What is a Meniscus Injury?

The meniscus is the layer of fibrocartilage that sits between the two main bones of the knee joint, acting to absorb some of the forces that the knee joint is exposed to throughout everyday life. The meniscus is divided into two main areas, the medial and lateral components, and are found on the inside and outside of the knee respectively. Both the medial and lateral menisci are “C” shaped, and fit between the two bones of the knee joint (the femur and tibia) snuggly.

There meniscus is commonly injured when the knee is bent and twisted at the same time. The meniscus can also become injured due to performing repetitive movements over a number of years. In this case, the cartilage deteriorates to an extent - these are classified as degenerative injuries.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of a Meniscal Tear?

+ Pain and/or tenderness around the inside or outside of your knee

+ Swelling may also be present, and can act to limit the range of motion at the knee joint

+ While bending your knee, you may experience the joint clicking, locking up or even giving way while you are walking

What is the Treatment of a Meniscal Tear

Non-surgical: The first step is to have the suspected meniscal injury assessed by a physiotherapist. They will assess the nature/extent of your injury, decide if any further examinations are necessary and educate you on short term pain management strategies. There is also good evidence for the effectiveness of exercise therapy in treating meniscal tears, with the aim to recover any lost range of motion, and then slowly build surrounding muscle strength as your symptoms improve.

Surgical: Should your injury be of a more traumatic nature, causing locking/giving way of the knee joint or not improving with conservative management, your physiotherapist may suggest a consultation with a knee specialist. If indicated, they can perform an arthroscopic surgery, where the surgeon makes a small incision and debride any loose or obstructive pieces of meniscus. Following this minor surgery, physiotherapy is required to regain range of motion and return you to your pre-injury activity levels.