Meniscal Injuries

The knee joint is made up of the ends of the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone). The meniscus is a rubbery, C-shaped disc that cushions your knee. It also helps to protect the cartilage in the knee. Each knee has two menisci - one at the outer edge of the knee (lateral meniscus) and one at the inner edge (medial meniscus).

The menisci function as shock absorbers in the knee and help to maintain stability within the knee. Injuries to the meniscus can occur after acute traumatic injuries or chronic repetitive injuries. Meniscus injuries can result in pain, swelling and stiffness of the joint.

The diagnosis of a meniscus injury within the knee is made after a thorough clinical assessment of the knee. MRI scans are done to confirm the diagnosis and to look for concomitant knee injuries, such as ligament tears and cartilage injuries.

Patients with small meniscus tears may be treated non-surgically with a course of rehabilitation. However, patients with large or displaced meniscal tears, who develop persistent pain, swelling and loss of joint function, are treated surgically.