Meniscus Tears Part One

The human knee joint can take a tremendous toll in the course of athletic participation, with injury, even everyday activities. A force of three to six times one’s body weight is transmitted through the knee every step one takes. To spread that load and lessen damage to the joint, we rely on a structure called the meniscus, semicircular bands of tissue spanning each side of the joint which service to distribute load and stabilize the knee.

Meniscus tears can occur in a variety of settings. Athletic injury, work accidents, and even minor trauma to the knee can cause acute tears. Age related changes often result in chronic or degenerative tears, of the meniscus which can commonly be seen in the setting of osteoarthritis.

Typical symptoms of a meniscus tear include pain, swelling, and sometimes a sensation of a pop when it occurs. Other associated symptoms can include locking or catching of the knee, a feeling of giving way, and a loss of range of motion

When these symptoms are present, a thorough physical examination is the first step for you and your physician. X-rays can be helpful to evaluate for other conditions such as a fracture, or more commonly osteoarthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging, or an MRI, can fully evaluate the soft tissues of the knee including the meniscus.