Meniscus Tears

Understanding meniscus injuries and your treatment options

The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia). Each knee has two menisci that help distribute load, improve stability, protect the joint surfaces, and contribute to normal knee function.

Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries. They may occur suddenly during sports or twisting injuries, or develop gradually as part of the normal aging process.

At Ortho South, every patient receives a comprehensive assessment to determine whether non-operative treatment, meniscal repair, or partial meniscectomy is the most appropriate option. The goal is not simply to treat an MRI finding, but to identify the true source of your symptoms and recommend the treatment most likely to provide meaningful, lasting improvement.

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Symptoms of a Meniscus Tear

Common symptoms include:

  • Pain along the inside or outside of the knee
  • Swelling
  • Catching or locking
  • Pain when twisting or squatting
  • Difficulty fully straightening the knee
  • Clicking or mechanical symptoms

While these symptoms are commonly associated with meniscus tears, they can also occur in patients with knee arthritis. Determining whether your symptoms arise primarily from the meniscus, the arthritis, or a combination of both is one of the most important parts of your assessment.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis begins with a careful history and physical examination. X-rays are routinely obtained to assess the overall health of the knee, including the presence and severity of arthritis. MRI is often helpful to evaluate the location, size, and pattern of a meniscus tear and to identify other injuries within the knee.

Treatment decisions are based on much more than the MRI alone. Your symptoms, physical examination, imaging findings, activity level, age, overall joint health, and personal goals all contribute to determining the most appropriate treatment.

Meniscus Tears and Arthritis

Many adults over the age of 40 have both arthritis and a meniscus tear. In fact, degenerative meniscus tears commonly develop as part of the same wear-and-tear process that leads to arthritis.

This can make treatment decisions more complex because the symptoms of arthritis and meniscus tears often overlap. Pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking, and even occasional catching may occur with either condition.

For this reason, an MRI showing a meniscus tear does not necessarily mean that the tear is the primary source of your symptoms or that surgery will improve your pain. A careful assessment helps determine whether symptoms are more likely to arise from the meniscus, the underlying arthritis, or both.

When symptoms are primarily caused by arthritis, arthroscopic surgery to treat the meniscus is often unlikely to provide lasting benefit.

Non-Surgical Treatment

Many meniscus tears improve without surgery.

Depending on the type of tear and your overall knee health, treatment may include:

  • Activity modification
  • Physiotherapy
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Weight management
  • Injections in selected patients
  • Time for symptoms to settle

For many degenerative meniscus tears associated with arthritis, non-operative treatment provides excellent symptom relief without the need for surgery.

Meniscal Repair

Whenever appropriate, preserving the meniscus is preferred because it continues to protect the knee joint and may help reduce the risk of further joint degeneration.

Meniscal repair involves suturing the torn meniscus to encourage healing rather than removing the damaged tissue. However, not every tear can or should be repaired. The decision depends on several factors, including the pattern and location of the tear, the quality of the remaining tissue, the blood supply to the injured area, the overall condition of the knee, and the likelihood that the repair will heal successfully.

In addition, preserving the meniscus is most valuable when the surrounding joint remains relatively healthy. If significant arthritis is already present, successfully repairing the meniscus may provide little long-term benefit because the underlying arthritis, rather than the meniscus itself, has become the primary source of symptoms.

Advances in surgical techniques have expanded the range of tears that may be suitable for repair, and preserving the meniscus remains an important goal whenever there is a reasonable chance of healing and the overall condition of the knee makes preservation worthwhile.

Recovery following meniscal repair is generally longer than after partial meniscectomy because the repair must be protected while it heals. Temporary restrictions on weight bearing, knee motion, and return to sport are commonly required.

Partial Meniscectomy

When a tear is unlikely to heal or is not suitable for repair, partial meniscectomy may be recommended. This procedure removes only the torn or unstable portion of the meniscus while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.

The goal is to relieve mechanical symptoms caused by unstable torn fragments while maintaining as much of the normal meniscus as possible to continue protecting the knee.

Most patients are able to walk shortly after surgery and gradually return to normal activities over the following weeks, although recovery varies depending on the individual and whether additional procedures were performed.

Is Surgery Right for You?

Surgery may be considered when symptoms persist despite appropriate non-operative treatment or when mechanical symptoms such as true locking, recurrent catching, or persistent swelling significantly affect daily life or sport.

The decision to operate is always individualized. Many MRI-detected meniscus tears never require surgery, while others are best treated surgically. The goal is to recommend the treatment that is most likely to improve your symptoms, preserve knee function when appropriate, and provide the best long-term outcome.

Private Meniscus Consultation

Ortho South provides comprehensive assessment of meniscus injuries and other knee conditions. Following a detailed evaluation, we will discuss your diagnosis, review both non-operative and surgical treatment options, and help determine whether surgery is likely to improve your symptoms.

No referral is required to request a consultation.

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