Meniscal tear

Meniscal tear can result from playing sport or normal activities of daily living. The athletic population is at greatest risk, especially those who participate in pivoting or twisting sports (commonly American football, rugby, and basketball).

Common complaints include catching, locking, or buckling of the knee, knee pain, or any combination of these symptoms.

A magnetic resonance imaging scan is considered the most accurate and non-invasive method of diagnosis. Meniscal tears are mainly either traumatic or degenerative.

Small tears (<1 cm) are initially managed conservatively. Large tears (≥1 cm) and those with root involvement rarely heal spontaneously and are treated arthroscopically by meniscus repair (if torn in a clear, clean pattern) or, less commonly, partial meniscectomy (if torn in a complex pattern).

Successful outcome requires close follow-up and adherence to physiotherapy.

The medial and lateral menisci are shock absorbers and force distributors located between the femur and the tibia. Consequently, menisci can tear due to traumatic injury or degenerative wear (e.g., in knee joint arthritis), and can compromise force distribution across the knee joint. A meniscal tear occurs in 2 primary planes, vertical and horizontal. Vertical tears are generally the result of an acute trauma, whereas horizontal tears are typically degenerative in nature.[1]Kopf S, Beaufils P, Hirschmann MT, et al. Management of traumatic meniscus tears: the 2019 ESSKA meniscus consensus. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020 Apr;28(4):1177-94. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00167-020-05847-3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32052121?tool=bestpractice.com ​ Tears can cause knee pain, swelling, limited range of motion, and catching, locking, and buckling of the knee joint. Tears may lead to degenerative, arthritic changes if not already present.

[Figure caption and citation for the preceding image starts]: Anatomical structures around the menisciCreated by BMJ Publishing Group [Citation ends].