Meniscus Tears

What are meniscus tears?

Your meniscus includes two pieces of cartilage that cushion bones in your knee joint. A torn meniscus is a common knee injury that might occur if you forcefully rotate or twist your knee when bearing weight on it. 

Meniscus tears are painful and can reduce knee joint functioning. Treatment at Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine offers you relief. 

What are the symptoms of meniscus tears?

If you have meniscus tears, you may notice some of the following symptoms:

• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Popping sensations
• Problems straightening your knee
• Pain with knee rotation or twisting
• Feeling like your knee is locked in place
• Problems fully straightening your knee
• Knee instability or weakness
• Feeling like your knee gives way

See the Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team at the first sign of a knee injury or pain.

What are the risk factors for meniscus tears?

While meniscus tears are common and anyone can experience them, factors that increase your risk include:

• Suddenly stopping or turning
• Aggressively pivoting
• Forcefully rotating or twisting your knee
• Kneeling, heavy lifting, or deep squatting
• Age-related wear-and-tear
• Being overweight
• Arthritis 

You might tear your meniscus playing sports, especially sports that involve high-impact movements or physical contact. 

How does my provider diagnose meniscus tears?

To find out if you have meniscus tears, the Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team reviews your symptoms and medical history. 

They complete a physical exam to evaluate your knee joint and might order X-rays, MRIs, or other imaging procedures. Arthroscopy uses a thin, lighted scope to examine the inside of your knee joint. 

How are meniscus tears treated?

Your personalized treatment for a meniscus tear depends on the type of tear you have and how severe it is. 

Home remedies

The experts at Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine could recommend rest, ice, or taking medication to ease your pain while an injury heals. You might need crutches to avoid putting weight on the leg as it heals.

Physical therapy 

Physical therapy helps strengthen tissues surrounding an affected joint to support and stabilize it.

Surgery

You may need surgery to repair a torn meniscus or trim damaged tissues. In some cases, your Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine specialist recommends a meniscus transplant or knee replacement surgery.

If you suspect you have a meniscus tear, call the nearest Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine office, or schedule an appointment online today.