Meniscus Tear

What is the Meniscus?

• The menisci are two pads of cartilaginous tissue which serve to disperse friction in the knee joint between the lower leg (tibia) and the thigh (femur).

• The knee contains a lateral meniscus and a medial meniscus.

• Both are cartilaginous tissues that provide structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion.

What Does It Do?

• Shock Absorption
  • The menisci act to disperse the weight of the body and reduce friction during movement.

• • Since the ends of the thigh bone and shin bone meet at one point (which changes during flexion and extension), the menisci spread the load of the body’s weight.

• • This protects the integrity of the articular cartilage of the knee joint.

Meniscus Tears

• Torn or worn away from overuse, age, or injury.

• Common in sports such as soccer & basketball.

• Commonly related to anterior cruciate ligament injuries of the knee.

• The knee will be in pain when in use.

• But when there is no load, the pain goes away.

• Some meniscal tears can cause jamming or locking of the knee.

Treatment

• Observation / physiotherapy
• Arthroscopic menisectomy
  • Partial or total
• Arthroscopic meniscus repair

Observation

• Suitable for partial thickness tears
• Small tears close to capsule
  • possible to heal on its own