Meniscus Tear - Symptoms & Causes

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What is a meniscus tear?

The meniscus is a small C-shaped cartilage that acts as a cushion in the knee joint. It protects the knee joint from wear and tear and helps to stabilise it.

There are 2 menisci that sit between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). One is on the inside of the knee (medial) and the other one is on the outside (lateral).

A meniscus tear occurs when one of these pieces of cartilage in the knee is injured or torn.

A meniscus tear occurs when one of the pieces of cartilage in the knee is injured and tears.

What are the symptoms of a meniscus tear?

Meniscus tear symptoms in the knee include:

Difficulty moving your knee
Feeling like your knee is locking or catching
Feeling like your knee is giving way or unable to support your weight
Limited range of movement
Pain on either side of the knee, especially upon contact
Popping sensation, indicating that a piece of cartilage has come loose
Swelling at the joint line area
Tenderness at the joint line area

What causes a meniscus tear?

A meniscus tear occurs when the knee is subjected to pressure and rotation or twisting while the foot is firmly planted. Even simple, everyday actions such as kneeling, squatting or lifting something heavy can result in a meniscus tear.

A meniscus tear occurs during movements that forcefully rotate the knee while the foot is firmly planted.

What are the risk factors for a meniscus tear?

A torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries. People at any age are prone to this condition, especially those who engage in contact sports.

Those at particular risk for meniscus tear include:

Athletes involved in contact sports or sports like tennis and basketball that require pivoting
Persons who are overweight
Older persons, who are more likely to have degenerative changes in the knees

A torn meniscus can cause long-term problems. Constant rubbing of the torn meniscus on the cartilage may cause the joint surface to become worn, leading to knee osteoarthritis.