing.
If symptoms still persist after conservative treatment, your doctor may suggest surgery to repair the torn meniscus. Surgical treatment options include:
Meniscal repair: This procedure repairs the torn meniscus and restores the normal anatomy of the knee. However, this may not be able to treat tears located in an avascular part of the meniscus that lack a blood supply.
Meniscectomy: In this minimally invasive procedure the torn portion of the menisci is removed arthroscopically through tiny incisions with the aid of an arthroscope, a thin flexible scope with a video camera on the end to view internal structures.
As with any major surgical procedure, there are certain potential risks and complications involved with meniscus surgery. Possible risks and complications associated with meniscus surgery include: