MENISCAL TEARS

Cartilage provides the cushioning between the bones in your joints.  There are many different types of cartilage.  The knee has 2 special cartilage pads: a medial meniscus and a lateral meniscus.  When these pads get torn from a specific injury or from degenerative changes that may occur with age, they can cause pain, locking, catching and buckling at the knee.

The diagnosis is based on physical exam findings and imaging studies.  You may need an x-ray to evaluate for arthritis, and an MRI may be necessary to identify the presence and location of a tears.

Depending on the type of tear, treatment can involve physical therapy, injections into the knee, or surgery to debride or repair the tear.  Surgery is usually done arthroscopically, which means that cameras and tools are inserted through small incisions into the knee to perform the surgery.

The image below has been reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.  Click here for more information on meniscal tears.