The knee is one of the most complex and largest joints in the body and is more susceptible to injury. Meniscal tears are one among the common injuries to the knee joint. It can occur at any age but are more common in athletes playing contact sports.

The meniscus is a small, "c" shaped piece of cartilage in the knee. Each knee consists of two menisci, medial meniscus on the inner aspect of the knee and the lateral meniscus on the outer aspect of the knee. The medial and lateral meniscus act as a cushion between the thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia). The meniscus has no direct blood supply and for that reason, when there is an injury to the meniscus, healing cannot take place. The meniscus acts like a “shock absorber” in the knee joint.

Causes of Meniscal Injuries

Meniscal tears often occur during sports. These tears are usually caused by twisting motion or over flexing of the knee joint. Athletes who play sports such as football, tennis and basketball are at a higher risk of developing meniscal tears. They often occur along with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament, a ligament that crosses from the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone).

You might be experiencing:

• Knee pain when walking
• A “popping “or “clicking” may be felt at the time of injury
• Tenderness when pressing on the meniscus
• Swelling of the knee
• Limited motion of the knee joint
• Joint locking can occur if the torn cartilage gets caught between the femur and tibia preventing straightening of the knee.