Knee Meniscus

Knee Meniscus (Cartilage) Tear

The menisci are two tough pads of cartilage located in the knee joint between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). Their job is to provide a good fit for the femur on the tibia so body weight is distributed evenly across the knee joint.

Symptoms

The patient often feels pain and is unable to continue what he/she was doing.  The knee often swells and the patient is unable to straighten the knee fully or knee “locking”.  Often if the tear is not severe the patient is able to resume activity after a few weeks however if left untreated the knee gives way suddenly or pain occurs again.  The cycle can occur repetitively.

The most common symptoms of a meniscus tear are

Knee pain

• Swelling of the knee
• Popping or clicking within the knee
• Limited motion of the knee joint / knee “locking”
• Tenderness when pressing on the meniscus

 

Causes

• Injuries of the menisci are common in men under the age of 45
• The twisting force with the knee flexed
• Traumatic injury (often seen in athletes)
• Degenerative processes (seen in older patients who have more brittle cartilage)
• Flat feet or biomechanical mal-lignment (See Orthotics)